Chronicle Editor
Mbulelo Mpofu, Showbiz Reporter
WHAT do the following people have in common, Chelsea Football Club owner and billionaire Roman Abramovich, Former Spice Girl Mel C, the late Pop king Michael Jackson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, late singers Don Williams and Bob Marley?
Yes, all of them were and are internationally-acclaimed people who belong to the elite group, but besides the obvious, they all stepped foot in Zimbabwe at some point in their lives and their love for the country was evident for all to see.
Some may have had secret missions and did not intend to garner media attention but as you know, the inevitable happened.
There is a new breed of Zimbabwean lovers who do not need to be in Zimbabwe to show their love. All they need is the blessing of the advancement of technology that brought about the internet. Complementary to that digital connectivity, a pair of headphones, a cellular phone as well as a digital camera to capture the moment suffices.
Nestled deep in the state of California in the land of opportunity, the United States is the City of Angels. Most of you know it as Los Angeles. In those paths, a lover of everything African has emerged. Big Ralph of the That Fire LA YouTube channel has broadened his scope with sessions where he reacts to Zimbabwean content, with the help of Zimbabweans suggesting which content to react to coming in handy.
He has even reacted to Zimbabwean music videos too, most notably, Holy Ten, Van Choga, Kae Chaps, Takura, the late Soul Jah Love, Poptain, Jah Master and Jah Prayzah.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Zimbabwe really. You guys have some of the most beautiful women in the world and I cannot wait to see more of your works,” Big Ralph said.
Jah Master even suggested that Big Ralph reacts to his Hello Mwari remix with Haitham Kim on Instagram.
His reactions have produced some of the funniest comments on YouTube and he has also done virtual tours to beautiful places around the world.
Van Choga is known for his energetic and comic music videos and when Pindikiti’s video was reacted to, one OsKaRR Worldwide said, “In Zimbabwe, we use his energy to generate electricity for the whole country” which left other YouTubers in stitches.
The YouTube channel’s reactions are synonymous with the recurring phrase, “It’s lit!” jingle, and the host, or should one say reactor, Big Ralph is always jovial, to say the least.
Big Ralph thrives on reacting to comedy skits that he finds online and his favourite continent is Africa.
Complementary to Big Ralph’s exploits is his female counterpart, MommaDee’s reactions. MommaDee hosts her own reactions as well on the channel and she is as funny as they come.
Since joining YouTube in 2018, Big Ralph has amassed massive viewership of over 154 million views, a sign of his popularity and a huge chunk of that viewership has been from Zimbabweans who appreciate what Big Ralph is doing for Zimbabwean art.
His channel amasses a whooping US2 million annually.
The funny part is that he does not understand any African language yet he finds it intriguing and constantly asks for translations.
“Can anybody tell me what Hello Mwari means? Is he calling a friend or what? Please help me with that on the comments section,” he once said.
He has even formed his own legion of followers who wear the, “It’s lit” brand of apparel. The most striking Zimbabwean apparel that gets him going is the cross belt and funny apparel.
Big Ralph is endorsing Zimbabwean talent and is a personal fan of Jah Master. Jah Master’s introductory chant, “Jah Master pon the session” is his favourite and he usually repeats it when he reacts to a Jah Master’s songs.
The YouTuber has undoubtedly carved a niche and market for local artistes to penetrate international markets by just uploading their music on video-streaming platform YouTube. Now, artistes record their music and shoot videos with one eye on being featured on Big Ralph’s channel.
Big Ralph and MommaDee are not the only YouTubers reacting to Zimbabwean music. Jiggsillustrations Show YouTube channel owner Jamaican Jiggzy is also a fan of Zimbabwean music and so is Kay Davis Israel of the WhosNextIsrael YouTube channel is another reactor.
These reactors of local content have gained traction and brought with them, a new global market for Zimbabwean content across the world.
All of a sudden, the future looks brighter for local acts to be recognised globally through the reactions of one who has considerable followership on YouTube.
In your view, who do you think Big Ralph should react to next as he continues to scout our beautiful country for raw talent? – @eMKlass_49
Online Reporter