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Jonathan Mbiriyamveka Entertainment Reporter
Philip Chiyangwa had the audience virtually in stitches of laughter when he spoke of how he started out as a music promoter. “Michael Jackson came to Zimbabwe through Chiyangwa and I brought in WWF – the Bushwhackers they came through Chiyangwa. Kilimanjaro became what he was because of Chiyangwa. I became popular not as a businessman but through music and boxing promotion.
“Ndakakurira kuChegutu ndichiona vanhu vairwa vamwe vacho vaibva kuKadoma vachimhanya kuuya kumusika kwataitengesa mavegetables. Varume ivavo vairwa zvokuurayana chaizvo- vainge vane ainzi mangoromera imi hamuaziye ini ndakaaona,” he said. Chiyangwa who was one of the guests at the Chipaz Promotions 10th anniversary dinner held at Dandaro Inn over the weekend, said music promotion was no easy task.
“Music promotion is not easy in fact, all you get is popularity but not money. But all the effort that you put in will make you a shrewd businessman,” Chiyangwa said.
He, however, urged Partson Chimbodza the owner of Chipaz Promotions to soldier on in promoting Zimbabwean music .
Chiyangwa is credited for shaping the music promotion landscape as he not only promoted Zimbabwean artistes but foreign groups in the likes of Kanda Bongo Man and Pepe Kalle as well as other rhumba groups from DRC.
The 55-year-old businessman who was accompanied by Chamu Chiwanza, the national president of the Affirmative Action Group and his son Edmund who is also the vice president of the AAG, also received a lifetime achievement award from Chipaz for his work as a music promoter.
Also honoured at the event were Nicholas “Madzibaba” Zakaria, Alick Macheso, Oliver Mtukudzi, Winky D, Sniper Storm and the United States-based Dr Thomas Mapfumo who also sent the crowd into wild cheers during a live teleconference.
“Ah award yacho inomboriyechii . . ?” he asked with his deep husky voice to wild cheers.
It was only after Chamu who initiated the teleconference explained to him that it was a lifetime achievement award from Chipaz that Mukanya thanked the organisers.
Online Reporter