ADVERTISE HERE

Have you heard…?

…the beat of the nation!

CONTENTS

Features Music & Entertainment: 15 Groove meter…..Who’s hot? 22 Under the Groove: Kapital K 24 The strum! David Hondoyendzomba 29 Star power: Rihanna making it good! Fashion: 35 Fashion designer: RumbiRumbi Clothing Fashion Dos & Don’ts 47 Gadgets 49 Rides 54 TV People that we know: Five’s Tinashe

Rodrick 58 Young business person: Profile: Tommy

Deuschle 65 The Urban Ancient Poet: Madzitatiguru 69 G Scene: Shoko Festival 2013-We Are The

People! 71 Special Feature: Mzungu Kichaa on Shoko 76 The beat makers…..Music producer Evans

Dube 79 On the decks..... Club djs DJ V and DJ Banks

Regulars 5 Letter from the Editor 7 Urban Dictionary….Know your lingo! 8 In The Groove: What’s going on? 27 Groove Theory: Life Advice

36 G Woman: Women’s Fashion Hair Factors: Trending hairstyles 38 Dandruff: Is that flake giving you a

headache? 42 G Body: Fitness, exercise and

health trends 43-45 Health& Wellbeing 46 G Men: Men’s fashion 53 At the movies with Ster Kinekor 60 G Money: Financial advice: How to save up for something you want 63 G Food: 3 easy recipes to tickle your taste buds 67 G Voices: Poetry 74 Music: Album reviews 84 In our next issue…..

Columns 40 MPV…..my point of view! 61 The Shark in the Japanese fisherman 85 Life with Lance

On the cover Cover Story: Girl on fire Ammara Brown

10-14 G Real talk: Fame and fatherhood 17

G Quiz: Are you celebrity obsessed? 32 Summer Fashion Trends 34

G Business: Business Start-ups: 5 simple ways to start business 56

1

10

56

ADVERTISE HERE

2

Letter from the editor…..

It’s been a long time coming and

we are glad that it is finally here;

and right on time. With it being a

new year and we are celebrating,

because life is fundamentally

about enjoying the world and the

things in it. In all anticipation we

are glad to bring you something

new, a magazine we like to call

‘the definition’; yes, Groove

Magazine is the definition of our

urban music and culture.

Having gone through 2013 which

was both exciting and trying, as

the Zimbabwean urban scenery

went through a transition. As

editor in chief of an ‘urban’

magazine, I’ve been very excited

about these changes especially

with the music scene and what

could be more thrilling than

having Zimbabwe’s current ‘it-girl’

Ammara Brown, on the cover of

the first issue of our magazine. She

is defining herself as her own

person and is definitely bringing

the heat on with her fiery persona.

She shared with us what makes

her tick and how she’s bringing

her A-game in taking our urban

music to another level.

With the transition there is also a

rise of entrepreneurs due to the

current socio-economic situation,

and in this first issue we are giving

guidelines on entrepreneurship

including a one-on-one with a

young businessman, CEO of

Emerging Ideas and C Media,

Tommy Deuschle. We get into

the groove with lots of

interviews with musicians in

their respective areas of musical

expertise from acoustic artists to

music producers to club djs, as

they put that groove in your

dancing shoes.

We also look at this season’s

fashions, which is light, bright

and bold!; the latest trends in

gadgets, cars and all things that

influence urban culture. And we

get real with some men who talk

about striking a balance between

their hectic careers and their

responsibilities....as fathers. And

don’t forget to take a look at our

urban dictionary to get with the

lingo.

We hope that you have as much

fun being part of this new

experience as we had in

becoming part of it. We are

looking forward to more exciting

issues of the new sound of the

nation and taking this journey

with you is the extension of the

beat.

Groove Magazine…..the

beat of the Nation!

Elspeth Chimedza

Editor in Chief

GROOVE TEAM

Editor in Chief

Elspeth Chimedza

Desk-top Publisher

Jeffrey Chimedza

Administration

Cybercard (Pvt) Ltd.

Postal address:

Suite 9 Matherhurst

building

Corner 2nd street &

Baines avenue

Harare

Mobile:

+263 772 355 188

+263 733 817 786

Email:

groovezim@gmail.com

Marketing &

information:

sales@cyberbiz.org

3

ADVERTISE HERE

4

You are what you hear…

…taking radio into the future!

URBAN DICTIONARY

By Bryana Chifunyise

The urban dictionary is

the dictionary that

contains all the,

according to English

teachers, “colloquial”

language which we

youngsters call “slang”.

Used daily in our

different spheres of

society especially in

socialisation on social

media platforms, texts

and even in

conversations.

Constantly evolving

from generation to

generation and now web

based, we at Groove

magazine want to bridge

a few gaps so that no one

is lost in translation.

NB: Please use appropriate

language and registers when

one is in formal surroundings

e.g. school, office, etc. and when

around elders and respectable

members of society.

Word Gwan

Meaning Story

Word Burg

Meaning The central

business district, town

Example “Are you jumping

into burg today?”

Word Rack

Meaning Car

Example “Have you seen the

latest Range Rover rack? It’s

sick man!”

