By Michael Shoko, recently in Sun City, South Africa
Babes Wodumo expressed her disappointment in not winning a South African Music Award (SAMA) this past weekend and accused people of buying awards.
Babes Wodumo Pic by Ok Mzansi
Babes could not stomach the news that she walked away empty handed and went on Instagram live to launch an attack at the SAMAs organisers.
She was also joined by fellow stable mate Mampintsha who threw his own outburst.
There was a fierce social media debate in South Africa and parts of Africa with the fans divided as to whether Babes was robbed of hard work or she plainly was not enough of a star.
Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) CEO Nhlanhla Sibisi explained to TshisaLIVE that judges had looked at Babes Wodumo’s entire album and not just her single.
“The SAMAs has always evaluated the entire album of an artist to judge their entire body of work. The Record of the Year category is the only category in which a single track is considered and so an artist may have a great single or series of singles but their album may not be better than another artist,” he explained.
He said the SAMAs were not a popularity contest.
“Wololo was the biggest song in the country. It was in the top 10 of all charts we consulted for our nominations shortlists and was massively popular, but the SAMAs is not a popularity contest,” he explained.
By Michael Shoko, recently in Sun City South Africa
Singer Zahara has come out guns blazing and is threatening to sue Somizi and the South African Music Awards for a bar comment made by Somizi.
Somizi, who co-hosted the awards told audiences that there was a bar at the after-party and that Zahara would be there, making reference to Zahara’s alcohol problems
Revealed Zahara in an Instagram post: “I only wish what I heard apon (sic) my return from Swaziland #BushfireFestival this past weekend about what Somizi said at the SAMAS is not true! Because if he did I am suing Somizi and the SAMAs for deformation (sic) of character I am tired of this.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUr6H2cDHox/
She later told TshisaLIVE that she was really upset and offended by the remarks Somizi made at the awards.
“I don’t care if he was joking. At whose expense was the joke? This will hurt my image and could impact whether I get sponsorship deals or not. It is not funny and I want him to apologise,” she said.
Somizi is said to have apologised to Zahara during his Metro FM radio show.
Rapper Stunner yesterday added his voice to the long winding list of artists who are complaining about a raw deal they are being offered by music video director Vusa Blaqs.
Stunner touched on a lot of issues in his rant that included accusing Blaqs of sabotaging other artists works by delaying the release of their videos.
He gave an example of how Takura had to wait a long time to get his video for the song Mungandidii, a product which Stunner said was done badly by Blaqs.
He also said his ex-girlfriend Pokello had a bigger following that Jah Prayzah.
And Blaqs responded by saying that Stunner had touched on important matters which needed to be looked at.
“Stunner Da Des thank you for the reality check. It’s humbling to be chided by the vets in the industry. I have nothing to hide. What you said is the absolute truth. We take such criticism as we grow. It hasn’t been easy but we get better
“What you said is the absolute truth. We take such criticism as we grow. It hasn’t been easy but we get better every day. God bless you and your hustle. Peace,” he said.
Zimbuzz unearths the real story behind the feud which has many fans and readers baffled as to how it all started.
In our previous article, we gave a brief biography of who the director in question is.
Vusa Blaqs is currently one of the most sought-after video directors whose works have managed to change the face of the Zimbabwean music industry and has been hailed by many as a game changer.
He has done star quality videos for Ex Q’s Bhachura which has reached a million views a few days ago, he also did Ammara Brown and Chengeto’s Whatchu Want, Extra Large’s Papi Pacho just to mention a few.
The Real Story
Information gathered by Zimbuzz show that a number of artists are up in arms with the video director who has been accused of deliberately delaying the release of their videos.
Vusa Blaqs – Picture Vusa Blaqs Facebook
Stunner then took it upon himself to speak on behalf of all the aggrieved artists.
Commenting on a Zimbuzz article on Facebook, 8L’s manager Fungai Chaks fired a salvo at Vusa Blaqs confirming what Stunner had said about the video director.
“Not far from the truth Vusa blaqs (can’t tag he unfriended me)….Not only #teamTakura SoulAfrikaTannia N’yasha Ngwena even us clientele money Blessed Zikaliwon’t get much into detail but we finally got the video after 5 months should I get into Tamy’s own??? Talented director but his character is without excellence!!! Munhu wese kunaAndy Sobhuza#dependable, ” she said.
