The Sunday Mail
THE inaugural Pacific Zimbabwe Sunsplash 2015 slated for Harare’s Glamis Arena on April 10 will be a galore of attractions.
Apart from the Jamaican reggae sensation Luciano, the main attraction, the event will see award-winning musicians Suluman “Sulu” Chimbetu and Jah Prayzah unleashing a new duet. The two musicians collaborated on the hit song “Sean Timba” on Sulu’s “Syllabus” album. Both camps have already confirmed the new duet and said it would be released this week.
Sulu’s publicist Joe “Local” Nyamungoma told this publication; “Yes, we have recorded something with Jah Prayzah and we are going to make it public (on April 10). The project comes as a result of a fruitful relationship that we have had with our brother in the industry.”
Added Jah Prayzah: “We have obligations to entertain the public and that is our focus. We are currently working on a new album that will be released in May. But this week on Friday we will unleash a new project that I did with Sulu.”
Away from the Sulu/Jah Prayzah affair, old guards of the Zim dancehall genre, Winky D and Sniper, both award winners, will rekindle their rivalry at the mega event, which is powered by savanna Tobacco. From the embryonic stages of their careers, the two have never had a rosy relationship. Both Winky D and Sniper have somewhat been battling for the “King of Zim Dancehall” title though odds favour the former.
The last time the two clashed on a big platform was at the 2012 Mavado gig in the capital when Sniper stormed the stage and grabbed the microphone from Winky D, accusing the latter of sabotaging him by overstaying on stage.
What followed was a war of words and the release of diss tracks before hostilities fizzled out as more Zim dancehall artistes battled to be top of the pile. Fresh from their Zimbabwe Cup Clash in the United Kingdom, Tendai “DJ Flevah” Tembo and Etherton “Etherton Beenie” Mutemasango will come face-to-face with Fyah Links. The battle between the two sounds will be personal.
Fyah Links says it is the best sound in the country and deserves the slot that Judgement Yard got on their recent UK visit. Judgement Yard was the main draw at the 2015 Zimbabwe Cup Clash UK.
On the other hand, local reggae outfit Transit Crew will seek to use the Pacific Zimbabwe Sunsplash as a platform to boost their waning fortunes. The group was once one of Zimbabwe’s foremost reggae bands, formed in 1988, and has been on the scene longer than most.
However, the reggae outfit – once fronted by Mic Inity – has hit a rough patch. Band members have jumped ship over unpaid wages but Transit Crew says it has found the form of old ahead of the Pacific Zimbabwe Sunsplash.
Event organiser Partson “Chipaz” Chimbodza last week said: “It will just be a day for fun. We want people to enjoy with little or no incidences. Of course, artistes may have differences but we don’t wish them to take it personal. Focus should be on entertaining revellers. We expect nothing short of top drawer acts from the artistes that are going to perform.”
Other artistes and groups that will share the stage with Luciano at the Sunsplash include Soul Jah Love, K-Queen, Templeman, Gary B, Black Spider, and Red Fox Sound.
The gig will also be used as an introductory party for Pacific brand ambassadors Suluman Chimbetu, Jah Prayzah, Tocky Vibes and Martin Sibanda of Ndolwane Super Sounds.
