Chill Spot to get facelift

Buoyed by the success of “Mad Level Riddim” launch, Chill Spot, one of the country’s top dancehall record labels is set to undergo some renovations.

Riddim is Jamaican patois derived from the English word rhythm in the dancehall/reggae genre referring to the instrumental accompaniment to a song.

Chill Spot is housed at the Matapi flats in Mbare.

Last week, producers at the famous record label studio said they will renovate the recording facility so that it matches international standards.

They said progress had been stalled by lack of funds.

In an interview with The Sunday Mail Leisure, one of the producers Tafadzwa Kadzime, who is known as Levels, said he was upbeat the renovations would now take place. He noted that the “Mad Level Riddim” launch was a success and had created a sound basis for them to kick-start work.

According to the producer, the transformation of Chill Spot was not going to be limited to recording equipment but would also extend to the overall building facility.

Part of the new equipment will include among other things microphones, signal processors, monitors, a vocal booth and mixers.

“Plans have already been laid out and we are supposed to start the renovation exercise. We want the studio to match international standards so that we produce quality music that is acceptable across borders,” said Levels.

He added that they were in the process of recording artistes on their latest riddim titled “Silent Killer”.

Funds from the riddim launch, he explained, would also be used to further develop Chill Spot to guarantee continued production.

Levels, however, appealed to artistes riding on the riddim to honour their contracts.

The likes of Wallace “Winky D” Chirumiko and Freeman, born Emegy Sylvester Chizanga, refused to play during the “Mad Level Riddim” launch despite having signed contracts.

They pulled out on the proverbial eleventh hour, in the process threatening the success of the launch.

Obey Makamure, aka Tocky Vibes, had threatened not to be part of the event but reversed the decision on the night of the launch.

Local dancehall producers are collectively of the view that they are receiving a raw deal from dancehall artistes despite being the backbone of the genre.

They feel that they are not being rewarded for their labour.

They (producers) make money through riddim launches featuring all artistes on the sound.

“We are currently recording artistes on the new riddim (Silent Killer) that is set to be launched soon. However, this time we have made sure that we only have co-operating artistes riding on the beat.

“Last time we had problems with the likes of Winky D who decided to renege on our contract,” said Levels.

“The studio will be one of the most sought after in the country. We just wish to create a good working rapport with artistes.

“There is need for us to respect one another despite our different financial stamina,” added another producer, Arnold Kamudyariwa, who is popularly known as Fantan.

Samson Gwanzura, better known to many as Samcris, is another producer at the studio.

Chill Spot is famous for the award-winning riddim of the year “Zimbo Flavour Riddim”. They also produced “One Clan Riddim” and “Pure Niceness Riddim”.