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Brenda Phiri
TALENTED chanter Potato, who rose to fame after featuring on musicians Innocent Utsiwegota and Andy Brown’s popular albums, has teamed up with more than 20 other artistes to come up with a dancehall compilation album titled “Afrimune First Street Riddim”. Recorded at Afrimune Records, which is run by music professional, Mathias Bangure – the man behind the success stories of most artistes who came through Music Crossroads in Zimbabwe, the album seeks to offer a refreshing new angle to Zim dancehall music, with Bangure describing it as “transformational”.
“The compilation album is aimed at promoting Zim dancehall. On this one, we wanted to come up with exportable music.
“We want to develop and enrich it (dancehall) since there is no professionalism in most of the music that is being played by some of these artistes,” said Bangure.
He added: “Our aim was to come up with lyrical content that is mature and appealing to the global market.
“This can only be achieved by transforming the rhythm into one that Zimbabweans should be proud of.”
Bangure explained that the album was also aimed at promoting new artistes who are talented but have been struggling to find an outlet to market themselves.
“We want to promote beautiful new voices hence the decision to rope in some female artistes on this album and these include Sweetness, Lady Thanda, Steamy D and Silencer among others.
“Zim dancehall has been associated with the ghetto but we tested the waters with some successful shows we held at some up-market venues. We are also going to use our international networks to market these artistes,” he said.
Produced by talented music producer, Wrong Turn real name Innocent Makope, the compilation album is a joint project between Afrimune Records and Goodchild Entertainment.
“We are going to launch it soon but in the meantime we are taking our bands on a tour playing live instruments at various venues in and outside the ghetto,” explained Bangure.
Potato is featured on the album with his single “Kwatabva Kure” which carries his trademark hoarse but irresistible voice. Jimmy Wailer’s “Tamba Neni” is a love ballad that is closer to other tracks on the album like Jah Bless’s “Zvimwe Unondida”, “Strength of a Woman” by Sweetness, “Sebera Pedyo” by Team Penga Penga, “Love is So Sweet”by Lady Thanda and Icing Caleman’s “Love Isn’t A Sin” among others.
Amad Betso explores the issues that are normally found in dancehall circles, in his song, “MuZim dancehall”, while Real General shows focus in “Kumberi Ndichaenda”.
Some of the artistes featured on the album include Zero 1, Ikid Sanz, Junior Spice, Apple T, Steamy D, Silencer, Cally D, Scatter Dem DJ AND Local Boy
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