Exactly a month after WalyCris’ death, rapper Guntolah has released a tribute, Letter to Waly dedicated to the fallen star.

WalyCris died on December 23 in Zimbabwe while in transit from South Africa where he went to perform alongside Zembani Band.

Guntolah: He was so close to me

Out of the many who paid their respects to the fallen artist, famous for his song Achalume, it seems there was one who stood aside to wait for all the dust to settle before speaking out his mind. He is rapper Guntolah, who besides being mates in the industry, also retained a close personal friendship with WalyCris.

Like a typical letter, the song begins with a salutation to his departed friend: “Hey! Letter to Waly, it has been so long ndisanapange reply. Zimandigwetsa mphwayi, pena mkumati ayi. Wandililitsa amayi”…

The opening stanza gives a clear indication of how disbelief engulfed Guntolah upon learning about the death of his friend. Without trying to indulge in the wild talk that followed his passing, the artist made a decision to stay aloof and watch the events unfold.

Died in a road accident: WalyCris

In Malawi, every death, especially that of a famous person is always associated with myths and speculation. Often narratives are always created, with no source of backing, blaming this or that person. It was not different during the death of WalyCris, real Name Wyson Laifoh.

In the song, Guntolah has not hidden that and addresses that growing tendency among Malawians.

“Anthu anadandaula, zinkhani mbwee. Ena oti sakukonda, kukuonetsa chikondi. Imfa yako anthu agwirana ufiti. Kwa ena inali nkhani yodzipangira promote, andale ma campaign ndikupereka report, man I felt bad…” goes the song in part.

During his death, WalyCris was an artist on the rise. Achalume appeared to have undone the trick for all the years he stayed in the background since 2015 when he joined the music industry.

Letter to Waly highlights how painful it is for one to depart the stage at a time when he had started enjoying the fruits of his toil as an artist. The manner of the delivery, the sombre nature of the lyrics and serene instrumentation will surely force everyone to reflect on a career that was nipped in the bud.

In an interview yesterday, Guntolah said WalyCris was more than family to him and that after his death he withdrew from all social media activities and he relocated to Mulanje where he says he is taking his time before he returns to his base.

“He was so close to me. So, every time I think of him, I have been writing. I almost wrote a book. Something told me not to speak about it because there were a few things I noticed on the social media and during his funeral that I didn’t like,” he said.

Guntolah, real name Abdurashid Maloko, said their union goes as far back as 2014 and throughout the years, the two artists motivated and learnt from each other. He said he will remember WalyCris as a dedicated person.

Letter to Waly was recorded and produced by Hyke Studios in Thyolo. The song was released on Monday, exactly a month since WalyCris’s death.

The post Guntolah pens tribute to WalyCris first appeared on The Nation Online.

The post Guntolah pens tribute to WalyCris appeared first on The Nation Online.