Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts, Entertainment Hub
The entertainment landscape is complex and unpredictable—making it difficult to navigate for both newcomers and seasoned stars.
In the creative industry, adaptation, innovation, and focus remain the keys to longevity. As generations shift, new stars, genres, and promoters inevitably emerge.
Among all art forms, music is arguably the most dynamic, constantly evolving to reflect changing tastes. At the turn of the millennium, one genre that made significant waves was urban grooves, also known as urban contemporary music.
Buoyed by the Government’s Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) of 2001, which introduced a 75 percent local content quota on national airwaves, the policy proved to be a genuine game-changer. It gave birth to a new generation of talent at a time when radio, television, and print media were the primary platforms for musicians to market their work and gain recognition.
This bold legislative move transformed the broadcasting landscape and gave rise to a new generation of stars. These included Rockford “Roki” Josphats, Enock “ExQ” Munhenga, Desmond “Stunner” Chideme, Tererai Mugwadi, Betty Makaya, Ngoni Kambarami, Enock “Nox” Guni, and Cindy Munyavi. Other prominent names, such as Decibel (Daniel Mazhindu), Plaxedes Wenyika, and Dino Mudondo, also helped set the pace.
Several other musicians emerged in groups. One notable trio that shook the industry was Mafriq, comprising Pauline Gundidza, Lovedale “Discord” Makalanga, and Tungamirirai Mavi, popularly known as Tunga T.
However, the urban grooves movement suffered a severe setback during the economic challenges that gripped Zimbabwe around 2008 and 2009. Many musicians left the country in search of greener pastures, whilst others fell by the wayside or abandoned their careers altogether for other professions.
Despite eventually being eclipsed by genres such as Zimdancehall and Zim Hip Hop, some pioneers failed to reinvent themselves and remain stuck in the past, struggling to diversify and keep pace with contemporary trends.
Conversely, others have successfully used the platform to pivot. Diana “MaNgwenya” Samkange has evolved into a mbira player of repute, boasting a live band that offers fans a wider variety of performances.
Similar success stories include Emmanuel “Mannex” Motsi, ExQ, Wallace “Winky D” Chirumiko, and Alexio Kawara.
With a new crop of stars dominant, urban grooves pioneers are still yearning for relevance. Figures like Roki, Alisha “Maskiri” Musimbe, Mudondo, Mugwadi, Pauline, Kambarami, and Decibel are doing their best to ensure the genre survives. While today’s stars — including Nisha Ts, Atenda Chinx, Saintfloew, and Junior Spragga —have benefited from the technological revolution, the urban grooves pioneers laid their foundation without the aid of social media.
“Of course, we sang when social media was not that popular, but that is no longer an excuse for us not to be innovative,” Roki said in a recent interview.
“I am glad that most of the stars shining today passed through my tutelage, and that alone makes me proud of my work. When you help someone to grow, don’t expect returns, but simply play your part.”
With nostalgia high, some arts administrators, such as Goodchild (Alexio Gwenzi), believe Urban Grooves was a movement that ushered in a new era.
“Urban Grooves is immensely relevant to today’s generation, not just as a genre, but as the foundational DNA of modern Zimbabwean youth culture,” Gwenzi said.
“First, it laid down the blueprint. Before Urban Grooves, radio was dominated by international pop and some traditional genres.
The 75–100 percent local content policy introduced by the Government proved that young Zimbabweans could create home-grown hip-hop, R&B, pop and dancehall music in Shona, Ndebele and other local languages.”
The ultimate question is whether urban grooves can ever regain their former glamour, or if it will continue to serve merely as a historical launchpad for emerging genres.