URBAN DICTIONARY

Defining urban lingo

TEXT

Lol laugh out loud

L2M listening to music

TTYL talk to you later

5

Example: “So dude, what’s

the gwan with that daej? She

seems a bit uptight.”

“There’s no gwans, dude.

She’s just lliched.”

Word Twapa

Meaning What’s up?

Example: Lee: “Twapa?”

Nick: ”Thuning man!

Twapa?”

Word Zaps

Meaning Electricity

Example “It’s dark here. The

zaps just went out”

IN THE GROOVE…..

What we’ve been

talking about….

Groove Magazine

Zimbabwe

Turn up the music and bring on

the groove. It’s new. It’s edgy.

Celebrating you, and celebrating

all things young and Zimbabwean.

Groove magazine is the definition

of urban music and culture. It is

more than a magazine, it is a

lifestyle. Groove magazine….the

beat of the nation!

The Rise of Zimbabwean

hip-hop

And everybody assumed that

Zimbabwe could not bring

anything to the game. Hip-hop has

always been in Zimbabwe with

notably Shingi ‘Mau Mau’ Sabeta,

Metarphysics as some of the

pioneering MCs. But there is new

blood, or as said in urban lingo,

‘new cats’ in the business and they

are taking Zim hip-hop to new

levels. Tehn Diamond, Junior

Brown, female MCs DJ Naida,

Trae Yung, SA based Kapital K and

others, are bringing on the Zim

vibe and even better,

they flow in their mother-tongue.

Watch out world, Zim hip-hop

has turned its swag on…

The Rise of

Zimbabwean Comedy

Zimbabweans have always been a

comic lot with endless jokes

about almost everything.

(although at times, a conservative

lot). Then, almost three years ago,

a group of individuals took upon

themselves to be the humour in

social commentating and so far

they are doing well. With the

funniest comedians in Zimbabwe

including Cde Fatso, Carl Joshua

Ncube, Clive Chigubu, Doc

Vikela, Q the Boss, Michael K,

Ntando Van Moyo and Simba the

Comic King, amongst many

others; Zimbabwean comedy is

becoming the “business”. These

guys are definitely contenders

and we cannot wait until they get

their stage on the world comedy

platform. Hmm, wonder which

comedian will be featured on the

Jay Leno show? We’ll just have to

wait and see.....and make sure

that the jokes not on us!

2013 BET Awards

6

Live from Los Angeles Nokia

theatre and hosted by comedian,

Chris Tucker, 2013’s BET Music

awards had a spectacular line-up

of performances including the

“electrifying” Janelle Monae, the

king of the south rapper T.I.

proving his reign, there were no

“blurred lines” with Robin

Thicke and not forgetting JT

giving fans a 20/20 experience.

Other performances were from

Snoop Lion, Mariah Carey, the

collabo and debut of “I’m out” by

Ciara and Nicki Minaj, Miguel,

Kendrick Lamar, Chris Brown,

Erykah Badu, Stevie Wonder and

Kirk Franklin bringing in some

gospel into the building, amongst

other performers. Winners

included for Best R&B artist

female: Rihanna; Best Group:

Macklemore & Lewis; in the best

hip-hop category was won by

Kendrick Lamar, who also took

away the award for best new

artist. In the female category was

the undisputed Nicki Minaj. The

Best International Act: Africa

was won by Nigeria’s Ice Prince

and for the UK was soulful Emeli

Sande.

MTV Video Music

Awards 2013

2013’s VMAs were not so

exciting, not to mention the

distasteful performance by

former Hannah Montana star,

Miley Cyrus, (although her

“twerk” caused quite a buzz on

social media). The fashion was

also disappointing with most of

the artists making it onto the

“worst dressed” category. Must

admit though, it was intriguing

to see Lady Gaga, as bizarre as

ever, after a prolonged time off

the music circuit. Justin

Timberlake proved why he was

deserving of the Vanguard award

with an outstanding performance

of his hits from the last decade

and drawing fans back to his boy

band days with his reunion

performance with N’Sync band

mates. Bruno Mars gave an

exceptional performance with his

song, “Gorilla” and closing off the

show was Katy Perry with the

debut of her song, “Roar”.

world. 2013’s line-up was exciting

with South African comedians, Big

brother: Hot Room hostess, Tumi

Morake and Kagiso Lediga who hit

the comedy night alongside our very

own Carl Joshua Ncube, Clive

Chigubhu and Simba the Comic. At

the “Breaking Barriers Poetry Slam”

featuring, was Ian Kamau (Canada),

Ewok (S.A.), Afurakan (S.A) with

Madzitatiguru as the slam master.

Other acts included Djs Rax and

Amp, Raydizz, Mzungu Kichaa

(Tanzania), Hope Masike and the

Monkey Nuts, Symbiz Sound

(Germany), Dhadza D, Synik and

SAMA award winning rapper, Khuli

Chana.

Summer Summer is hot and we are not talking about the heat! Summer is a definite favourite for most as people get to enjoy the out doors more with pool parties, braais and of course the great summer music! A time to dress down as less is more, while kicking back and looking forward to nothing but a fun-filled and fantastic season ever….SUMMER!

