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Bruce Ndlovu
Despite being one half of award winning Afro jazz duo Afrika Revenge, Willis Wataffi is relishing the spotlight that his high profile collaboration with Uhuru has shone on his solo career.
Wataffi collaborated with the popular South African house group on Domba, a song whose video featuring topless girls from Venda in South Africa, caused waves when pictures taken on set emerged late last year.
The video of the song was released recently, showcasing on MTV Base, Channel O and Trace Urban while also managing to garner 120 000 views on YouTube in its first week of release.
The song was part of a compilation by veteran South African journalist cum artiste Mzilikazi Wa Afrika, who made a compilation called Africa Remembers featuring some of the biggest names on the African music scene. Besides Uhuru and Wataffi, other big names that featured on the project include Salif Keita and Swazilanda��s Bholoja Ngubane.
In an interview Wataffi said although he was a member of Afrika Revenge, he was still happy with the attention that he was getting from outside the country as a solo artiste, something he attributes to his collaboration with high profile names like Uhuru. Although Wataffi and fellow Afrika Revenge Mehluli Taz Moyo reunited in 2014, the two are still pushing their solo careers independent from the groupa��s banner.
a�?I felt honoured because some of the biggest names were on that album and to be on the same projects as someone like Salif Keita was very humbling. I am glad that I am cracking it outside the country but all that is due to the love and support that I received in Zimbabwe first,a�? he said.
Wataffi said Wa Afrikaa��s album, released under global music distribution powerhouse Universal Music, was also in line with his own goals as an artiste because it emphasized the need to embrace African culture. Wataffi said this was the reason why the video for his collaboration with Uhuru featured topless girls from Venda.
a�?The whole concept was very Afro-centric and that is in line with my own brand as an artiste. There was an outcry over the video but in truth it was in line with our own traditional cultural practices,a�? he said.
Online Reporter