Here are the categories for the Courageous Video Awards

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25/01/2018

Sir Wicknell Sends New born Son for DNA Tests

Troubled businessman Wicknell Chivayo AKA Sir Wicknell has taken his newborn son John Chenjera for DNA tests.

Chivayo shocked all and sundry this morning when he posted the DNA test results on both Facebook and Instagram, the results showed that the alleged father Sir Wicknell is the father.

In all analyzed PCR systems, Sir Wicknel showed the genetic markers which have to be present for the biological father of the child John Chenjera. The probability of Wicknell Chivayo being the biological father of John was at 99.999997 %

The tests were conducted in Texas, USA

Below are the DNA test results

Scandal Actor ‘Bra Eddie’ Dies

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25/01/2018

Popular Scandal actor Sandy Mokwena, who played Bra Eddie Khumalo in the in e.tv soapie, has died. He was 68.

Mokwena passed on Thursday morning and the cause of his death is not yet known.

In an illustrious acting career, the actor starred in many productions including Generations, Soul City, Okavango, Khululeka, Going Up, Yizo Yizo, Justice for All and Zero Tolerance.

Scandal executive producer, Ilse van Hemert described him as one of the best actors in the industry.

She told eNCA, “Bra Eddie was a giant in the industry, but also with us. He was the anchor of the acting team. The amount of actors who learnt the discipline from him.

He is somebody who never made any fuss about anything. Whatever we wanted him to do he would do it. He was an absolute stalwart.

“It was important that when there was a new actor that was being introduced, that we have some scene with bra Eddie to find his feet with somebody who becomes like a father to him.

“He is a very quiet man, a man of few words. He was like the character he played, Eddie Khumalo. He will be sadly sadly missed.”

Facebook Made me an Oscar Nominee — Zim artist

Bryan Zhawi

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25/01/2018

Facebook Made me an Oscar Nominee — Zim artist

Zimbabwean artist Vusa Mkhaya who created the original soundtrack for the Oscar nominated short film Watu Wote says he got the opportunity of his lifetime via Facebook.

In the 2015 attack, militants from Islamist group al-Shabab ambushed a bus in Mandera town in Kenya which was carrying workers travelling south for their Christmas holidays.

The whole incident was later on put in a visual production Watu Wote a short film produced by Katja Benrath. The short film has been nominated for the much renowned The Academy Awards popularly known as the Oscar awards.

And the opportunity landed on Vusa Mkhaya Austria based Zimbabwean artist who did the lead and background vocals on the original soundtrack that he composed with the Austrian Florian Hirchmann and South African Elisabeth Kaplan.

The Bulawayo born artist is honoured to be part of Watu Wote a Swahili phrase meaning All of Us. He got this opportunity through Facebook after coming across one of his Facebook friend’s status saying that they are looking for an African songwriter.

He responded to the status and a few days later he was in the recording studio auditioning.

“I didn’t know about the other composers before that status on Facebook as well as the film” confessed Vusa who also did the background music for a documentary film Drankenburg Mountains called Barrier of Spears and Zambezi-The source of Life documentary.

Having lost his mentor Hugh Masekela, he said that it was his honour to share a stage with the legend whose music will live on and be appreciated by the next generations.

Indeed he is not an artist of background soundtracks but also a vibrant live performer who once shared the stage with Bryan McKnight at Hollywood in Vienna project and Lebo M of the Lion King fame.

He told Zimbuzz that locally he would pick Dr Oliver Mtukudzi and the Akiliz diva Ammara Brown for a collabo.

“Zimbabwean music industry is doing well and growing too. My only worry is the borrowing of Nigerian beats and music from other countries that are slowly taking over and we should be aware of such ‘musical colonisation,” he said.

He encouraged artists to highly utilise social media in order to easily reach international acclaim.

Here are the Categories for the Courageous Music Video Awards

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24/01/2018

Here are the Categories for the Courageous Music Video Awards

Today, Zimbabwean music videos are drawing much interest and viewership than years gone by, their quality has greatly improved and those that have excelled more will be honoured at the Courageous Music Video Awards.

29 March has been set as the date for the event at Crown Plaza and it will be a red carpet dinner.

The awards organisers have announced the 20 categories which artist will be rewarded in.

Nominees and ultimately the winners will be chosen by a panel consisting of qualified adjudicators, the organisers also revealed that for the inaugural ceremony there will be no voting process.