Tannia N’yasha Ngwena from Takura’s management also weighed in and registered her displeasure at Blaqs
“We the creative community are just trying to get him to be accountable. We appreciate his talent already hence why we commissioned him to do the jobs in the first place! Don’t over promise only to under deliver – it slows our progress down as an industry,” she said.
She also thanked Stunner for letting people know the truth.
“I am tired of the b*** sh*t served up in this industry!! #ThankYou for speaking out. Fighting for excellence and growth,” she said.
Zimbuzz can also confirm that Boom Beto paid in full for the production of Kudonhedza Musika video in February but the video hasn’t been shot yet.
A source within Boom Beto’s camp said that Vusa Blaqs had been dilly-dallying around the issue.
“The song has now lost its relevance even if the video came out today, a transfer was made to Blaqs but his management has been shifting goal posts in providing us with a production date,” the source said.
Vusa Blaqs, however, said Boom Beto had decided to do a video for a different song.
“The Boom Beto situation (sic) they decided to do a different song, that is an ongoing business transaction which is confidential,” he said.
However the source told Zimbuzz that they had decided to shoot another video because of the delays caused, and management made a decision because they don’t think Kunonhedza Musika is still a hit song.
Other videos that we have been told to be causing a lot of conflict include Beautiful/Ndozvandiri by Tamy featuring Takura and Doba Don.
Another source within the ongoings said that they were still awaiting their video but with no official communication coming from Blaqs.
“I have been having conversations with Tamy’s management who are also her parents after I did the first cut of the video I won’t lie to you they were not impressed they thought maybe we should probably re-shoot or re-edited or something,” said Blaqs about the situation with the Tamy video.
He said that he was not holding anyone’s work.
“I never deliberately hold on to a project. It’s my job to make videos why would I hold anything back,” he added.
Killer T’s video ‘Bvunza Tinzwe’ is said to have been delayed also only to be released after Killer T had threatened to take action.
Killer T’s management, however, did not respond to questions sent to them by this publication.
Blaqs said the Killer T, Takura and 8L stories were unsubstantiated rumours.
The video was however released but without the branding of Blaqs, making it difficult for people to know who directed it.
Another video which is also at the centre of the contention is Tehn Diamond’s ‘No Stress’. We sent out questions to Tehn Diamond a month ago to find out about the said rumours but he didn’t respond.
Vusa Blaqs on set with Tehn Diamond. Picture was taken on February 28, 2017, and posted on Vusa Blaqs’ facebook page. However Tehn Diamond released a different video this morning
This morning (19 May 2017) Tehn Diamond released the video but it was done by a different director, one Mr Galston Anthony, confirming that he too had a fall out with Vusa Blaqs.
There, however, is a conspiracy theory that has been doing the rounds in the showbiz, artists who spoke to Zimbuzz said Vusa Blaqs is now associated with Jah Prayzah Studios, therefore, they are sabotaging other musicians works.
“They are sabotaging the industry so that only Military Touch Movement works are pushed, look my brother they have a dancehall artist in the form of Nutty O, so they won’t release a video from a competitor like Boom Beto or Killer T,” said one artist who requested anonymity.
Zimbuzz contacted Jah Prayzah’s manager Keen Mushapaidze a month ago and he dismissed the allegations saying “I have not heard any complaints of such nature.”
Contacted for comment yesterday Vusa Blaqs said he was not sabotaging anyone but instead opening doors for many artists.
“That is not true. I’m doing the opposite of sabotage. Look at my work. It speaks for itself. My work has opened doors for many people. I feel It has somehow restored national pride,” he said.
“Be reminded that I didn’t get this far by sabotaging people. I’m 100% dedicated to every project that comes my way and I try to give my creativity space to refresh so that my products don’t look the same.
“I would say to these artists I have not forsaken you for anyone or anything.
“As a human being, I make mistakes and fail. It’s part of life but I will never ill-treat anyone to please the next person. I have not come to destroy but to build.