Channel O African Music

Video Awards 2013 If ever there is an awards show that we love to watch, it has to be Africa’s most prestigious, ‘urban’ music’s awards; the Channel O African Music Video Awards, where not only the best videos are awarded, but the whole continent is united on one stage, on one channel, in song and dance. With hip-hop giants, Nigerian, Naeto C and South Africa’s AKA as the hosts

7

Shoko Festival 2013

“We are the people” was the year’s

theme to Shoko Festival, which is

a space for poets, comedians,

rappers, musicians, djs and

activists to share creativity and

ways to develop the arts within

Zimbabwe and the rest of the

and a captivating line-up of performers, the 2013 Channel O AMVAs were one of the most exciting nights on the continent in one of the best years of music!

The Rise of Zim

Dancehall Whether they are singing controversial lyrics, or for some, a catchy hook, the Zimbabwean dancehall artists have caught everybody’s attention and have made a huge contribution in the appreciation of local music. In 2013 in particular, Zim dancehall has set ablaze a number of stages from the ghettos to the upper-class elite clubs. Some of the top acts have been Winky D, Shinsoman, Dhadza D, Soulja Love, Sniper, Guspy Warrior and Killer T; who have topped charts and have been crowd pullers, and we admit that we too, have gotten ‘into the groove’ with Zim dancehall…

2013 Zim Hip Hop

Awards In Zim urban music, these awards are the most prestigious awards to be part of, whether one is a nominee or part of the audience. So what did the 2013 Zim Hip Hop Awards have to offer? A few hiccups here and there however, a night filled with a lot of talented artists and great music which promises to go bigger in 2014; and we will be there to enjoy the music!

MUSIC

COVER STORY: Girl on

fire…..Ammara Brown

She’s hot, and we mean

personality and professionally.

She’s grown up in the eyes of the

media and public as the daughter

of a legend, the late, Andy Brown

and has been mentored by other

great artists. Not a bad start for

this talented young lady. But we

at Groove magazine are honoured

to present to you all, Zimbabwe’s

new It-girl. Beautiful, fiery and

definitely with a great music

career ahead of her, Ammara has

proved why she is our cover story

and with this exclusive, she tells

us why.

GM.: Current ‘It-girl’, daughter

of a legend, Ammara Brown.

Without the titles, who is

Ammara Brown?

Ammara: Ammara is an evolving

young woman and proud mother

with big dreams. (Smiles)I LOVE

MUSIC and the Almighty has

blessed me with talent and a

driven attitude in order to pursue

it as a career.

GM.: You are making waves

on the music scene as your

own person; please share

with us your journey so far?

Ammara: My journey has been

incredibly long; I’m

considering writing a book.

The truth is everything in my

life has led me directly here

“Ammara is an

evolving young

woman and proud

mother with big

dreams….The truth is

everything in my life

has led me directly

here….”

8

. I was blessed with seemingly

minor opportunities which later

proved to be my school of music

life. For instance choir gave me

sharper ears towards harmonising,

which is crucial for vocalists’

musicality. School musicals

trained me for my first paying job.

In fact it was an acting job for a TV

advertisement (age 9). Being in the

‘Storm’ gave me a head start on live

band and performance technique

and also studio experience. I

started that at age 14. I also began

my music degree at the age of 18.

GM.: What has been the

highlight of your career so far?

Ammara: I think having a ‘sold

out’ concert at HIFA in 2013. The

Ammartians, (my fan base), were

very supportive. Thousands were

roaring at me as I started singing. I

got to debut my new single

“Mafaro” and perform the newly

recorded “More Sugar Daddy”.

Great responses all round. Mi Casa

were all such cool guys to work

with. We actually realised that we

worked in the same studio in

Joburg and happened to miss each

other by chance in earlier years. It’s

a small world after all. On top of

that, J Something and I made a

great vocal duo. Awesome stage

moments galore!

GM.: What do you think about

the music industry in

Zimbabwe? What could be done

improve it?

Ammara: The Zimbabwean music

industry is complex. Going on tour

in other countries has certified

that we have more of an industry

in terms of general club venues

and corporate work. However, on

an international scale, if I start to

consider things like

nurturing/development facilities

(for talent), recording,

distribution, publishing,

marketing, production and

management companies, general

endorsements….I could also write a

book on the things I mean, to help

change in the Zimbabwean music

industry.

GM.: What are the challenges

faced by young, female

musicians?

Ammara: I think I have the same

challenges every other artist, but

in addition, I find, being female

and beautiful is almost a curse as

much as it is a blessing. General

industry practice can be so

warped. I on the other hand, have

assembled a team of people who

sift through or intimidate the false

clientele and I am only informed

about and consulted on genuine

business. *One of the joys of

having management*. I also have

an extensive knowledge of music

business, so I’m always either in

the know, learning more, or

creating more. My advice to female

artists is; be the iron fist, but

appear to be the velvet glove.

(Wink)

GM.: You have quite a large fan

base as evidenced by your

social media platforms. You

must have a great marketing

and promotional team.

