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Bongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
“WHEN I come to Zimbabwe I just don’t want to come and excite fans get on a plane and go back. I want to impart knowledge to the local DJs and music producers.”
These were the words of South Africa-based Black Coffee on the sidelines of his show on Saturday night.
DJ Black Coffee real name Nkosinathi Maphumulo said he would like to arrive early when he is billed for a gig so that he can meet with music producers and exchange notes.
“I would like to come early like on a Thursday when the gig will be on a Friday. This is so that I can do workshops with local DJs and producers and teach them about the industry and about music,” he said.
Black Coffee said in the workshops he would tell people on the ins and outs of the entertainment industry.
“In the workshop we will be talking about the art of deejaying. It is something that I have been doing. How do you grow, how do you create a brand, how do you grow that brand and sustain it? Also how does one get their music out there into the market,” he said.
Black Coffee advised local artistes to stick to producing music that was relevant to their culture and where they come from and not copy from other countries.
“People have this notion that you need to go to South Africa to make it. You have to create whatever noise about yourself in Zimbabwe.
“In Africa we have talent that is rich, but we do not know what to do with it. We should stop trying to be like Americans and Europeans and start localising and using platforms that can uplift people,” he said.
Black Coffee said gaining knowledge about one’s business was the key to his success.
“You can give people money and build studios, but if they do not have knowledge it is useless for them to produce music. Last time I was here I met Djembe Monks and they gave me stuff to sample. I met one of them today I was saying to him where have they been since I was given the CD with the tracks,” he said.
On the night Black Coffee showed that he is still the brand to beat in the house entertainment industry when he gave a mind-blowing two-hour performance at Horizon Pub and Grill in Bulawayo on Saturday night. As soon as he took over the decks, the mood changed and revellers filled the dance floor as he was performing from behind the pool and a tent was covering the DJ’s booth.
Those in the VIP section had an opportunity to take selfies of each other with Black Coffee after the show.
Black Coffee’s set had no flaws as he mixed deep house beats with known commercial house lyrics with DJ Black Cee of Djembe Monks commending Black Coffee for his skill on the decks and being fearless in trying new things.
Meanwhile, the promoter of the DJ Black Coffee show in Bulawayo last weekend had a skirmish with the producer of a local act over when the artiste of the latter was to perform.
Mduduzi Mdlongwa of 3D Events and Thokozani Hlabangana of Defined House traded accusations after they could not agree when Qheqhe Mntambo should perform. Hlabangana wanted Mntambo to perform just before Black Coffee went on the decks, while Mdlongwa had put her on an earlier slot.
When Chronicle Entertainment spoke to the two parties they both did not have kind words for each other. “Defined House was supposed to perform but as you can see there were no local artistes. Such shows do not help the industry grow in Bulawayo. So I implore the powers that be to closely monitor these guys,” said Hlabangana.
Online Reporter