GwapCity SmartCity Mixtape Volume 1 – Forced Entry Edition MERKUS AMANI & ADONAIYAH YEARWOOD AKA SHORTO
Carribean Edition Of The International Musical Collaboration
NEW YORK, NY, June 30, 2025 -- Gun & Prayer: Protecting Purpose in Sound
CANADA | USA | SOUTH AFRICA | JAMAICA | TRINIDAD & TOBAGO | ZIMBABWE —
The GwapCity SmartCity Mixtape Volume 1 is complete. What began as a spark has become a full-fledged statement of resilience, purpose, and presence.
A Prophetic Soundscape: Gun & Prayer
This volume is presented as a cassette-themed album — Side A opens with the voice of the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago, urging citizens to remain alert and prepared. Side B begins with a solemn, anchoring prayer — a reminder that some battles are fought best on your knees.
The result is a raw, rooted project that reflects both the struggle and the sanctity of protecting one's calling.
Recording Hubs
This mixtape was recorded across multiple continents, connecting grassroots studios to a global message:
- Zimbabwe – Luveve, Gwabalanda (SyBix Entertainment Group & 787 Entertainment)
- Trinidad & Tobago – 3IO Music Group
- Los Angeles, USA – Big Mil Studio
- St Mary, Jamaica – (Studio pending update)
- South Africa – (Studio pending update)
Production Credits – A Tale of Two Hemispheres
The sonic foundation of GwapCity SmartCity Mixtape Volume 1 was crafted entirely by Shorto (Adonaiyah Yearwood) of 3IO Music Group, Trinidad & Tobago. Every beat across the mixtape — regardless of region — originated from his visionary catalog of riddims.
But what makes this mixtape historic is how its final sound was shaped across hemispheres:
- Mixing & Mastering (Americas & Caribbean): All songs recorded in Trinidad, Jamaica, Canada, and the United States were mixed and mastered by Shorto himself — ensuring a polished, unified sound rooted in Caribbean authenticity and technical excellence.
- Mixing & Mastering (African Hemisphere): Songs recorded in Zimbabwe and South Africa were mixed and mastered by Street Keys, a 2025 high school graduate from Bulawayo. Despite his age, his production ear and technical execution signal the arrival of a major talent from the African continent.
This dual-engine production approach symbolizes the global bridge at the heart of the SmartCity vision: youth and veterans, continents and cultures, converging through shared purpose.
Featured Artists (Alphabetical Order)
Artist: Region
Cowboy Normara: South Africa
Dre Mafia Canada / Jamaica
Dyagram Ruffian: St Mary's, Jamaica
Fab G Mshana Ka Gogo: Zimbabwe
Flame Boy A: Zimbabwe
GwapCity Bluz aka Ruffian Bluz: California, USA
Peligrosso Blxze: Zimbabwe
Shorto: Trinidad & Tobago
Smallz: Trinidad
Splinta Ruffian: St Mary's, Jamaica
Street Keys: Zimbabwe
Time Bomb: Trinidad
Top Striker: Trinidad
What's Next
- July 11, 2025: Premiere of the official video for "Grung" by Shorto & Dre Mafia
- July 17, 2025: Full mixtape release — aligned with Genesis 8:4, the date Noah's Ark rested on the mountains. A symbolic landing moment: from the storm to solid ground. This theme resonates even more deeply as the executive producer, Merkus Amani, spent the entire month of June recovering from a medical procedure — turning his personal storm into a testimony of healing, vision, and renewed purpose.
Why It Matters
- Local Meets Global: Voices from Luveve to Los Angeles are rising in unity.
- Cassette Concept: A nostalgic format meets modern vision — Side A: Readiness. Side B: Reverence.
- Art with Assignment: Each track is not just a vibe — it's a declaration of purpose, a spark of healing, a strategic act of sound.
Call to Collaborators
We invite media partners, DJs, curators, cultural sponsors, and visionary brands to join this movement.
The GwapCity SmartCity Mixtape Volume 1 is just the beginning.
Together, we can build a sound that doesn't just echo — it establishes.
GwapCity is the futuristic reimagining of Gwabalanda, Luveve (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) — transforming forgotten corners into globally connected cultural hubs. The SmartCity concept fuses music, technology, and storytelling as tools for elevation — especially for creatives on the margins.
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Contact Information
Adonaiyah Yearwood3IO MUSIC GROUP
Rio Claro
Trinidad & Tobago
Voice: 18683563366
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