“I urge the public and artists to keep supporting us because we all trying to achieve the same thing: Make Zimbabwe great with the talents that God gave each and every one of them
“What I have learned from this whole fiasco is that people are expecting a lot from Team Blaqs and we are humbled by the response we have been getting.
“We have already put measures in place to increase capacity. Soon the world will see the change. Once again thanks to the viewers for the overwhelming support,” he added.
It still remains a mystery how all the said artists who are accusing Blaqs of a contract breach have not taken legal action against him if indeed the allegations are true.
Rapper Stunner has been embroiled in a new war with video director Vusa Blaqs accusing him of preventing growth in the industry.
A collage of Pokello and Jah Prayzah
The musician also questioned Jah Prayzah’s star influence comparing him to his ex-girlfriend Pokello Nare.
Vusa Blaqs is currently one of the most sought-after video directors whose works have managed to change the face of the Zimbabwean music industry and has been hailed by many as a game changer.
He has done star quality videos for Ex Q’s Bhachura which has reached a million views a few days ago, he also did Ammara Brown and Chengeto’s Whatchu Want, Extra Large’s Papi Pacho just to mention a few.
Most of his videos enjoy a good rotation on Trace Africa.
Stunner accused Blaqs of holding onto the works of many artists, something he says was killing the industry and says he gave Takura a raw deal by producing a low-quality video.
“Can someone explain to me why Vusa Blaqs and his team think it is sound business to delay (Takura) a paying client’s product by 3 months, with no delivery date in mind?” said Stunner.
“Fine maybe he was perfecting his art but boom it came out and what a shitty job he done…”
He also accused him of instigating tribalism.
“Anyway……. Like people always say to me and i applied, be humble Mr Blaqs i wont mention how many artists are crying coz u have suddenly become so arrogant and instigating things like shona/ ndebele what what. (We r Zimbabwe!!!)” ranted Stunner.
He says Pokello has a larger following than Jah Prayzah.
“If Jah Prayzah, if he is meant to be the Wizkid of Zimbabwe by now, with all the money and time that has been pumped into his brand,” he wrote on his facebook wall.
“120k followers on Instagram and you tell me he is our biggest act while Pokello a business woman and socialite has 250k?!
“ In 8 months Takura has taken his brand from 2.5k to 20k – on a self-funded budget and this ‘rombe’ with his nothingness has been trying his best with no budget but just change from my dollar sadza and fifty cent drink with all the sabotage and drama i have kept life moving,” he added.
The rant is believed to have been caused by a negative youtube comment on Stunner’s video which is said to have been posted by Blaqs.
“Fine maybe he was perfecting his art but boom it came out and what a shitty job he done after he had insulted my Ndoenda video on youtube comments, you could have called Andy Cutter to tell him that,” reveals the rant.
Zimbuzz contacted Video Director Blaqs and tomorrow we publish his response.
*#RantAlert* im sorry if i have gone out of line but….. Can someone explain to me why Vusa Blaqs and his team think it is sound business to delay (Takura) a paying client’s product by 3 months, with no delivery date in mind?
Fine maybe he was perfecting his art but boom it came out and what a shitty job he done after he had insulted my Ndoenda video on youtube comments, you could have called Andy Cutter to tell him that.
Anyway……. Like people always say to me and i applied, be humble Mr Blaqs i wont mention how many artists are crying coz u have suddenly become so arrogant and instigating things like shona/ ndebele what what. (We r Zimbabwe!!!)
Zimbabwe will have me scream and shout, smash f*cken bottles just to get a contractor you have paid to sit down and attend to your work. Im sure team Takura had never experienced such disrespect of time, money and commitment to excellence.
We as a collective industry are missing on the pan-African entertainment stage not because we are not talented; but because we run unprofessional, unorganised, and commercially unviable operations. Our spirit of self sabotage and industry sabotage must end mhani.
On the topic of our industry’s biggest brands::::::: If Jah Prayzah, if he is meant to be the Wizkid of Zimbabwe by now, with all the money and time that has been pumped into his brand.
120k followers on Instagram and you tell me he is our biggest act while Pokello a business woman and socialite has 250k?!
