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Peter Matika, Senior Life Reporter
BULAWAYO-BASED dancehall artiste Clive Robin Change popularly known as Wa-B.B, is one of the most phenomenal musicians to ever emerge from our time.
After releasing his debut album Kwejah last year, which received a string of magnificent and astounding reviews, both locally and internationally, Wa-B.B is aiming higher.
Kwejah, which means sunrise is probably the first Zimbabwean dancehall album composed in Nambya and is one production that celebrates Zimbabwe’s linguistic diversity.
This time around the dancehall artiste seeks to promote not only the genre but his native language of Nambya. Wa-B.B is soon to release his second project, with three tracks having been completed.
He spoke to hatched a few weeks ago, where he noted that he had remixed some of the original tracks from his debut album, adding a flair that is comparable to none.
“I wouldn’t like to brag but my type of music is different. It has a reggae and dancehall feel to it. It’s a fusion of classic reggae and dancehall. You could compare it to that of the late South African reggae superstar Lucky Dube,” said Wa-B.B.
The dreadlocked Wa-B.B said he had been in the industry for some time, although as an underground dancehall artiste and that this was a project done to promote the language in Zimbabwe.
“My music is different and people appreciate it. I’m different from most dancehall artistes, as I’m able to perform with a live band. Also my music has a message and is conscious, as compared to what other artistes produce. They focus on rhyming more than sending a message,” said Wa-B.B.
Tracks remixed from his debut album are Blackberry, Mother of one, which on the album is called Baby wit’ a Baby and Taka Dana.
“I have remixed these tracks and they are phenomenal. I added another promotional one — Uligele,” said Wa-B.B.
He said it was however, difficult to penetrate the industry as some stations preferred to sideline his music, despite the call by Government to promote minority languages.
“It’s hard being an artiste at times. Some of the stations actually never even bothered to review my album and just shelved it, maybe because it was done in a language they don’t understand. However, it has been played on National FM, which has seen tracks from the album constantly requested,” said Wa-B.B.
The movement to promote minority languages in Zimbabwe saw the production of a movie in 2014, which really was quite a hit, when a South Africa-based group of Zimbabweans produced a movie, Shetani in Nambya.
The word Shetani is Nambya and it literally means to suffer.
Prior to the movie, there was little if anything to point to in the film industry that was done by the locals to promote Nambya, which was one of the languages deemed minority until it was recognised alongside other languages as official in the new constitution.
@peterkmatika
Online Reporter