Ammara: Social media is

“simple” marketing. All of them

have different purposes. I just

follow the general structure and

apply it to my life which

ultimately public in terms of my

profession. On any given day it’s

enough to make people talk or

think about me. That’s the first

step. Secondly, media. I’ve just

learned who is good for what,

hence some are more welcome

than others because they are in

line with what I’m trying to

achieve. I can’t tell you what else

I do to build my brand but I can

tell you this, you can make a lot

of noise about yourself, but when

you get on that stage, it’s you and

the microphone. That’s my

product. I strive to always

deliver.

9

GM.: You have been performing a lot of your father’s work and introducing your own songs. When can we expect an album? Ammara: I gave a date earlier this year, but artists go through creative cycles, and I feel like creating more, lately. So it was supposed to be on my birthday, but now I see it more towards 2014. After all, I only get one chance to have a debut album.

GM.: Other than music, you are

quite the fashionista. Who are

your favourite designers and

style icons? Can we expect a

fashion label from you in the

near future?

Ammara: I tend to find I’m

consistently intrigued by

Ghanaian designers. Zambian

fabrics usually ring my alarms,

and Zimbabwean designers are

tickling me pink. Countess K is

definitely someone I love

working with because she’s

learned my style and gives me the

room to design. I just recently

worked with Rejoice Zuva and

loved it. I imagine I will have a

line in the future, but I will have

a number of lines for different

purposes. Social and commercial.

10

GM.: Who inspires you? What is your favourite music? Ammara: I don’t have a favourite per se. But I do have the ‘yummies’ from my parents’ music, Andy and Chi, (THEY NEVER LEAVE THE PLAYLIST), Janelle Monae, Asa and Angelique Kidjo. I go through moods. The artists I listen to tend to change, for artistic purposes.

GM.: You have been blessed and

honoured to work with some

great and talented artistes. Who

would you like to work with

locally, regionally and

internationally?

Ammara: At this rate, I’m going to

have an album specifically for

collaborations. Lol! A few weeks

back I got Tehn Diamond on my

follow up single “More Sugar

Daddy”. I just got out of the studio

for collaboration with Botswana’s

Zeus. I’m about to get into the

studio with a Zambian artist. It’s

meant to be a sweet surprise, so

that’s all I can say. Further north I

would like to work with Nekka.

She captured me the first time I

heard her sing which is a lot. Kat

Deluna and I would be amazing on

stage together. She’s definitely as

fierce as I am.

“The Zimbabwean music industry is complex...I think I have the same challenges every other artist...General industry practice can be so warped...”

. I usually like strong colours. Not

much of a ‘pastel gal’. Lol!

2. In another life, I would like to

be…

Ammara: Probably a lawyer. Most

people lose arguments with me. Ha-

ha!

3. My fondest memory of my

childhood is…

Ammara: My mum coming from

Jozi, and doing my hair with tones

of twists and bobbles. She used to

live in SA, so when she came, there

was a suitcase of sweets. Lol!

Eating my mother’s chicken curry;

priceless meal.

Learning to fold a napkin for my

brother Alex #oldschool

#NoDiapers. I realized I loved

taking care of babies. (So I spoilt

them all).

My dad chasing a frog out of

our lodge with a hanger, in

Victoria Falls. Lol!

Singing to my little sister,

Keliah a day after she was

born. I sang, “The

Christmas Song” by Nat

King Cole. We weren’t

sure she was going to live,

(underdeveloped lungs),

but she did.

Chi and my dad giving me my

first mbira as my 9th

birthday present. I

bugged Chi to teach

me, and my dad said,

“Just teach her, she

won’t stop asking.” She

soon saw it was simply

meant. She taught me a

little, and then wrote

with me. So I

performed my first

song with her and my

dad at Alliance

Francaise.

Shooting my first TV ad with

uncle Tuku. Couldn’t

stop giggling after they

said pause. That’s how

the advert ended with

my laugh.

I know it may all sound like

work to you, but it was all

great fun to me growing up as

I was shy and somewhat

introvert.

11

Though the truth is when two

artists meet they know. So I

would like to get to know the

artist first.

GM.: The future begins now.

Where does Ammara Brown see

herself in her career in years to

come?

Ammara: If you asked me a few

years back, whether or not I

would be where I am today, I

would have said, “Yes and No!”

Because, man plans and God

laughs. He’s thrown me a hell lot

of curve balls these past few years,

so I know he’s prepping me for a

lot more than I’m planning.

Ammara Brown’s 10 in 10

1. Your favourite colour….

Ammara: Turquoise, fuchsia,

black, red…lol! It depends on my

mood

shows. Supporting my peers is

great fun. We’re all “Proudly

Zimbabwean” products! Lol!

8. Favourite food…

Ammara: That’s a tough one you

can probably win me over with

well-done meat, or fresh fruit.

Can’t say no to either! Guilty

pleasure, chocolate anything, milk

tarts, cheese cakes. I struggle to

say no to those.

9. If I were an instrument, I

would be…

Ammara: Ironically enough I play

the instrument I would be. The

nyunga nyunga. You have to

understand when I say this. It

misses the fourth, even though it’s

in the major scale, but according

to its construction; it’s perfect.

Its versatilities are endless. Genre

and emotion wise. It’s full even

with what’s missing. So I would

be the nyunga nyunga because

it’s perfect even in its

imperfection.