In 8 months Takura has taken his brand from 2.5k to 20k – on a self funded budget and this “rombe” with his nothingness has been trying his best with no budget but just change from my dollar sadza and fifty cent drink with all the sabotage and drama i have kept life moving.
Now I can guarantee if all was as smooth sailing as brand JP – we would have been talking HBO and yes im not excited about being on Trace Africa its like settling for less so i dont complain.
There is a mindset some of us apply to this industry that all the money in the world cannot buy. #KnowThis
Nigeria had D’banj and Don Jazzy to usher in the new wave of Nigerian pop artists – why are we hell bent as Zimbabwe to still speak of one name 5 years later? Because everything that rises Zimbabweans want to destroy.
Hanzi akuvhaira , Tocky akura musoro takuda munyowani, heee winky D apera kwaana nhingi (apera voice here). Why cant you lift up your whole industry instead of trying to destroy talent coz of hatred?
I don’t see any other Zimbabwean artist as competition. I have said it before – our industry is too small and too insignificant to thrive on competition.
We cannot afford beefs and drama – what we need to get ahead is collaborations, sharing of resources and ideas, and think tanks whose purpose is to move our industry forward.
Let it be known that in this month of May im promising you my album #StrayBullet coming late August will be fire and i hope all the other artists come up with amazing work so the fans will let the music speak as they always say and not judge the man/woman.
I came alone in this industry and noone can say they did anything for me coz i gave and people took and now here i am are saying artists of Zimbabwe we are going to give again .
Dear fans , cooperate world and who else, yours is the music please stay out of our houses we are all fighting different battles in life.
My team and any other and will continue to create platforms and continue to carve a new lane. Sh*t niggaz out here hating playing gate keepers on the bond note economy while we are out here trying to collect £ $ € and the Rands and Nairas!! Itai henyu. ??
Rapper Tiara Baluti may be known more for her rhymes and raunchy dancing in her music videos, however, the ‘Ndavapedzera’ hit creator is also a philanthropist.
Tiara Baluti
In her latest charity work, she will be launching a Charitable Organisation in honour of her late Mother whom she lost when she was 21, called Raviro Foundation, aimed at helping children in homeless shelter.
She revealed in a facebook post how her recent experiences have made her realise the need to help others
“This past weekend was an eye opener for me I really felt a huge void in my life….I really miss my mum….this got me thinking of other children who have lost their parents and how they will be coping in this cold winter.
“I decided to form a charity foundation I named it the “Raviro Foundation” after my late mum I want to visit children’s homes and donate warm clothes on the last weekend of May please if you can assist with donations INBOX!,” she wrote.
She also told Zimbuzz that she plans on making it a monthly work.
The charity will begin working with Chiedza Children’s Home, but she is hoping it will spread much further than that.
“The plan is to make it a monthly thing as time goes by so that we help more children, for now, Chiedza children’s home is one of them then gonna look for another one depending on the response I get from the people,” she said.
Skip A Meal A Day is a campaign where one decides to skip a certain meal of the day and donate the equivalent of the money to Simuka Afrika to feed hungry children.
Meanwhile, the rapper is set to drop a hot video for the track Bad Gyal Flex which she has been shooting in Botswana, the video is probably going to be available in the next two weeks.
Zimbabwe is coming alive with a new House music movement set to launch in Harare at the beginning of June.
Dubbed The Sound of House, the movement will feature the hottest house DJs in the country at the moment.
These include; Big Vee, the founder of the project and award winning DJs Reverb7 and Icytat and both DJs have a heavy following both in the trendiest clubs in Harare as well as on social media.
They have made strides on the House arena in Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole, with Icytat winning an All Africa Music Award (AFRIMA) in 2016 for a collaboration he made with a United States based musician SuCh.
Reverb7, on the other hand, is a Zimbabwe Music Award winner for his single Handikusiye in 2016.
Joining the mix will be DJ Rufchat, a new-fangled house DJ who started his entertainment career in 2012 in Chinhoyi hosting and sharing big stages with DJ Wushin’s Tirinhubu Tribe.
DJ Rufchat brings an electrifying house sound to the decks.
The main objective of this movement is to cater for the sophisticated house music lovers in the country.
In his own words, Big Vee wants to give “the house music lover something to look forward to every weekend.’’
