Online Reporter
Mthabisi Tshuma,Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
SOUTH African rapper Reason, also known as Sizwe Alakine, and United Kingdom hip hop artist OneDa have been unveiled as the main acts for this year’s edition of the Shoko Festival Mash Up Nights.
The event will be held at Harare Gardens next Friday.
The South African Music Awards (SAMA) award-winning rapper, Reason AKA Sizwe Alakine, who is currently nominated for Best S.A Hip Hop Album of the Year at the SAMA for the album Audio 2D: Dear D**e, is a versatile South African artist who successfully transitioned from being one of Mzansi’s most respected hip hop voices to a pioneering force in the amapiano movement.
He is expected to bring a unique Hip Hop vs Amapiano Sound Clash experience to Shoko Festival. This dual-genre performance showcases the artist’s evolution, his new sound, and his powerful, socially conscious lyrics.
Adding international flair to the continental celebration is OneDa, the award-winning rapper, producer, and poet from Manchester, UK. OneDa’s sharp lyricism mixed with melodic vocals and punchlines makes her much more than your average artist.
With backing from BBC 6 Music, 1Xtra, and BBC Radio 1, she was recently selected as BBC Introducing’s One to Watch by the AIM Independent Music Awards and is known for her seamless manipulation of both old-school and new-school vibes.
Shoko Festival Director Samm Farai Monro AKA Comrade Fatso said OneDa is set to work on a collaboration with rising Zimbabwean urban artists Yadis and Enhle during her time in Zimbabwe.
“We’re so excited to have Reason AKA Sizwe Alakine headline Shoko this year as he embodies what this year’s festival is about: building an urban culture legacy. He’s a veteran of South African hip hop who has been a key player on the scene for two decades and remains hugely influential with his recent shift to amapiano.
“We also can’t wait to see UK rapper OneDa’s collaboration with Yadis and Enhle — which shows Shoko’s commitment to creating platforms for international growth for our alternative urban artists. This year’s Mash Up Night will be a real mash-up of different genres as hip hop clashes with amapiano while UK rap meets our urban sounds,” said Comrade Fatso.
These exciting additions join the already announced stellar Mash Up Night line-up featuring Zimbabwean hip hop star Sane Wav and legendary producer Take Fizzo. Fizzo will headline the event with an electrifying showcase of his greatest hits, featuring live performances by urban grooves pioneers Mafriq, Trinity, MC Chita, Mau Mau, Tererai, and Nembo Bwoy — who will take the audience on a nostalgic journey through Zimbabwe’s urban music evolution.
The Mash Up Night experience will be further elevated by an exclusive collaboration between the outspoken Kenyan spoken word artist Mufasa and a jazz band, choir, and orchestra presented by the Arundel School Music Department, promising an unforgettable evening with a performance that merges the power of spoken word with harmonic storytelling. In the true spirit of collaboration, Zimbabwean urban artists Segulm, Briza, Paintafresco, Yadis, and Enhle will be performing brand-new songs they have collaborated on under the Mashoko Tapes residency.
Mashoko Tapes residency is a Shoko Festival-led initiative that brings together different urban artists from multiple genres under one roof to collaborate and create a cutting-edge new body of work that encourages experimentation and new sounds in Zimbabwe’s hip hop and urban music landscape.
