Zim dancehall borrows from reggae

Moffat Mungazi
ZIM DANCEHALL is the latest craze to have hit the local music and a phenomenon whose time has come, with the genre’s top dogs such as Winky D, Sniper Storm, Soul Jah Love, Killer T, Seh Calaz, Freeman and Lady Squanda earning themselves recognition that has seen them rise to stardom. These prominent players in this musical genre, as well as emcees like Templeman, Gary B, Judgement Yard and Legendary Sound, have thus found themselves rubbing shoulders with world-acclaimed Jamaican or ragga artistes whenever they touch base in Zimbabwe for shows. The match-up usually comes about because both Jamaican ragga and Zim dancehall heavily borrow from reggae, the type of music which originated in the Caribbean country in the early 1960s.

In the recent past years the local cast of Zim dancehall stars has shared the stage with the likes of Capleton, Sizzla, Luciano, Busy Signal, Elephant Man, Cocoa Tea, Fantan Mojah, Koshens, Kalado. Perhaps Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular had its first real contact with reggae music when the late Jamaican icon Bob Marley staged a show in Harare on the eve of the country’s Independence.

Zim dancehall can, therefore, be considered as a sub-genre or derivative form of reggae since it is typified by a heavy bass line, drums and guitars, which play an instrumental role; while other instruments (like the keyboard), although incorporated, are usually shoved in the background. This unmistakable tempo from a combination of a hefty bass line and drums becomes instantly recognisable and usually gives what is casually referred to as the “riddim” (rhythm) on which the artistes “ride” with vocals to create the “tune”.

Another characteristic Zim dancehall and reggae shares is that it is usually sung in colloquial parlance that its followers can easily relate to. The axiom “I and I” is commonly used by artistes to refer to one self and the praise for Jah is also prevalent in both Zim dancehall and reggae songs.

Perhaps the most striking similarity between these two music genres is that virtually all the singers into this type of music are dreadlocked, certainly because both are informed and influenced by the Rastafarian culture.

As with reggae music, Zim dancehall dabbles in social criticism, an express attempt to tackle social ills bedeviling society; while also berating poverty in the slums of the ghettos, where most of the artistes trace their roots. Winky D’s hit songs Mafirakureva and Pazvicorner seeking social transformation neatly dovetail into Bob Marley’s popular tracks Zimbabwe, Redemption Song and Get Up, Stand Up raising consciousness in protesting against an oppressive system.

However, other aspects of life like love and religion are also touched on.

Not to be outdone by their reggae brothers, who regularly hold music festivals, with the Reggae Sumfest and the Reggae Sunsplash being the most popular two in Jamaica, Zim dancehall proponents also have their own local versions of these events. The Sting Festival and the Summer Beer Fest have come to be marked as the major carnivals on the Zim dancehall calendar. During these music festivals, local and international artistes share the stage and get to exchange ideas and share experiences.