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Peter Matika, Senior Leisure Reporter
AN eight-track NAMBYA dancehall album, Kwejah, produced by local dancehall artiste Wa–B.B and launched late last year, is fast becoming a hit, as it has received a string of magnificent reviews from those that have managed to listen to it.
Kwejah, which means sunrise is probably the first Zimbabwean dancehall album composed in Nambya and is one production that celebrates Zimbabwe’s lingual diversity.
In an interview, Wa–B.B, whose real name is Clive Robin Change, said this was his first official album since venturing into the industry about 17 years ago.
The dreadlocked artiste said he has been in the industry although as an underground dancehall artiste and that this was a project done to promote the language in Zimbabwe.
“The album was launched at Horizon last year and attracted a great number of people. The album was recorded in 2014 but was launched last year due to financial constraints and work commitments, as I am permanently employed,” said Wa–B.B.
He also mentioned that the album launch was also a platform for him to hold his first ever live performance.
“My music is different and people appreciate it. I’m different from most dancehall artistes as I’m able to perform with a live band. Also my music has a message and is conscious, as compared to what other artistes produce. They focus on rhyming more than sending a message,” said Wa – B.B.
He added that he had a clothing label — Wa–B.B. — which he would soon launch.
“I aim at promoting youths and also create a movement. Since art has been identified as one of the country’s major economic generators and schools have added it to the curriculum, taking it seriously, I aim at penetrating that area to identify young talent,” Wa–B.B said.
Some of the tracks on the album are Banakwaina, Jah Vanoronga, Takadana, Blackberry, Baby with a baby and some have received airplay on National FM.
“It’s hard being an artiste at times. Some of the stations actually never even bothered to review the album and just shelved it, maybe because it was done in a language they don’t understand. However, it has been played on National FM, which has seen tracks from the album constantly requested,” said Wa–B.B.
In 2014 a South Africa-based group of Zimbabweans produced a movie, Shetani in Nambya, which became an instant hit.
The word shetani is Nambya and it literally means to suffer.
Prior to the movie, there was little if anything to point to in the film industry that was done by the locals to promote Nambya, which was one of the languages deemed minority until it and other languages were recognised as official in the new constitution.
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