10. The best advice that I ever

got…

Ammara: A week before my

mother passed, she was in

hospital asking me about my

little sisters. I was explaining

how worried they were and how

I assured them she’d be fine.

“Love them hard”, she said. In

fact she taught me the same thing

after I gave birth. Loving well is

what she meant, and doing it,

makes me so happy. I already

know I wake up in the morning

to do so. It’s the Almighty’s gift

to mankind, and yet it is not even

as certain as death. I love my son,

I love my family, I love my few

true friends, I love my job, I love

my fans and thankfully they all

love me back.

4. If I could change anything

about myself it would be…

Ammara: I’m already changing

what I want to with myself; like

worrying less, eating healthier,

laughing freely and loving

without fear. YOLO!

5. I am not my hair. I would

like to have…..hair

Ammara: To be honest I love the

hair I have. Even my son buried

his face in it the other day and

said,” I love your hair” and he just

turned 2. (Smiles proudly)

6. I am addicted to…

Ammara: I’m addicted to my

work. I love a lot of things like

shoe shopping, art, food and

making love, but nothing outside

of being a mother makes me

obsessive like my work does.

7. When I’m not performing I

am…

Ammara: Dancing with my son

is just bliss! We love each other

more than anyone else, so he

values my presence most, and I

his. If you swing by, I’m also

probably cooking. Last night I

made chicken and spinach

lasagne. Yoga makes me feel like

there is peace on earth. I like to

hang with my besties. We’re

either out for dinner or in a series

marathon, or all-nighter chat

catch up. I hardly get time to

hang so when I do, I go in hard. I

love to watch other artists’

“I’m addicted to

my work.”

“The best advice that

I ever got….. “Love

them hard”…. I love

my son, I love my

family, I love my few

true friends, I love my

job, I love my fans and

thankfully they all

love me back.”

12

GROOVE METER…..WHO’S HOT?

From our beautiful

continent of Africa, we

check out who is

rocking the airwaves,

giving us spectacular

videos and definitely

winning awards for

doing what they love to

do. Here’s who is hot

on our meter.

Name: Tiwatope Savage Balogun Age: 33 Country: Nigeria Record Label: Mavin Records Claim to fame: Her fun single, "Kele kele Love" in 2010 Current hit song: "Eminado" featuring Don Jazzy Why she's hot? Tiwa Savage is HOT! She's got a great voice. A great body. She's beautiful and she can really dance. Tiwa is no stranger to the music industry especially on the international

scene as she started off as a backing vocalist to George Micheal, Mary J Blige, Blu Cantrell, Emma Bunton, Chaka Khan, Kelly Clarkson, Andrea Bocelli and has performed on stage with 50 Cent, The Black Eyed Peas, Eminem and Destiny's Child, to name but a few. Quite impressive! And she co-wrote the track "Collard Greens & Cornbread" on Fantasia Barrino’s Grammy-nominated album Back to Me. She's also written for Babyface, Kat Deluna, Monica and Mýa. She released her debut album, "Once Upon a Time" on 3 July 2013.She has won many Nigerian awards and is a nominee at the 2013 Channel O African Music Video Awards in the Most Gifted Female Video category for her song "Without My Heart". This sister is one talented and hardworking diva.

Members: Theo Kgosinkwe and

Nhlanhla Nciza

Country: South Africa

Record label: Kalawa Jazmee

Claim to fame: “Lotto” from

their 1999 album ‘Gate Crashers’.

Current hit: “Happiness”

featuring May D which is not

only charting on the hottest TV

music stations but is definitely a

party hit and club banger.

Why they’re hot? Mafikizolo

have stood the test of time

moving from the 90s when they

were all kwaito, then getting

into the 21st century with an

Afro-pop sound ,( which is a

fusion of kwaito, mbaqanga,

afro-jazz and kwela, not

forgetting other African sounds),

that has become their trademark

and definitely winning them

several awards including 2013’s

SAMA awards and they won the

2013 Channel O AMVA for the

song “Khona” in the Most Gifted

Dance Video and were nominees

in the most Gifted Video Of The

Year category.

Tiwa Savage

Mafikizolo

13

Nhlanhla Nciza & Theo Kgosinkwe from Mafikizolo

Davido

14

Record label: HKN Music Claim to fame: “Back When” featuring Naeto C in 2011 and then in 2012 the popular hit “Dami Duro” from his debut album. Current hit: The danceable hit, “Skelewu” Why he’s hot? This young man is a talented genius who began his musical career at a very young age by learning production. He has a large fan base that spans across Africa, the United Kingdom and the USA which he cemented in a short space of time of his successful career. His resume is impressive as both an artiste and music producer, as he has worked with both Nigerian and international acts. Amongst the artists he has collaborated with are Naeto C, Lynxx, Ice Prince, Tuface, Olamide, Shank and he has

Name: David Adedeji Adeleke Age: 22 Country: Nigeria

shared the stage with D’banj, Cabo Snoop, T-Pain, Keith Sweat, Fabulous and many others. He has also produced tracks for Naeto C, Skales, Tiwa Savage and Sauce Kid. He is also MTN’s brand ambassador and has several awards under his belt including Nigerian Entertainment awards, the Headies awards, the 2012 Kora Awards for the Best Newcomer, the Ghana awards and the Channel O African Music Video Awards. At the 2013 Channel O AMVAs, he was nominated in the Most Gifted Afro Pop for his chart hit, “Gobe”. When it comes to club bangers and chart toppers, Davido is one of Africa’s best and what’s more extraordinary is his age, and the fact that he can write, sing, produce, as well as dance, and when it comes to music videos, his are exceptional.

