Online Reporter
Zimpapers Arts & Entertainment Hub
SOUTH African music heavyweight Prince Kaybee has just shaken the table and Zimbabwean music is at the centre of it all!
The Banomoya and Fetch Your Life hitmaker has weighed in on the firestorm debate around Zimbabwean music’s struggles to go global, pointing fingers not at talent but at sound identity.
It all exploded on social media platform X after user Tabani threw shade, claiming Zim music had “no export value” and calling it “mid”, especially in comparison to the endless stream of South African acts cashing in on Zim gigs.
“SA artistes are making money from Zimbabwe,” Tabani posted. “When Zim artistes go abroad, they only play for Zimbabweans. That’s how mid our music is.”
BOOM! That sparked a war of words. But then came Prince kay bee, calm, collected, and brutally honest.
“I’ve been to Zim many times, stayed there for a month while recording The 4th Republic. You guys have world-class engineers and songwriters, the problem isn’t quality,” he wrote.
So, what’s the issue?
Zimdancehall.
According to Kaybee, Zim’s over-reliance on Zimdancehall, a genre he calls “too layered and too niche,” is stifling its ability to appeal across borders.
“It’s a subgenre of a subgenre. It doesn’t translate commercially in South Africa,” he explained.
Even worse, he says the dancehall flavour is being forced into everything, including Amapiano, which leads to a confusing hybrid that just doesn’t stick.
“The writing and lyrical approach still has that dancehall texture. That makes it hard for the music to evolve and grow.”
Still, Kaybee isn’t all doom and gloom. He gave props to emerging ZimHip-Hop acts and Afro-house DJs making waves beyond borders. He urged artists to stay creative and keep pushing.
“Keep creating, it’ll work out one day,” he said.
His remarks have struck a nerve, but also sparked reflection. With legends like Mtukudzi and Mapfumo once flying the flag high with uniquely Zimbabwean sounds, many are asking: Can today’s stars rediscover that magic blend of local roots and global appeal?
For now, the beat goes on, but Zim music’s biggest challenge may lie in tuning its identity for the world stage.
Watch this space. The sound of change might just be loading.
