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Takawira Dapi Entertainment Correspondent
Rasta Kwasa musician Dino Mudondo (pictured) was in top form when he appeared at three star Jameson Hotel’s The Usual Place Special Bar last Friday.
The musician who had considered quitting music after a rough patch says he owes his comeback to live shows in the capital to sungura king Alick Macheso.
He expressed his gratitude for the mentoring and sound advice.
“Thank you Mudhara Macheso for honestly advising me to rebuild my brand outside Harare, then gradually work my way back.
“Mudhara Macheso did not give me intelligence, but wisdom, for wisdom is more powerful than mere human intelligence.
“Your wisdom Mudhara is from Almighty God. Blessings upon you Ambassador Macheso, zvangu zvaita mukoma,’’ said an overwhelmed Dino Mudondo.
Alick Macheso is the brand ambassador for the Red Cross Society of Zimbabwe.
Dino found himself falling by the wayside as Zim dancehall became the music of the moment and he decided to turn to the veteran musician to seek survival tactics to persevere in the face of the stiff competition.
“I hunted Ambassador at his Waterfalls home seeking guidance after the new generation of Zimdancehall artistes were now asking me to be a curtain raiser for their shows.
“This had heavily affected me psychologically for a long time.
“I nearly quit zvemagitare (music) for good before VaMacheso gave me this advice at last:
“Do not quit art, do not change your Rasta Kwasa beat that your fans are used to. Go concentrate on your live band shows in the so called remote rural townships, they welcome any artistes they have heard of. Look at my beloved young brother Somadhla ‘Mafia’ Ndebele, all his out of Harare shows are ever fully packed,” he advised me.
“Now I am back with a bang nationally after the news went viral that I fully packed Karoi’s As You Like It. They are calling me from all corners of Zimbabwe,” said Dino.
Dino is a composer, singer and performer whose lyrics tend to be about the ups and downs of love, to the background of a distinct reggae sound.
Dino says he has revamped his style without changing the basic essence of his music.
“I have always mixed reggae and rhumba where I derived the term Rasta Kwasa and the reggae part in some instances has had dancehall chants.
“But now we have to adjust and conform to the dictates of time and tap into a younger crowd that is known to love dancehall.”
“Chanting, one of the common styles of dancehall has always been part of my music, so I cannot really say I am starting to sing dancehall music now,” said the pocket-sized musician.
Dino arrived on the musical scene with his sing-along-to album called “Makorokoto” with songs like “Chirangano”, “Makoi Koi” and “Jatropha”.
The dread-locked artiste said he was working on a dancehall album that would see the release of two singles “Pahasha” and “Nhonga Jaivhi” to be released this week.
Some of the tracks on the album include “Hiriri Hiriri”, “One Changu Chimother”, “Kujoza” and “Return Ticket” among others.
The musician has 15 albums to his name starting with “Makorokoto” in 2002 to the latest “Ndakupihwa naMwari” released at the end of last year.
Online Reporter