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Godwin Muzari Showbiz Mirror
The dancehall wave continues to sweep through the local music industry with force. Although there are mixed feelings among music fans over this genre, the force is so powerful that even established musicians like Alick Macheso and Suluman Chimbetu could not resist it.

Both musicians now spice their shows with some dancehall chants and at one time they promised to record a dancehall duet. Sulu went ahead and engaged Soul Jah Love’s services on his upcoming album.

The genre is slowly graduating from being a preserve of the youths to take a considerable share on the mainstream music sector.
Of course, the older generation is still in denial.

They view dancehall with scepticism and argue that this is a passing wave because the type of music cannot stand the test of time.
Indeed, the dancehall wave will pass. Many other genres have come and gone.

There was a time when rhumba music was on the rise and so was mbira music, kanindo and urban grooves.
The waves have passed.

But the power of dancehall cannot be underestimated.
I am not a dancehall fanatic.

I used to condemn the genre and its attributes over the last years but the force is just too powerful.

Even Macheso and Sulu never thought they would bow to dancehall. Its influence has surpassed most of the youthful genres that sprouted over the past years.

Even urban grooves music, despite attracting a legion of young musicians, was not so powerful. Urban grooves musicians could not pull the huge crowds that Zim dancehall is attracting.

The cup clash show at City Sports Centre held on August 30 was an example of the power of Zim dancehall.

The venue was filled to capacity until organisers had to turn away fans because there was no more space. And the dancehall scene continues to bring out more and more talented youngsters in this genre.

Although Winky D has been consistently on top of his game since he stormed the dancehall scene when the genre was in its infancy, many other names have now sprouted.

From Killer T with his “po-po-po” signature chant to Soul Jah Love of “Hauite hauite” chant and recently Tocky Vibes popularising his “ah-ah hii-hii” intro, dancehall continues to invade the showbiz scene.

And the artistes and fans are gradually pulling the genre out of the mud of negative attributes.

Besides ugly scenes among fans at the recent show featuring Jamaica’s Kalado where missiles were thrown on stage, dancehall fans are slowly adopting discipline. Incidents of violence at the shows are now decreasing.

Another bad attribute of dancehall is in vulgar and immoral songs. The musicians seem to have realised the negative consequences of the habit and some are doing away with bad language.

Tocky Vibes has succeeded in showing that dancehall can ride on clean and meaningful lyrics.

Winky D has always penned meaningful songs and a number of other dancehall musicians have been good composers, but Tocky Vibes has taken the gospel further.

His song “Mama (Mai)” has become an anthem in public space. It is likely to be the most popular dancehall song because it has attracted the attention of non-dancehall followers.

It is poised to surpass the popularity of Winky D’s “Musarova Bigman”. The way the song is being played in public transport, on radio, at parties and many other social gatherings indicates overwhelming response. The lyrics of the song “Mai” should have spurred Tocky Vibes to this high level. This is a song about a covenant between a son and his mother.

It is a mutual pledge to support each other spiritually and physically through thick and thin.

Like many other songs written for mothers (and rarely for fathers), the track speaks to emotional attachments.

The lyrics blur genre preferences as they appeal to the soul.

Even listeners that do not like dancehall have found this song appealing. Many artistes have dedicated songs to their mothers and touched souls.

Chiwoniso Maraire’s “Mhai (Fambai Zvakanaka)” and “Mai (Ndingatenda Seiko)” by defunct youthful outfit Guess are some of the timeless classics dedicated to mothers.

Tocky Vibes has many other lyrically rich songs like “Kure Kwegava” and “Simudza Maoko” but “Mai” has indeed led Tocky Vibes to go places as he suggests in his track “Aenda Nenyika”.

Despite attracting criticism for his attire at Kalado’s show, Tocky Vibes has pushed dancehall to a higher level.

Zimdancehall has brought an exciting era to the history of local music and by the time the wave passes, it would have made a huge mark.