Here are some Exciting things to look Forward to at #Shoko24

This year’s Shoko Festival has an exciting lineup, as seen in the program that has been released.

The urban culture festival will take place from September 26th to 28th, 2024, in Harare and Chitungwiza.

The Hub Unconference, which focuses on new media, civic tech, and journalism, is making a return under the theme “Level Up.” It runs from the 24th to the 25th of September.

Zimbuzz had the opportunity to catch up with Shoko Festival 2024 Coordinator, Vera Chisvo, who shed light on some of the highlights.

“Some of the major highlights for the Hub Unconference is the keynote talk by Justine Wanda from Kenya. Justine is a Comedian and Satirist and will be sharing insights on how to use TikTok to mobilize Gen Z,” she said.

“There is also a session by Thando Mlambo on urban culture pioneers in Zimbabwe, and there will be a live mural painting by Kudzi SSKD and Gerald.”

Kudzi created the official 2024 designs for the Shoko Festival.

Vera Chisvo also mentioned that this year, media and tech start-ups will have a chance to showcase for free.

One segment of the festival that has stood the test of time and continues to grow year after year is the free show in Chitungwiza, aptly named ‘Peace in The Hood.’

“Every year, we take great care in curating Peace in The Hood. We have a deep appreciation for Zimbabwean artists, and this is why over the years, the stage has had more local acts than international,” said Vera as she shared why the show is always ‘hip and happening.’

She added: “We make sure that the lineup features the hottest local acts, from the biggest artists to the new and ready-to-break-out performers.”

Vera also highlighted that one of the reasons the show is always a hit is because they make a special effort to spotlight amazing acts from Chitungwiza itself, as the concert is hosted there, and they believe in promoting from within.

For those who have followed Shoko Festival since its inception as a hip-hop festival, the hip-hop acts are always a highlight.

This year, like every other, the festival will feature a strong lineup of hip-hop acts, including South African-based award-winning hip-hop queen, Nadia Nakai, popular rappers Voltz JT, Young Gemini, and Kayflow, as well as RayKaz, Dough Major, VI the Law, Dingo Duke, and Natasha Muz.

“Shoko is a festival that was born out of the love for hip-hop and urban culture. This year, as always, we are thrilled to have a strong hip-hop lineup that shows Zimbabwean hip-hop artists are a force to be reckoned with, ” said Vera.

She also highlighted the growth of the hip-hop scene over the years and that Shoko Festival is proud to be a part of that journey.

“This year, we celebrate hip-hop artists, both male and female and spotlight the amazing work they are doing,” added Vera.