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FORMER Transit Crew vocalist, Solomon “Rutsman Spice” Tokwe, has settled well in South Africa.
He has released his new project.
Rutsman Spice was part of the Transit Crew, around 2009, before he decided to go his own way.
He is currently enjoying rave reviews with his music video titled London Bad Boys featuring ByLwansta. “We did a project with NBC Universal films a couple of years ago.
“We have released Keep On Surviving video as well on YouTube and London’s Bad Boys as it was a momentum builder for Bad Boys 3.
“It’s doing quite well and we thank our fans for supporting us,” he said.
He formed the Zionruts Family.
“Zionruts Family is a Roots Reggae Family that was formed by its lead singers, myself and Ziondawta Spice and Ziondawta in 2014, when Rutsman was coming from his African Tour.
“Ziondawta was doing her jazz projects but after we met, we formed Zionruts family giving life to reggae music where most people didn’t understand and appreciate that kind of music.
“The name Zionruts came up through the inspiration of combining the first four letters from both the lead singer’s names, Zion from Ziondawta and Ruts from Rutsman Spice (Zionruts family).”
He added:
“Through the inspiration of Reggae musicians like Bob Marley, Roots Radics, Twinkle Brothers, Third World, Misty in Roots, Marcia Griffiths, Rita Marley to mention just a few, we managed to create our own sound of reggae music, which is within the international vicinity, by also playing cover versions of non-reggae songs in reggae.
“Like Ain’t No Sunshine, Stuck On You, Knock Knock etc.
“ Zionruts music is mainly centered on the day-to-day situations that we face in our daily lives blending it into lover’s rock reggae.”
The singer said they released their debut album in 2016, followed by a lot of other projects.
“After years of hard work, sleepless nights in the studio and endless rehearsals, we released our debut album entitled ‘Kip On Surviving,’ which consists of fifteen songs, of which 3 songs are in vernacular (Shona Language) namely Ngoma (African drum), Musango (Wilderness or Bush), Mutinhimira (Sound).
“This album is all about motivation, upliftment and focusing on life, knowing Jah (God) Heals in all situations and love cures the deepest of wounds in life. “The album carries all situation messages e.g. joy, upliftment, motivation, hope and love etc.
‘Kip On Surviving’ was launched in Brynston, Randburg, Gauteng.
“We worked with a Spanish producer from Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, on three of our songs, the other three with Jamaican producers while the others included producers from Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
“Working with all these producers, we were trying to come up with the perfect sound that we all were in love with.
“A sound which could please our fans as well as put out our message in a positive way,” said Rutsman. The group shared the stage with Sizzla and Lucky Dube’s band at the Reggae Spring Festival in South Africa.
They also shared the stage with Chronixx, a Jamaican recording artist.
“We also recorded a Xenophobia song with Sizzla, a Jamaican international reggae artist and eight other South African artists.
“One of our songs from our released album ‘To Selassie l’ once sat on number 2 on Reverbnation charts.”
The band consists of six members including Blessing Shamu, bass player, Oliver Greene, the rhythm guitarist, Kenny Davies, the lead guitarist who jammed with Transit Crew, Ras Talkmore Mandimika, keyboard player Eddie Toots Ndhleleni and bass guitar Emmanuel Mannex Mbuta.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter