adminNtemba every weekend, says he wants to take clubbing scene to another level where few have gone before.
“Club scene will never be the same again especially now that we’ve become more innovative and the crowds are getting sophisticated,” he said.
Popularly known on the club scene as Dollar Bill, the affable DJ is rocking the decks at Chez Ntemba like no other and beginning next Sunday the club will host its first afternoon gigs aptly called Angolan sessions.
“We are introducing Sunday afternoons because we realised that there are people who still want to party on Sundays. Featured on the show will be house, kizomba (Angolan music) and Pasada. I will be the main act and a host of other guest DJs on rotation. The gig starts at 2pm and closes at 10pm to allow people to prepare for the fresh week ahead,” Dollar Bill said.
“It’s really gonna be crazy because we have two dance floors and soon there is going to be a VIP lounge on the upper deck. Sunday afternoon gigs will be held upstairs and hope this will be something new to our patrons,” he said.
Dollar Bill has been rocking the decks since 2000 when he used to jam at nightclubs such as the then Channel Zero, Boomerang before he joined Chez Ntemba. He has even gone international and is a regular at the Durban Redbull Summer Previews gigs. He has also toured southern Africa playing at Chez Ntemba franchises.
Asked how he manages to keep crowds on the dancefloor, Dollar Bill said it was a combination of his knowledge of music and the crowd.
“It has to do with the kind of the people that I play for and the knowledge of music. I’ve seen that a lot of DJs play what’s already happening and I do the opposite – I play hits before they even happen. I also use a
laptop for selecting music and make use of the latest technology such as the DJ Console turntables which is what top DJs are using around the world,” he said.
He, however, said music lovers enjoy music when there is clear sound and good lighting.
“As a club I think we invested a lot in the club without passing on the expense to the patrons. With all the renovations so far, we still charge minimal fees,” he said.
And believe it or not he’s got loads of music some which come from South Africa as well as internet downloads.
Besides being a DJ, Dollar Bill is a third year student at the University of Zimbabwe where he is studying arts, entertainment and media management.
He is also a director of an entertainment consultant firm called Advetools Media.
Asked how he manages everything from school, work to deejaying, Dollar Bill said he had all the time in the world.
“During the day I’m at varsity and I don’t have to be at work everytime. Clubbing is at night so somehow everything just comes together,” he said.
Like most DJs, he has no particular favourite kind of music although he said he has a soft spot for house music.
“I tend to like Benny Benasi’s electro-pop sounds,” he said.
Locally he has done a lot of mixtapes, which he intends to put on the market. Dollar Bill was born and bred in Harare and it was his passion for music that made him one of the reputable DJs.
“It all started way back at Pakame Secondary School where I used to host Saturday entertainment nights. The students just loved it and I thought of collecting music since I left school,” he said.
He, however, said he has managed to survive challenges that come with being a DJ simply because of discipline.
“I go out a lot and for me it’s just work and nothing else. Besides I am happily married and I have a daughter at home so I have learnt to stay away from trouble by being true to myself,” he said.
He promised fans to look forward to a new experience in clubbing at Chez Ntemba.
Online Reporter