Campus of Performing Arts Pretoria music business and production student, Young DLC aka Darlington Chikwewo has jetted off to Nairobi, Kenya for Coke Studio Africa 2017.
Young DLC, Darlington Chikwewo
The youngest production crew member jetted off to the East African country from Pretoria two weeks ago.
The 20-year-old Electronic Dance Music producer and DJ is also rocking the airways back in South Africa with his first collaboration project with Sylent Nqo, a guitarist from Zimbabwe, enjoying high rotation on Algoa FM.
The Young DLC produced song, Be My Girl, is now on the Eastern Cape‘s AlgoaFM Top 30 charts, where more than half a million people are reached.
Young DLC will be based in Nairobi-Kenya for 10 weeks, where his sound production skills will be put to good use on Africa’s biggest TV music show.
A fast rising EDM DJ on his own right, Young DLC will be working on some exciting collaborations with leading African artists later in the year.
His manager, Tendai Joe confirmed that some of the arrangements had been made before Young DLC left for Nairobi.
“Young DLC has been working on collaboration productions with Tristan of December Streets and the project will be released separately later in the year. There is also a potential collaboration with Jack Parrow and Bitterreinder in the pipeline,” he said.
“Young DLC is an amazing artist, with an amazing talent. We have artists and producers from as far as Portugal, Japan and France inquiring about him due to his few Instagram clips where he embedded his music.
“He will surely grow to be one of the best EDM DJs and producers out of Africa. I think his studies and whatever he is learning from Coke Studio Africa will set him apart from others. After all, he is passionate and loves his music,” added his manager Tendai Joe.
Young DLC, a former Boston Campus Soul Candi School of Music student, has his own solo single, Cloud 9 which is already receiving favourable reviews from seasoned DJs and dance music lovers.
Visuals for the single are already in post production and Joe says the video is expected to be ready for Music Channels before the end of May 2017.
Young DLC is one of the Headline Acts at Treadfest SA, which will be held in December 2017 at Drakensburg Amphitheatre.
“I have always wanted to make good music and make people dance. I appreciate the opportunities I am getting to showcase what I love doing. I think this is a good start. Would also want to thank AlgoaFM for their support. Expect more good music from me,” said Young DLC.
Barely ten days after the final curtain for the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA), the European Union in Zimbabwe, in partnership with eleven of its Member States, is set to present yet another cultural highlight: the first ever EU Film Festival in Zimbabwe.
Running from 16 to 20 May in Harare, the festival will be held at The Theatre in the Park at Harare Gardens and admission to all screenings is entirely free.
This years’ selection of cinema presents film enthusiasts with vivid pictures of Europe’s societies in their all-encompassing facets and cultures, a wide scope of stories that engage and pay tribute to the common traits of human nature.
The diversity in the narrative will take you from the sweeping streets of Rome, via excursions into Bolivia, New York and Turkey right into the quaint confines of an apartment in Prague and a depressing hotel room in Romania in the 1980s.
You will meet illustrious and loveable (or less loveable) characters, such as Eddie the Eagle, little Finn who just lost his mother, control freak Erika, and money thief David, who tries to start a new life on the Azores.
Eleven screenings spread out across five days, provide more than 1000 minutes of entertainment and food for thought.
Ambassador Philippe Van Damme, Head of the European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe, said:
“We are very excited to bring this Festival to Zimbabwe, and with it some outstanding European movies that will entertain and touch the audience. Cinema, however, is not just about entertainment.
“It is also about the expression of identities, reflecting the state of a society, of a community. And our films are inspired by the core principles of Europe: unity in diversity; cultural, but also linguistic or even ethnic diversity; but unity of values, such as equality and democracy, as well as our social model.“
The festival kicks off on Tuesday, 16 May at 6pm with Almanya, the German award-winning tragicomedy that questions the sense of identity and belonging of Turkish immigrants and their descendants, thoughtfully and humorously reflecting on the most pressing issues in current Europe: migration and integration.
Throughout the five days of the Festival, a minimum of two films will be screened every evening (all details in the attached programme and on the dedicated Facebook page @EUFilmFestivalZim).
