Chronicle Editor
Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
The late Cal Vin was royalty and deserves the send-off of a king as his death has not only united his peers, but Zimbabweans at large.
From the look of things, Cal Vin meant a lot to many people and it has been agreed that his death has robbed the nation of a person who was going to take the music industry to dizzy heights. To honour him for the role he played, most arts practitioners who are attending the funeral in numbers, have agreed that the late deserves to be celebrated as the king he was.
Although he was a hip-hop artiste, Cal Vin’s music transcended every genre and aspect of life. His passion for Luveve, his neighbourhood and Bulawayo in general will remain unmatched.
Just like rhumba artiste Ndux Junior said, Cal Vin blended well with everyone.
“He was a legend in comedy because before telling a joke, he would laugh his lungs out. Then automatically you’d also laugh. He also knew how to market his music because when we attended the Zima awards where we shared a room earlier this year, he would play his productions and rap over them, attracting people’s attention.
“He deserves to be celebrated as the king he was,” said Ndux Junior.
Veteran modelling instructor Sarah Mpofu said Cal Vin was more than an artiste as he played a huge role in the hosting of her pageants.
“Cal Vin was an artiste par excellence!! I remember how he always willingly availed himself when we were organising Miss Tourism Bulawayo events. He would even introduce me to and negotiate fees with most of the artistes who would grace our events, e.g Young Tebza.
“I consider myself lucky to have been respected and called mum by an artist of such calibre, magnitude and talent.
It’s unfortunate I can’t be there to play hero for him the way he did at my events,” said Mpofu.
She added that Cal Vin was fearlessly passionate about Bulawayo hence he deserves a Zimbabwe and Bulawayo hero’s send off.
Local DJ, Feel G said Cal Vin deserves a hero’s send off as he stood up for marginalised artistes.
“I stand to believe Cal Vin deserves this send off because he was one of the few artistes who was vocal about Bulawayo. He was well-known for bragging about his hood, Luveve 5. He also laid a foundation for other musicians through Kontrol Tribe music label,” said DJ Feel G.
Thulani “Thuts” Dube of Harsh Touch said Cal Vin gave hope to young artistes.
“He was an inspiration to a lot of young up-and-coming artists. He gave a lot of them, a sense of hope in the sector.
Due to his persistence, endurance and constant fight for the hip hop genre, the working class has started to consume and enjoy Hip hop Music,” said Thuts.
Like the king and hero he was, Cal Vin’s funeral has drawn industry giants from outside the city like Stunner, Mudiwa, Albert Nyathi, the late Dr Oliver Mtukudzi’s manager Walter Wanyanya, Derrick Mpofu, National Arts Council of Zimbabwe director Nicholas Moyo, Zimbabwe Hip hop Awards founder Aldrian Beefy Harrison and many others who are all coming down to bury him on Sunday.
Online Reporter