REAL TALK

FAME AND

FATHERHOOD

From our TV screens to pulpits to

radio, they entertain us, inform and

reform us. They are famous, and they

are dads. RESPONSIBILITY is a very

important quality in a person’s

character, so as we like to discuss real

life, Groove Magazine met up with

these ever busy, high profile dads, and

we got to find out how they balance

their careers and being dads. We

spoke to actor, Ben Mahaka;

businessman and youth pastor at

Celebration Ministries International,

Tommy Deuschle; and radio

personality at ZiFM Stereo, Tony

Friday.

Tony Friday (Radio

Personality

/Programs manager

at ZiFM Stereo)

Back in the day he made our

Fridays, ‘Friday’ and now he’s

working at one of the nation’s

newest privately owned radio

stations, ZiFM Stereo and still

bringing to you the best of radio. He

also has another job that however,

doesn’t require him to speak

through the microphone, but to

speak to a little girl who calls him

‘daddy’.

GM.: How did you react to the

news that you were going to be a

father for the first time?

Tony: I was scared. I was freaked

out because I was not ready. I was

25, you know I was young.

(Smiles)

GM.: What do you remember

about the day your daughter

was born?

Tony: They, (the hospital), were

supposed to call me, but they

didn’t call, so I went to the

hospital. When I got there and

saw the little bundle it was so

cool. Seeing a little me was

overwhelming.

GM.: What have been the

challenges or difficulties of

being a daddy?

Tony: The challenge is being a

good role model. Trying to make

sure that I’m a good role model so

that my child can learn from me

because whether negative or

positive, a kid will be a reflect you.

People can tell the person you are

through your child, (referring to

GM); I can tell who you are just by

talking to your child. Adults

always seem to have it together

and that is challenging. But kids

are innocent; they are little

individuals with minds of their

own.

GM.: How has the journey of

fatherhood been so far-what

have been the high and low

points?

“I’m a good role model so that my child can learn

from me…..”

15

Tony: The low points are when

a child is sick. As a parent you

also feel your child’s pain and

wish you could take it away.

The high points are disciplining

your child. My child needs to be

taught, if you do what daddy

doesn’t like, there will be

consequences; otherwise she’s a

good child. Another high point

is spending time with your

child and seeing the good

values being passed on. It’s fun

to watch them play and grow.

GM.: How do you balance

your career and fatherhood?

Tony: It is hard to balance. I

have got a busy job at the

station. I work from 7 a.m. up

till 7 p.m. I’m also a single dad

you know, so that’s challenging

too. My daughter waits for me

to come home and do

homework with her but I make

time. But I see a lot of God in

kids. They are so innocent. My

daughter enjoys giving,

whenever I get her something,

she wants the same for her

friends. It is very encouraging. I

learn a lot from my child. You

know kids have simple

perceptions; they are so loving

and so forgiving unlike adults.

Life is simple for them.

GM.: What impact has your

‘famous’ status had on your

child/children?

Tony: She isn’t affected much.

She doesn’t understand fame.

She just knows that daddy

works for a radio station and

that he’s on radio.

GM.: How do you rate yourself

as a dad? (On a scale of 1 to 10).

Tony: 8/10.I still need to learn

consistency in discipline and

keeping promises. Because of

work at times I’m not able to

fulfil promises that I would have

made like if I say that we are

going somewhere and I’m unable

to take her. But I’m working on

it; it’s a matter of time.

GM.: What wishes and hopes

do you have for your children?

Tony: I hope that my daughter

finds purpose, that she can be

someone purposeful in the

community. I hope that she

meets Christ, that she

understands God. And that she

gets married to the right guy, one

who knows God. A guy like me,

I’m a nice guy.

GM.: What advice would you

give other dads out there?

Tony: I would advise fathers to

fill their children’s minds with

beautiful things, because if they

don’t, someone else will, and it

might be negative. I tell my

daughter every morning that she

is a beautiful, child of God and

that she can do anything. Fathers

must also take time with their

children.

Ben Mahaka

(Actor/Director of

Mahaka Media)

We have seen him act in

different productions including

famous local soap opera, Studio

263 and movie ‘Tanyaradzwa’,

amongst other productions. Not

only is acting his passion, but

making great productions and

that is why he is the director of a

media production company, but

he is also a father and to him that

cannot be scripted.

GM.: How did you react to the

news that you were going to be a

father for the first time?

Ben: Well, I was not married so it

was a bit frightening (laughs), when

the news first came out. But then

when my first born was born, I was

there in the delivery room and I was

pushing just as hard as the mum;

and I almost fainted. (Laughs again)

GM.: What do you remember

about the day your child was

born? Son or daughter?

