To exist boldy in one’s multinationality is itself an act of resistance.
Written by PAL
Anashe AKA KindlyNxsh describes himself as being “made in Zimbabwe, raised by South Africa”, and herein lies the spirit resistance that gets thrust upon you whether you choose it or not. In recent years, a wave of SA rap has been coloured by an identity politic of precarity. Artists like PARTICKxxLEE, B*by D*iz, CRTVSHOTS and indeed, KindlyNxsh all sit in this made in/raised by dichotomy, a gray area that challenges the idea that the legitimacy of statehood is in its singularity.
Too many times when one identifies with another African state at the same time as South Africa, a betrayal occurs; you become foreign, and recent events have been a chilling reminder of what that really means. That the invention of the nation state as we know it, is the only true betrayal to African solidarity. This is the curse of multinational identity in South Africa.
It is frowned upon, suspicious, intolerable – especially when those nations are African. But what happens when the kids tolerate it more, suspect it less, or even embrace it wholly? I posit that certain ‘SA artists’ today are answering that question in a way not too dissimilar to the late great Oliver Mtukudzi. KindlyNxsh’s ‘Todii’ is the final boss of this observation.
To some purists, a comparison like this spells blasphemy. And indeed, the reach and impact of Tuku sits in a league of its own — his politics were clearer, voice pervasive, legacy unshakeable. This is true, but so too are the relics of his existence living through a new generation of storytellers. Rappers and shooters. KindlyNxsh and CRTVSHOTS.
On May 8th 2026, KindlyNxsh released ‘Todii’, a single that carried a familiarity from the onset. By sampling one of the continent’s most recognisable and cherished songs, ‘Todii’ by Oliver Mtukudzi, KindlyNxsh made something clear: home is not monolithic. It is not solely bound by geography, it is intangible, relational and for many of us, it is fleeting. Over Tuku’s heartfelt instrumental of guitar and grief, KindlyNxsh tells stories of familial estrangement, placemaking, and the pursuit of happiness. He speaks promises to his mother, and to himself. Singing, soothing and swearing to succeed.
The significance of a sample like this is not just in its nostalgia and the rawness it carries thereof; it is in its politic. Over the past few months, South Africa has seen a rise in anti-migrant sentiment, with members of Operation Dudula, ActionSA, the Inkatha Freedom Party and the MK Party joining in the March and March movement, calling for government reform to South African immigration.
The widespread hostility born from this has sparked discourse surrounding what it means to be African in South Africa today. A South Africa that was once brought to liberation with support and solidarity from the very African nations it now rejects.
Today, we are a far cry from the pan-African project that the likes of Sobukwe once dreamed of and died for. Corruption, unemployment and post-apartheid Apartheid has left a wounded people. A people unified against the wrong enemy. In this context, to exist boldly in one’s multinationality is in itself an act of resistance. One that Anashe takes on with a fire, drop upon drop.
KindlyNxsh, after having established himself as a formidable player in South African Hip Hop, is complicating the landscape. On TRANSIT featuring Maglera Doe Boy, Glarey refers to Nxsh as “The Last son of Shawn from Southern Rhodesia”, on GO CRAZY Nxsh delivers raps in full Shona, and today Nxsh reaches his final form with a ‘Todii’ sample accompanied by a video shot in Zimbabwe, at his grandmother’s farm.
In part, he credits these steps to the markets, “I’m reaching more people” he says to DJ Sliqe on a YFM interview. However, there is also a vulnerability here that cannot be overlooked, “There’s some things I want to get off my chest, something about my family. I want to go to Zim and document it”. So when Nxsh speaks of the desire to pay homage to his family, the pull to embrace home and the importance of his relationship to Zim, it becomes clear that to him, this is far more personal than numbers. The video only cements that with CRTVSHOTS behind the lens, another growing industry titan who is also from Zim.
The ‘Todii’ music video opens with earnest reflections from Anashe’s grandmother, cutting to various scenes of her, Nxsh’s mother, and Nxsh interacting with home. It is captivating and raw, a vulnerable glimpse into the world that he comes from. The one that made him, even if South Africa raised him. The storytelling through film here captures the essence of this, it reflects the complex feelings of experiencing home from a displaced point of view, the wishing every moment could last forever, the resurrected inner child, the sobering reminder of all who came before you.
CRTVSHOTS and KindlyNxsh pay tribute to home with bravery and grace. ‘Todii’ at its core, is human and that is resonating with thousands across South Africa and Zimbabwe. One commenter even wrote “The courage to be Loudly Zimbabwean in SA is something commendable, Soldier found something to fight for and it’s a worthy cause.”