Online Reporter
Liberty Dube
Entertainment Correspondent
WHEN the sun sets in Mutare and city lights begin to flicker across Dangamvura, one name still echoes through bars, halls and memories like a timeless anthem.
Born Trynos Ranganai Chigwidi in the early 1970s, veteran DJ Ranga has lived through every beat, every scratch, every dance craze and every musical transition Zimbabwean entertainment has seen over the past three decades.
From spinning worn-out vinyl records to carefully rewinding cassettes with a pencil, and later introducing CDs to eager crowds, his journey is more than the story of a DJ.
It is the story of Mutare nightlife itself.
Back in 1991, long before flashy controllers and laptops became part of the entertainment world, DJ Ranga and four close friends — Chris Chauruka, Blessing Munyama, Colin Musiwacho and Gibert Mumba — carried speakers, crates of records and boxes of cassettes from one party to another.
In those days, people called it a “disco”, not a sound system.
Music was physical. Heavy vinyl records had to be protected like treasure, and every cassette had its own story.
“We started with vinyls and cassettes only. You had to know your music because there was no computer to help you. If the crowd wanted fire, you had to give them fire yourself. Owning a vinyl was priceless. It was a beautiful era,” said DJ Ranga.
The crew quickly became popular around Mutare.
At the time, jukeboxes still entertained many bars, but live DJs were beginning to take over.
Young people wanted energy, personality and excitement, and DJ Ranga had all the three.
One unforgettable moment came when the owner of their PA system returned from the United Kingdom carrying about 15 compact discs — something almost magical in Mutare at the time.
While many people had never even seen a CD player before, DJ Ranga’s disco was already experimenting with the future.
But before CDs fully took over, the city belonged to vinyl warriors. Those were the golden days of sound clash competitions.
Groups like Action Fya, Scare Dem Crew, Steppers and Celebrity Force battled for supremacy at parties and community events.
Every DJ wanted to prove they had the loudest sound, the cleanest mixes and the best music collection.
Crowds would fill halls just to witness these musical wars.
People still remember nights when Queens Hall, now Mutare Hall, shook with excitement.
In October 1993, he played one of his most memorable shows there, where the dancefloor stayed packed from sunset until sunrise.
A year later, he returned for the famous Miss National High Schools 1994 event, turning the beauty pageant into a musical celebration that young people spoke about for months afterwards.
Then came the unforgettable Miss Junior Council show at Dangamvura Hall, where teenagers screamed for more as the dreadlocked DJ blended reggae, rhumba, township grooves and the latest dancehall hits into one electrifying set. It was the kind of night where nobody wanted to go home.
Another memory close to his heart was the Cottco end-of-year party in Marange in the early 1990s, where he partnered with the legendary DJ Motorrolla. The chemistry between the two DJs was instant.
As one dropped classic hits, the other raised the tempo.
Workers who had spent the year in the cotton fields danced freely under the stars, forgetting their worries for one magical night.
Friends say DJ Ranga was never just a DJ.
He was a performer, a mood-setter and sometimes even a counsellor behind the microphone.
There were nights when power cuts threatened to stop the party, but he always found a way to keep people entertained.
Sometimes he would joke with the crowd while generators were being fixed.
Other times he would lead singalongs until the music returned.
Thirty years later, the journey continues.
Today, many young DJs in Mutare grew up watching him perform. Some copied the way he held the microphone. Others admired how he respected every crowd, whether he was playing at a wedding, bar, school event or charity fundraiser.
Despite his popularity, DJ Ranga has remained humble.
Over the years, he has organised and participated in fundraising shows for street kids, using music not only for entertainment but also for community support.
Weekender Entertainment caught up with the DJ, who believes there is still more to come as he aims to mentor young and upcoming DJs.
“Music has changed, equipment has changed, but passion has never changed. From vinyl and cassettes to where we are now, the journey is still on, and I thank Mutare for supporting me through every generation. It has been a wonderful journey, and I thank God for taking me this far. Young DJs today are talented, but they must learn discipline, patience and respect for the craft.
Being a DJ is more than pressing buttons or playing trending songs – it is about understanding people, reading the mood of the crowd and creating memories through music. Avoid shortcuts, learn different music genres, understand your equipment and build strong relationships with audiences. Stay away from destructive lifestyles that can destroy your future and always protect your name, because your reputation is your brand. DJs must support each other instead of competing with jealousy, and above all, remain humble and keep learning because technology keeps changing. Whether you use vinyl, cassettes, CDs or laptops, the secret remains the same: respect the music and respect the people who come to listen to you,” summed up DJ Ranga.