Ben: Son. Yeah. It was, you know, it

is like one of those movie scenes

where everybody is running around

and it was sort of in the middle of

the night going to Belvedere

Maternity Clinic. And my mum was

there, her mum was there, I was

there and she was panicking. So, it

was a lot of activity and a lot of

waiting. (Laughs) It was stressful

but fulfilling in the end.

GM.: What have been the

challenges or difficulties of being

a dad?

Ben: Phew, I think my challenges

are a bit more than others, you

know I have children by different

mothers and I think when it’s like

that, it’s difficult to be present, to be

equal you know what I mean, so

that’s the difficult part.

16

GM.: How has the journey of fatherhood

been so far-what have been the high and

low points?

Ben: There are lots of highs and very few lows. I think the high is seeing, when your children’s characters develop and you can sort of identify that this one is going to be an entrepreneur, because they just go out there and you know what I mean; and so you can sort of gently guide them towards that direction. I think that part of the biggest highs is when you have your first proper conversation with your kids. When they start asking their first ‘why’ questions, because usually it’s, “what is this?” Or “what is that?” When a kid reaches the “why is this happening?” Or “why is that happening?”, then it’s like a proper human being. The lows for me have to do with my daughter. I’ve got to be honest I have a daughter called Michaela. She is eight years old now, and for a long time I just wasn’t there for her. I saw her sporadically as she was growing up but it just wasn’t right. You know when you start

to engage a child; I met her when

she was six years old; and you see

that you’re not being there

affected them. That was a low for

me because I could not go back

and readdress it but I had to say

move. Another high is that I grew

up loving dance and one of my

boys, Tamuda, loves dancing. He

loves breakdancing and what

not. He does ballroom and what

not and he loves drama. I see a lot

of myself in my son. He loves to

dance like me, so when a kid gets

colours and loves things you

enjoy, and you say that’s me right

there. (Laughs) Sounds

narcissistic hey? But it’s good to

see yourself in your children.

(Laughs again)

GM.: How do you balance your

career and fatherhood?

Ben: Very precariously (laughs).I’m self-employed as you

can see, so it is one of those things where you have to put

in the work. I don’t walk in, give instructions and walk

out. My work is hands on and I’m usually busy. I go

through periods when I’m so busy that I don’t have just

time to phone the boys to say “what sup!”. The way that

I’ve worked it out, is to find small things that we can do,

that we can all enjoy. There are times I say that we are

going to the movies, so we get 3D glasses and do that. I

have to make time to hang out with the boys. I have two

girls, one is eight years old, and the other is three years

old. They both know what they want so it’s easy. With

the three year-old, that’s Jazzy, Jasmine, we are like

buddies, really, she knew the word “daddy” before she

knew “mummy”. We built up this relationship that

worked for both of us. At that time my business didn’t

warrant me to have an office, so I could work from home.

She grew up in my arms the first three years of her life.

The long-short of it, it’s a tough balancing act, I think

that fathers have to realise that we can provide all the

material things but if we are not there spending time

with kids it doesn’t work.

I remember growing up, and the one

thing I wanted from my father more

than anything else, was to sit down

and talk to him and we didn’t have

that sort of relationship; so if

anything can balance it should lean

more towards spending time with the

children than spending time at work.

A lot of time at work can be due to

inefficiency.

GM.: What impact has your famous

status had on your children?

Ben: Well I think being famous, or being in the entertainment industry, your children meet other celebrities. You will get you know Munya coming over and the kids are like, “yeah!” Or someone like Tuku comes over, and they have no clue. (Laughs) So they get to meet some interesting people face to face. They find it weird, when

“If we are not there spending time with kids

it doesn’t work, be there for them…..”

17

I meet somebody and they say,

“Hey Tom what, what…” they are

bemused by the whole thing. Even

my daughter in South Africa, when

we go to a restaurant and you

know that South Africa is full of

Zimbabweans; they say, “Hello

Tom!”, that kind of thing, they find

it amusing but unfortunately it

hasn’t led them to really taking

acting seriously. (Laughs)

Hopefully that will change with

time.

GM.: So I see that you would

want your children to take up

acting?

Ben: Yes I would. I think that it’s a

good profession that requires

dedication, high levels of creativity;

it’s not easy to be someone else. So

I would like Tamuda to be an actor

because he’s the one that enjoys

that sort of thing. He loves the

drama.

GM.: How do you rate yourself

as a dad?

Ben: Phew! On a scale of 1 to 10, I

would put myself at 6 because I’m

still a work in progress. I would

like to spend my time with all of

my children. Yeah, that’s the key

thing to be there for them.

GM.: What wishes/hopes do you

have for your children?

Ben: You know I hope that they achieve their full potential and that as parents we help them achieve their full potential. I want them to find true love because that’s important. And I want them to be…, I want their lives to be meaningful to society.

They shouldn’t just pass through

like a breeze; they should be able

to leave something. They should

leave a legacy; you know Jasmine

Mahaka when she is ninety, young

people should still find her

relevant.

GM.: What advice would you

give to other dads out there?

Ben: I would say make time for

your children. If we are not there

spending time with kids it doesn’t

work, be there for them. That’s

very important.