Here are the categories for the Courageous Video Awards

1) Best Video Director

2) Best Hip Hop

3) Best Dancehall

4) Best AfroPop

5) Best RnB/Urban

6) Best House/Dance

7) Best Gospel

8) Best Foreign Based

9) Best Foreign Based Director

10) Best New Comer

11) Best Alternative

12) Best Collaborated Video

13) Best Female

14) Best Male

15) Local Flavour of The Year (only locally shot, produced and directed video)

16) Rising Star Award

17) #HWMIT ‘Hardest Working Man In Town’

18) Chairman’s award

19) Journalist Friend of Videos Award

20) Video with a Positive Social message

International Film Festival Rotterdam Comes to Harare

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23/01/2018

International Film Festival Rotterdam Comes to Harare

Zimbabwe will next week Friday 26 January 2018 become the first Sub Saharan African country to live stream proceedings from the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR).

The IFFR 2018 is the 47^th edition of the film festival which will take place from the 24^th January to the 4^th of February 2018 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. For almost two weeks, the IFFR-Live in Harare will provide an opportunity for film enthusiasts in Rotterdam and Harare to revel in cinematic projections.

IFFR offers a high-quality line-up of carefully selected fiction and documentary feature films, short films and media art. The festival’s focus is on recent work by talented new filmmakers from around the globe.

The festival celebrates the power of cinema to increase our understanding of society, infuse positive social change and expand the creative space for film citizenship and the diverse forms of cinema.

The live streaming of the festival will be hosted by Rooftop Promotions at Theatre in the Park in the Harare Gardens supported by Hivos Southern Africain partnership with the IFFR.

This unique event comes at a time when Zimbabwe’s film industry is breaking new ground on the international arena with Zimbabwe’s own local feature film, Cook Off, directed by Tomas Brickhill and produced by Joe Njagu, having been selected for screening at the festival.

This year’s edition of the IFFR themed “A History of Shadows” seeks to investigate cinema’s powers to re-evaluate and revisit the past and will showcase approximately 500 films from around the globe.

“Hivos is a proud partner of IFFR in The Netherlands, I am delighted that we are now also part of this unique and first ever event of live streaming the IFFR in Sub Saharan Africa.

This is a historical event that presents us with an opportunity for interaction and dialogue between filmmakers and audiences in Zimbabwe and the Netherlands through a virtual medium,” said Tanja Lubbers, Regional Director of Hivos Southern Africa.

Bero Beyer, the IFFR Director said that the live streaming in Harare provides the IFFR with an opportunity to widen the reach of new films.

“IFFR is about connecting people and bringing daring new films to audiences that care to widen their view of the world through cinema.

We are extremely happy and proud to include Harare, Zimbabwe in a unique cinema event, called IFFR-Live. A line up of six films by female filmmakers that illuminate our lives through the personal stories they tell.

Audiences from all over will be able to connect to the cast and crew live via social media to join the discussion and truly be part of the festival,” said Beyer.

In addition to the live screenings, local Zimbabwean feature films will be showcased at Theatre in the Park. Audiences will be given the opportunity to dialogue and exchange knowledge with players in the local film industry.

The IFFR-Live will be launched at the Theatre in the Park on Friday 26 January 2018.

The film screenings will be free to the public. Daves Guzha, Director of Rooftop Promotions welcomed the global collaboration as key to raising the profile of the arts in sector Zimbabwe.

“We are very excited to host this event at Theatre in the Park. It is special to us because it’s the first time this world-class film festival is being live screened in Sub Saharan Africa.

It is clear testimony that Zimbabwe is ready to engage robustly with the rest of the progressive world,” said Guzha.

Legendary SA Musician Hugh Masekela has died

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23/01/2018

Legendary SA Musician Hugh Masekela has died

South African jazz legend Hugh Ramopolo Masekela has died, he was 78.

Masekela lost a decade-long battle with prostate cancer which he had been treated since 2008.

The Masekela family released a statement saying details surrounding his memorial and burial services will be shared.

“Hugh’s global and activist contribution to and participation in the areas of music, theatre, and the arts, in general, is contained in the minds and memory of millions across 6 continents and we are blessed and grateful to be part of a life and ever-expanding legacy of love, sharing and vanguard creativity that spans the time and space of 6 decades,” read the family statement.

Masekela was born on 4 April 1939 in Witbank. As a child, he began playing the piano, but a movie about jazz cornetist Bix Beiderbecke, Young Man with a Horn, inspired him to shift his musical allegiances.

