Online Reporter
Maria Chiguvari
LOCAL reggae lovers are in for a treat as the inaugural Reggae Roadblock concert series kicks off this Friday at the Green Screen Cinema Jam Tree entrance.
Organisers are calling this highly anticipated event a “game-changer” for Zimbabwe’s music scene, aiming to celebrate the essence of roots reggae and provide a vital platform for local artistes.
Inspired by Bob Marley’s historic 1980 independence performance in Zimbabwe, Reggae Roadblock seeks to rekindle the unifying and revolutionary spirit of reggae music.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail Entertainment, Chido Musasiwa explained that the concert series addresses a significant gap in the market.
“As Zimdancehall dominates the mainstream, this concert series fills the gap for traditional reggae lovers, offering a consistent platform for artistes and fans,” she said.
Musasiwa elaborated: “Reggae Roadblock is a quarterly music concert series founded to revive and celebrate Zimbabwe’s rich reggae heritage. The event offers a professionally curated platform for local reggae artistes to perform in a high-quality production setting, while connecting with fans in a unified space.”
She added that with a strong emphasis on cultural expression and community, the event is committed to elevating reggae music and creating new opportunities for artistes, sponsors and audiences alike.
“Beyond the music, the event is a movement and a cultural celebration that brings people together across age, race and class. Everyone can expect powerful performances, conscious lyrics, authentic food stalls and merchandise from home-grown brands,” said Musasiwa.
The line-up for the inaugural event features some of Zimbabwe’s top reggae artistes, including Cello Culture, Buhle, Jr Bantan, Mannex Motsi, Mr Muffin, Sniper Storm, Dino Mudondo, Helgah and Satisfaction.
These talented artistes will be backed by the legendary House of Stone Band and hosted by MC J Boss.
The long-term vision for the event includes featuring international reggae artistes and broadcasting future shows for the diaspora market.
In a move to highlight local creativity and style, artistes will be clothed by Zimbabwean designers.
The featured designers include Nandi Larethi, Ruby’s Touch, Jerry, George Takora, Tunga Tumaz, Fungai Tanyaradzwa, Mae_vis, Clessy, Hilda Marinda and Alfonse Marivadzi.
Online Reporter