Quantico actress Priyanka Chopra has expressed shock at the level of sexual violence against children in Zimbabwe after her recent visit to the country.
Priyanka Chopra Pic- AP
Speaking to The Associated Press in South Africa after visiting the southern African country as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador Chopra said government officials there told her many young girls are “asking for it.”
She says girls are told it’s their fault.
“I heard a lot of this when I asked these government officials who said girls are asking for it,” she said. Some girls were as young as 3 when they were raped by their fathers, uncles or other relatives, she said.
Chopra told the news agency that said she couldn’t get one Zimbabwe girl’s story out of her mind.
The girl told Chopra how she was raped by her uncle when she was 7.
“The pastor of their church told her family that she was possessed and she should come and live with him … but the pastor raped her for two years,” Chopra said.
She said it was “an eye-opening experience” meeting girls who had been shunned by society and thrown out of their homes after being raped.
“I am from India and I have seen wealth and poverty live together all my life,” she said. “That is the state of the world. That is our reality. It takes people like us who are privileged, who have everything that we may need in abundance, to be able to share it in parts of the world where they may not have that.”
“She was taken away from there and sent to another uncle and aunty of hers. The aunty then forced her to have sex with her husband, who was HIV positive. That was how she contracted HIV at age 17.” The girl tried to kill herself three times before she was rescued by a group that offered her psychological support, Chopra said.
Nigeria and South Africa Singers leads the race for the 2017 BET Awards Best International Act 5n Africa, claiming four and three nominations, respectively with the other going to Ghana.
Tekno
The Nigerian artists nominated are Wizkid, Davido, Tekno, and Mr. Eazi whilst AKA, Nasty C and Babes Wedumo make it for South Africa.
Babes Wodumo Pic – SundayWorld
Stonebwoy from Ghana completes the list.
The international list is dominated by Beyoncé with a total of seven nominations Bruno Mars follows with five nods, Chance the Rapper, Solange and Migos are tied at four a piece.
Beyoncé’s seven nominations include best female R&B/pop artist, best collaboration (with Kendrick Lamar on “Freedom”), album of the year and video of the year.
The 17th BET Awards will air live on June 25 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET. The awards ceremony will cap off the annual BET Experience at L.A. Live in Los Angeles from June 22-25.
The BET Awards will also recognise achievements in film, television, sports and international music acts across more than 19 categories
Here is the some of the nominees’ list
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT: AFRICA
WIZKID (Nigeria) TEKNO (Nigeria) MR. EAZI (Nigeria) DAVIDO (Nigeria) STONEBWOY (Ghana) AKA (SA) NASTY C (SA) BABES WODUMO (SA)
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Beyoncé Kehlani Mary J. Blige Rihanna Solange
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Bruno Mars Chris Brown The Weeknd Trey Songz Usher
Best Group
2 Chainz & Lil Wayne A Tribe Called Quest Fat Joe & Remy Ma Migos Rae Sremmurd
Best Collaboration
Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Freedom” Chance the Rapper ft. 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne – “No Problem” Chris Brown ft. Gucci Mane & Usher – “Party” DJ Khaled ft. Beyoncé & Jay Z – “Shining” Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad and Boujee” Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
Best Male Hip-Hop Artist
Big Sean Chance the Rapper Drake Future J. Cole Kendrick Lamar
Best Female Hip-Hop Artist
Cardi B Missy Elliott Nicki Minaj Remy Ma Young M.A.
Video of the Year
Beyoncé – “Sorry” Big Sean – “Bounce Back” Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad and Boujee” Solange – “Cranes in the Sky”
Video Director of the Year
Benny Boom – Kehlani, “CRZY” Bruno Mars & Jonathan Lia – Bruno Mars, “That’s What I Like” Director X – Zayn Malik, “Like I Would” Hype Williams – Tyga “Gucci Snakes ft. Desiigner” Kahlil Joseph & Beyoncé Knowles-Carter – Beyoncé, “Sorry”
Best New Artist
21 Savage Cardi B Chance the Rapper Khalid Young M.A.
Album of the Year
24K Magic – Bruno Mars 4 Your Eyez Only – J. Cole A Seat at the Table – Solange Coloring Book – Chance the Rapper Lemonade – Beyoncé
