| Tehn Diamond | |
| Birth Name: | Tendai Nguni |
| Spouse: | Miss Chindiya |
| Birth Date: | 1985 1, df=yes |
| Origin: | Harare, Zimbabwe |
| Genre: | Hip hop |
| Years Active: | 2006–2017 |
| Label: | Independent |
Tendai Ryan Nguni (born January 17, 1985),[1] is a Zimbabwean rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor from Harare, Zimbabwe. Nguni goes by the stage name Tehn Diamond or Tehn.[2] He is a member of the hip-hop collective Few Kings,[3] with whom he has released one album.[4] On January 1, 2017, Tehn Diamond debuted in the music industry with the release of his debut album A Few Good Poems[5] [6] and later that year, released the sequel to The Feeling Ain't Fair titled The Feeling Ain't Fair or #TFAF2[7] with Jnr Brown and Take Fizzo. He stars in the movie Cook Off, Zimbabwe's first feature film to be released on Netflix.[8] [9]
Tehn Diamond was born in 1985 to Sylvester Nguni, a politician who worked as a caregiver. He has two sisters and one brother. Raised in the gated community of Borrowdale Brooke in Harare, Zimbabwe, Tehn Diamond attended the St George's College and later decides to pursue a Finance degree in Brisbane, Australia. Eventually, he chooses to shift his focus to a career in music and discontinued his studies.[10] In 2008, the Federal Government of Australia announced the revocation of student visas for nine children belonging to the senior members of Former Zimababwe President Robert Mugabe's regime, and Tehn Diamond was among those affected.[11]
After relocating to Singapore, Tehn Diamond began to delve into exploring music.[12] Whilst in Singapore, Tehn Diamond performed over 800 live performances.[13] Subsequently, he made a decision to return to Zimbabwe, where he has since established permanent residence.
Tehn Diamond's career started with the release of the mixtape titled Student of the Game: Higher Learning, in 2008[14] which was followed by another mixtape titled Student of the Game: Boys Will Be Boys in 2010. These mixtapes garnered significant attention, amassing a considerable fan base. Tehn Diamond's work earned him recognition at the National Arts Awards in 2012, where he was honored with the Best Video accolade.[15]
In December 2014, he embarked on an extensive tour across Zimbabwe, performing for audiences at numerous venues across the country. The tour culminated in a show held in Bulawayo, which was hosted by the local beauty product brand, Vault Cosmetics.[16] [17] Throughout his career, Tehn Diamond has collaborated with various fellow Zimbabwean artists, including The Djembe Monks, a tribal house music group from Bulawayo. Tehn Diamond has also headlined Africa's biggest reality TV show Big Brother.[18] [19] [20] His song titled "Happy" featuring Jnr Brown was placed in rotation nationally by all major radio stations including Star FM and Power FM.[21] It was also nominated for best song of the year at the Zim Hip Hop Awards.[22] On Valentine's Day 2015, he had the opportunity to open for renowned artist, Cassper Nyovest at 1+1 Long Cheng Plaza in Harare. His performance was met with tremendous acclaim, with both fans and Cassper Nyovest himself, expressing their admiration on Twitter. This further cemented Tehn Diamond's position as a highly regarded and celebrated music figure in the Africa music industry.[23]
The awards which are commonly referred to as the NAMAs are the principal awards in Zimbabwe. Tehn Diamond has won a NAMA more than once, particularly in 2012 for Best Video ("Happy" featuring Jnr Brown).|-| rowspan="2"| 2010| rowspan="2"| Student of the Game: Higher Learning| Best Hip Hop Artist| |-| Best Hip Hop Album| |-| 2012| Student of the Game: Boys Will Be Boys| Best Video|
| Album details | ||
| The Feeling Ain't Fair |
|
|---|
| Year | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| "Happy"[24] | 2013 | The Feeling Ain't Fair | |
| "Grown up Kid"[25] | 2012 | Student of the Game: Pursuit of Amazing | |
| "Simudza Gumbo"[26] | 2014 | The Perfect Tehn |