The Sunday Mail
Last festive season, Destruction Boyz’ “Omunye” was one of the biggest songs in Southern Africa.
Just about every club DJ’s playlist had it, and it boomed from car and home stereos so regularly it quickly established itself as a party anthem.
Depsite “Omunye’s” success, house music has never been really big in Harare, and Red Café – a restaurant and club – wants to change that.
If the launch party held last Friday is anything to go by, Red Café is on the road to making house as popular in Harare as it is in Bulawawo.
At the launch, socialites, models, celebrities and ordinary merrymakers grooved to house. The venue may be located a bit outside the CBD, but the set up is definitely upmarket.
Management says a host of top DJs have been enquiring about slots as they sense somthing big is happening on the house scene. Artistes like Prince Kaybee, Destruction Boyz, Micasa, Babes Wodumo, DJ Tira, Lady Zamar, DJ Maphorisa, De Moghul, Busiwa and Heavy K, to name a few, are increasingly familiar to many music lovers in the capital. From Sun El-Musician feat Samthing Soweto’s soulful “Akanamali” to Prince Kaybee’s groovy “Club Controller”, the rise of house music cannot be disputed.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail Society, DJ Chucknosis said that while many people in Harare were not that well-versed in deep house music, the commercial sound was becoming popular.
“There are many different types of house like deep and tribal to name just a few which are not quite appreciated here. Most people, however, have fallen in love with commercial house music because it is always getting airplay on TV and radio stations.”
He said that a club that catered for house music was certainly welcome in Harare.
“I have played at many venues in Harare and what I can tell you is that there is a market for house music.
The people who are into this sound might not be as many as those who follow other genres, but there are there, they are usually big spenders and I am sure they would appreciate having a place they call home.”
