Sundaymail Editor
Francis Mashinya
“NGAIBAKE”, the easy-on-the-ear hit song by Freeman and Alick Macheso, has every sungura and Zim dancehall music fan hooked.
From top clubs in Harare’s leafy environs to ghetto taverns, the tune is getting the party going.
DJs now have a song to turn to when faced with an unresponsive crowd.
However, while music fans have been concentrating on the quick-off-the-mark “Ngaibake”, they have neglected the rest of the album, which is loaded with potential bangers.
In all fairness, the 10-track album is pregnant with new vibes for all kinds of music tastes. The album is a blend of different genres and beats from different producers, no wonder why it is titled “Gango”.
In Zimbabwean urban culinary parlance, gango is a mixture of different meats that are cooked in the same pot, mixed with all kinds of greens to be served as a single dish.
Freeman’s “Gango” is a true reflection of a gango dish.
Besides the popular track “Gango”, Freeman also featured Bounty Lisa on the song “Makanika”, which depicts women as problem solvers, especially when men reach their wits’ end.
The issue of love is tackled in the songs “One Munhu” and “Miridzo”, and as usual the tunes have many lover boys’ heads spinning.
In addition, the new signing to the Dangerzone Family, Black Warrior, was featured on the hit “Musiye”, a song that emphasises the need for true love.
Apart from issues to do with love, the album also contains religious songs such as “Hoyo”, which is a call for the Almighty to provide guidance in one’s life journey, while “Ndofirapo”, a collaboration with Yadah Voices, appreciates God’s miracles.
“Mudzanga” talks about jealousy and hatred. In the track, the Joina City hit-maker claims there are people who are sponsoring his downfall.
With the video for “Gango” having taken on a life of its own, Freeman is now planning to replicate that success with more visuals off the same album.
Speaking at a recent show where he was inundated with requests to play his track with Freeman, Alick Macheso said “music is just music”.
“It’s like soccer, rather, a soccer ball. No ball is made out of the skin of a fly. It doesn’t matter whether it’s reggae, sungura or jit – music is music. That is why we work with Freeman and that is why people enjoy our combination,” said Macheso.
Although Freeman is in the habit of delivering top-shelf music, he admitted that the collaboration with Macheso was on another level.
“Without collaborating with Mudhara (Macheso), “Ngaibake” was not going to be as popular as it has been,” said Freeman, adding, “Basing on the response from the fans, this is the most received album in my musical career so far. I wanted to have a new voice for my album and I approached Mudhara. lt was not easy, as you know he is a busy man who rarely does collaborations.”
Dismissing reports that are trying to link the song to politics, the serial hit-maker said he penned “Ngaibake” after witnessing an incident in Bindura, where fans were fighting each other instead of enjoying the value of their money during a live show.
The song urges fans to switch from violent mode to joy.
Online Reporter