Zim dancehall music gains popularity

Simbarashe Mutizwa Showbiz Reporter
LOVE it or hate it, Zim dancehall has taken over and is here to stay. Artistes who have not yet joined this bandwagon may want to consider doing so now before it’s too late as dancehall has taken the country’s music industry by storm. Many of the genre’s artistes such as Soljah Love, Shinsoman, Killer T and Lady Squanda have become celebrities overnight.

Some view this genre as a Harare-driven one due to its roots in the capital but the City of Kings and Queens seems to have joined the bandwagon through Centre Party, an up-and-coming artiste from the city.

Born Felix Debwe in Mutare, the 31-year-old Pumula South-based dancehall star has performed at clubs such as Forty-40 and The Lounge.
He rose to fame in 2011 when his track Mhando Yepamusoro was first played on Zim Carib Radio, a station which takes Zimdancehall music to the Carribean. The song was on the radio station’s Top 10 charts at number one for five continuous weeks. Debwe was named the “new international artiste to watch” by Jamaica’s Stampeded Street Chart in 2011.
He also named the Hustlers Road to Fame “Best Urban Grooves Artiste” for 2011 beating artistes such as Maskiri and Sniper Storm

The bubbly musician who now lives in Bulawayo, said he was not planning to leave the city for Harare as has been the case with other musicians.
“Leaving Bulawayo is not part of my plans,” he said.

Centre Party boasts of a number of tracks to his name which he said are a result of hard work and collaborations. His hit tracks include Havagutsikane, Munyika and Style and Pattern.

According to him, he has recorded more than 500 songs and has five albums to his name which have done exceptionally well.
Debwe said he ventured into reggae music as he believed it was a genre which teaches consciousness through its lyrics.

“Most people think reggae is only about drugs, sex and violence of which I totally disagree.
“Reggae music also has a soulful side which allows me to express myself,” he said.

Asked what he thought about the future of dancehall music, he said reggae music was a liberator.
“Reggae is the liberator and will continue to liberate people from all forces of evil. Music must seek to educate not to destroy because we are living in a world full of diseases, wars and natural disasters,” he said.

Debwe has collaborated with artistes such as Tererai Mugwadi on the song Usipo. He also worked with Maskiri on the Hope Hadzichambobata track, Umsindo with Sani Makhalima and In the Ghetto with Sniper Storm.

The reggae/dancehall artistes who is inspired by guitarist, pianist and producer Gabriel Nyandoro, has recorded five videos.
Before venturing into reggae music as a full time career, Centre Party of Debwe was a poet.

“It was in 2001 while in Mutare that I discovered that I could actually tell a story in reggae. I then started with a fusion of poetry and reggae,” he said.
Between 2010 and 2012 the Bulawayo-based dancehall star was signed by an American company called Arcanovi Records where he managed to record various tracks including Your Fathers and Spring times.

Centre Party has also collaborated with Kenya’s Lidanjam on the track I don’t care.
He said he was working with Bulawayo-based producer T Krude on a compilation riddim titled Wisdom Army, which would feature 20 artistes from Wisdom Records. The riddim features Tanzanian artistes Bubly, Yoz, Smily Dee, and a number of Bulawayo artistes.
Centre Party who seems to be enjoying the fruits of his hard work, is promising to become a big name in the music industry.