Mozambique’s rap game looks to be on the right path, producing some of the best in the last 4 years, but before all the success, some of it’s legends laid the bricks for its foundation. Duas Caras happens to be one of the genre’s hardest masons. With a rap career that kicked off in 1994, Duas has survived everything the rap game has thrown at him, rapping his way out of it. His reverence toward religion, cinema, martial arts, and feelings have been his calling card as he’s pumped out hundreds of songs in a 25+ year career. For the iMullar, the rapper talks eras, new music, and Mozambique’s current rap game.
You’ve been a fan of rap your whole life, and you grew up idolising Jay Z. From your days when you used to participate in freestyle programs like Hip-hop Time, and Vibe, When did you realise that you wanted to keep doing this — that this was the beginning of something, not the end?
I didn’t know that, I thought I would eventually stop rapping at a certain age but then after a long period of deep introspection I realised that I can’t live without music in my life. So I decided that I would do everything in my power to make something big out of it. I can’t do without music, that’s the whole truth, looking back at how I started, as an underground rapper, inspired by Naughty by Nature, Snoop Dog, and HOV. I used to freestyle on a national radio show in the capital Maputo which caught the attention of hip-hop fans at the time. By the early 2000’s I joined a group called Gpro and we released 4 albums during the following years with various nominations and prizes including best rap song of the year Karaboss. I look back at this come-up, all the excitement, and lessons it came with, this music thing is for life for some of us, we’ve been at it without knowing we were at it.
You’ve survived all the eras Mozambique’s rap game has been through. What’s your opinion on its state right now?
If only you could understand Portuguese you would realise how good rappers from Mozambique are. Sometimes I think to myself if we were an anglophone nation things would be different for us. I’m not deep into the rap scene currently but I’m aware that we are doing good. I can tell you for sure that Mozambique has great artists but the lack of proper creative structure and means to showcase internationally has hindered the growth of the industry. Even with that, the rappers go hard, I guess that’s what Hiphop is about, as a culture for us. And I understand the idea of change, new eras and all, and that’s what the rap game is witnessing now, every rap scene. After all these years of rapping and being consistently considered the best rapper by the masses I concluded that I have nothing more to offer in the rap game besides supporting other artists coming up, which I think is the right thing to do.

One of my favourite projects from you is Duditos Way, inspired by Brian de Palma’s Carlito’s Way. Are you a cinephile? And how can you add that as an element to your music?
Thank you. Yeah, I am a cinephile, I love the idea of films. I feel like films are a depiction of everyday life, and some directors like to show both the good/bad parts of it, I love it, telling the harsh realities of life. Do you know I learned English by watching movies and listening to music, and not in school? Talk about everyday life, it has some influence on my work.
In all your years, you’ve built authentic relationships, but sometimes, it’s gone left. How do you separate the people you want to work with for the moment from those you want to keep in your life forever?
I’m a very unsocial person, I have specific times to interact with people like I’m more of a calculated person, you can feel it in my songs. Unless I’m performing for the fans most of the time I spend in the studio and gym and recently, I got into martial arts and dancing, kinda like Robert Downey JR, but not for his reasons, but yeah, martial arts is a way of life, similar to rap. If you look closely, some movies relate to hip-hop, like a crossover, I love crossovers. I am also a family man and enjoy spending time with my kids. I spend my time making music, reading, and training.
There’s something about the way you mix your vocals on the albums. I don’t know if it’s the way you record it, but there’s just so much urgency in your voice. It’s like you’re rapping for your life, how have you maintained that skill sharpened for years?
I don’t know the answer to that question, but yeah, when you love the game, you do things without noticing. Looking back when I was very much active on the rap scene I didn’t listen to it very much. I always listened to other genres. I am a diverse person, I have dabbled between singing and rapping before, I wasn’t singing until I started inviting artists who liked to do my hooks/chorus, and for multiple reasons wasn’t always successful. That Made me start singing my hooks, I honestly didn’t know what I was doing, if the notes were right I didn’t care. As long as it sounded good for me I was happy. And I took that same approach to every song I wrote for the rest of my career. It worked pretty well I must say. I don’t consider myself a singer though, I’m essentially a rapper who can create good melodies.
My first successful experience was “Gueime” in which I mixed up rap with some African guitar inspired by the great Zimbabwean artist Oliver Mtukudzi. In a scene where there is always competition, guess you’ll need to be at your A-game.

Djundava and Afromatic marked your entry into a new era, what is up next for you? How Prepared are you for this
I can say that I got the enthusiasm back, feels like I’m starting over again. I’m enjoying every moment of this uncertainty. I know I will lose a lot of fans but I can leave with that. I’m making the kind of music I want to hear and hopefully, people will vibe to it when it drops. As far as my career, I’m in a new place now. Mentally, spiritually, emotionally, physically, and most importantly I’m very Honest with myself and I have no illusions. I believe in the power of good art supported by organisation and team effort. My new single is up and ready.