2015 was a good year for Zimbabwean music, Jah Prayzah released a scorcher of an album that had people naming their newly born kids “Erizabeth”, Killer T had my mum saying “Hoti Teapot” and I had to tell her every time that its “property mama, he says ‘HOTI PROPERTY”.
Seh Calaz released a very mature album, XQ and Roki submitted very convincing bids for comebacks which we are still reviewing, they just need to maintain the momentum and we are good. While Winky D was reasserting his dominance, we also had several newcomers amongst them Dobba Don, Nutty O, Lady Storm, and Soul Afrika.
2016 can only get better.
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| Can DJ. Tamuka Fill Oskid's Shoes? |
Resultantly, hits become synonymous with homages to either Oskid or Dj Tamuka at some point in the song and to be fair the two guys deserved every bit of props that came their way. But, just as we were getting used to a consistent dose of good music coming our way from Kenako, Oskid ups and leaves.
At first I was angry; it seemed to me like one of those standard Zimbabwean stories; you start generating a little buzz and then you go and bite the hand that has been feeding you. And where does he go? Gweru! Gweru? Who’s in Gweru? There used to be Nasty Tricks but no one knows what happened to him, now there only Shingi Mangoma, who I doubt is an actual resident of Gweru considering the time she spends in Harare. But that’s neither here nor there, the point is I was angry.
Here was a guy whom I personally considered the most influential person in 2015, just leaving all those resources at Kenako to go start his own thing from scratch in Gweru. BUT, the more I thought about it, the more I started to empathize with him--the issue of becoming one’s own man is a huge one.
Also, maybe he went back to Gweru because there is nothing is happing in Gweru, music-wise, the closest they have is Dj Stavo in Kwekwe, and maybe he wants to be Gweru’s hero. Which I salute, if that is indeed is the case.
Actually, even if it isn’t. Go Oskid, I trust you will continue to make great music.
Now that leaves the keys to the empire that is Kenako to one Dj Tamuka, born Tamuka Mukulumi, and to be honest I am not too sure if he will maintain the high standards set when he was still tag teaming with Oskid.
Granted Dj Tamuka had some bangers during the course of the year, I especially liked the chemistry between him and Soul Afrika and his work with Nutty O, but none of the songs he worked on were bonafide hits in my opinion.
Nobody can argue about how much of a hit Roki and XQ’s ‘Alleluya’ is or Winky D’s ‘Disappear’. ‘Disappear’ is currently occupying the number 5 spot on BBC Xtra, by the way. Point being, Dj Tamuka might have hits but not Oskid-level hits. And that is the guy that is going to be behind most of the songs that start with that oh so sexy voice that says ‘kenako music’.
I’m quite afraid to be honest. Afraid because I might be right, and Kenako will fluctuate, become a spent force much like Bodyslam Records after PTK left. I genuinely hope I’m very wrong and the only reason Tamuka didn’t really shine was because Oskid was always hogging the studio equipment. I hope Tamuka goes and proves me wrong. I also hope Kenako has more confidence in him than I do and doesn’t get someone else to share the studio with. At least not now.
I am a huge fan of music, good music, especially, and since Oskid has gone to create Million Dynasty I hope this means war on Kenako’s part. A war that will only serve to increase the levels high quality music we are already enjoying. I genuinely don’t know what more motivation Tamuka needs.
Apparently ‘Kenako’ is Swahili for ‘our time is now’, more than anyone, it really is Dj Tamuka’s time, and best believe we will be watching what he does with it.
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