Anti-apartheid activist Father Trevor Huddleston helped Masekela to acquire a trumpet and ensured he received tuition, resulting in his rapidly joining South Africa’s first youth orchestra, the Huddleston Jazz Band.

In the late 50s, Masekela joined up with Dollar Brand (later known as Abdullah Ibrahim), Kippie Moeketsi, Jonas Gwangwa, Johnny Gertze and alternately Early Mabuza or Makaya Ntshoko on drums, to form The Jazz Epistles, who regularly performed at the Odin Theatre in Sophiatown.

In 1959, Masekela joined the cast of Todd Matshikiza’s “all-African jazz opera” King Kong. The musical, which also helped launch the career of Miriam Makeba, received permission to perform in London in 1961.

EXCLUSIVE PICs — Zaleekhah & Xndr’s Baby Will Melt your Heart

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22/01/2018

EXCLUSIVE PICs — Zaleekhah & Xndr’s Baby Will Melt your Heart

Anonzi Xndr Mutumha and Zaleekhah Khan’s daughter has been in the spotlight ever since she was conceived and the royal baby is finally here.

Named Leilani Mutumha, Zimbuzz gets you a first look at their little bundle of joy who was welcomed into the world on 19 January around 6.05 am.

Leilani is so sweet she will melt your heart at first glance.

Said Zale of the father, “Alexander is absolutely happy, it was a new experience for him, he really learnt a lot he is over the moon.”

Three hours after the baby’s arrival he took to Facebook to share his joy,”This moment right now, I’m the happiest man alive… “

“Keyaan (Leilani’s brother) is excited he fusses over her every two minutes and is very hands-on,” said Zale.

“As for me this baby is my angel, she couldn’t have come at a better time I’m happy and in love with my man, our relationship is in a very good place, shes has completed us and brought our families and cultures together, so for me that’s really important,” she enthused.

Cleo Ice Queen Places call to Jah Prayzah for a Collabo

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22/01/2018

Cleo Ice Queen Places call to Jah Prayzah for a Collabo

Cleo Ice Queen has placed a phone call to Jah Prayzah for a possible collaboration with the Zimbabwean certified hitmaker.

The Zambian songstress revealed this in a tweet where she was responding to a @AVisionTV who had suggested that the two countries, Zimbabwe and Zambia should share the beautiful Cleo.

Wrote @AVisionTV: “I guess since you share Vic falls with us zimbos we can share @Cleo_icequeen too lol”

Cleo immediately responded, “Places a call to @jahprayzah for that collab to cement the deal.”

Upon seeing the tweet, Jah Prayzah confirmed receiving the phone call and enthused about the chance for the two to collaborate.

“Call received. Yes it’s happening… let’s make fire,” replied Jah Prayzah.

So yeah people it seems we have a Zim-Zam collabo happening this year and this won’t be the first time that Jah will be working with our Northen neighbours.

Last year during his Kutonga Kwaro album launch singer Mampi made a suprise performance at the HICC and did her all-time hit song ‘Walilowelela.’

For those who need reminding, Cleo Clementina Mulenga a.k.a Cleo Ice Queen narrowly lost to Dillish Mathews during the 2013 edition of Big Brother Africa ‘The Chase’

Some of Cleo’s Housemates in Big Brother The Chase included compatriot Sulu, our queen of swagger Pokello and fellow countrymen Hakeem.

Beverly, Melvin (Nigeria) Elikem (Ghana), Feza (Tanzania), Bassey (Sierra Leone), Koketso (South Africa), LK4 (Uganda) to mention but a few.

It was the same show that Pokello would meet her husband Elikem and are now blessed with a son, but the two’s marriage is reportedly in shreds and on the brink of collapse.

Cleo Ice Queen is currently riding high on her smash hit titled “XO Fever” after winning Best Female Artist in Zambia, in last year’s SunFm Kwacha Awards.

Stunner Shares first picture of baby Girl

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22/01/2018

Stunner Shares first picture of baby Girl

Rapper Stunner late last year became a new father and has been pretty shy about showing her daughter’s face and would often only show her back.

But Stunner being Stunner loves to show off beautiful things and has decided to give us a rare look at her adorable baby girl when he shared a picture of him with the little one.

In a proud daddy moment, he captioned the picture, “You only sleep when you feel safe and relaxed, dear daughter I promise you a lifetime of comfortable sleep.”

And the picture was accompanied by 15 hashtags….yeah 15

Jah Prayzah, Nakita Soak themselves in Paint (Remember Nakita?)

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22/01/2018