Tommy Deuschle

(CEO Emerging Ideas&

C Media and Youth

Pastor at Celebration

Ministries

International)

He comes from one of the most

influential families in ministry in

Zimbabwe. With a father who is a

great teacher of kingdom dynamics;

a mother who sings and leads one

of Africa’s best choirs and of

course, a young pastor himself, it’s

easy to see that the apple did not

fall far from the tree as the ministry

is moving onto the next generation.

GM.: How did you react to the

news that you were going to be a

father for the first time?

Tommy: For the first time. I don’t think that I felt ready of course. know when you are just a husband and

wife, you could be a little bit more

careless, do a little bit more travelling, the

house could be falling apart and you’re

okay. But when you know that you are

bringing in another life into the world,

you want to make sure that the life that

you are bringing them into is a secure one.

So it got me thinking responsibly.

GM.: What do you remember about the

day your son was born?

Tommy: The day he was born, I remember

my respect levels for my wife were times

by a 100 because of what she had to go

through, I was in the delivery room. And I

remember that first initial bond between

mother and son; when Levi Kingston, our

first born, was put into Rachel’s arms for

the first time, still covered in blood, and

just the look on my wife’s face, I was like,

wow! This is our gift from God.

GM.: And by the way, congratulations,

you are a daddy for a second time. And

a baby girl? What have been the

challenges or difficulties of being a dad?

Tommy: A girl this time. Thank you. The difficulties of being a dad? I don’t know if it’s difficult as much as it is, I wouldn’t call it difficult.

18

I would call it demanding more than

difficult because it is demanding but

you enjoy the demands. You know that

your son and now my daughter need

father time and the biggest demand is

making sure that you give them time

and not burying yourself in work or

ministry to the detriment of personal

time with dad. So that’s the challenge I

guess, because I love what I do.

GM.: How has the journey of

fatherhood been so far-what have

been the high and low points?

Tommy: The low points at the

beginning-lack of sleep. People used to

tell me all the time; enjoy your sleep

before your kids come. I didn’t know

what they meant but now I do.

(Laughs) The high points really are

looking around in the lounge in the

evening and seeing the two youngsters;

one is sucking on a dummy and the

other playing with a pet lion or his

stuffed lion and just knowing that this

is what God has entrusted you with.

And the smiles on their faces, and the

way they say dad, it’s priceless.

GM.: How do you balance your

career and fatherhood?

Tommy: An interesting question, the

way I see it, my career is blended in

with my family. And I see it as more of

a legacy than just my career. It’s for my

family. What we build I see as we are

doing it together and we play it in

roles. My wife is there and she’s taking

care of a lot of things at home, my son

makes sure that I at least laugh once a

day and I’m out there being part of a

vision and building something that we

can all be a part of.

So I see it as one in the same. But the

balance is there. You need to balance

because sometimes when you have a

vision you can become so focused on it

that your family takes the back seat.

But the way that we have accomplished

that is clear communication between

me and my wife and I guess, now my

family. Everything is clear. If there is a

deadline or time to be home, we take

holidays together. We make sure that

we schedule family time, which is

important.

GM.: What impact has your ‘famous’

status had on your child/children?

Tommy: Again, I wouldn’t call myself

famous, for the record. (Laughs) but,

(thinking), good question. I don’t think

that they understand who they are in

the church, who their dad is

necessarily, or who their grandfather is.

I don’t think that they understand. But

one thing they do know is confidence.

They are not shy at all. My youngsters

are completely bold and very social.

They are around people all the time.

“What we build I see as

we are doing it together

and we play it in roles

…..We make sure that

we schedule family time,

which is important.”

GM.: How do you rate yourself as a

dad? (On a scale of 1 to 10).

Tommy: On a scale of 1 to 10, I would

say 7+ and work in progress. There are

always things you could do better.

GM.: What wishes and hopes

do you have for your children?

Tommy: My hope is that they

understand who they are in

Christ. .Actually that’s why we

named them what we named

them. Levi means “united”,” joint

together”, “so united in God’s

kingdom”, that’s my son’s first

name, and the second a name

Kingston means “kingdom”. And

my daughter, Madison Leal,

Madison means “sincerity”, and

her middle name is Leal, which

means, “belonging to God”. So

we named them specifically so

that we are constantly telling

them who they are in God. And

so that our desire is that they

completely walk in the word of

God and hear his voice on a daily

basis.

GM.: What advice would you give other dads out there? Tommy: I think you know, a father, a dad, and a man in general wants to have an impact on his kids, wants to be able to make a difference. I think often people overlook their kids because the biggest way you can change the world, is by having a good impact on your kids. One of the strongest institutions in the world is the family and as a dad, it’s the ultimate privilege to raise-up young rock stars and young people. People who aren’t dads don’t have that opportunity. I think that’s a huge focal point. And people who are dads, the huge focus should be on taking fatherhood seriously. It’s a privilege to be a father!

19

UNDER THE GROOVE…..

Hailing from Cape Town,

South Africa, is a young man

who seems to have a good

head over his shoulders and

definitely knows how to

express himself….lyrically.

Born Keith Itai Guzah but he

goes by the name Kapital K in

the music circles, and we have

been getting a feel of his

music for a while, making

noise on both the South

African and Zimbabwean

hip-hop scene. He is

definitely going somewhere,

and K for us, stands for ‘Klass

act’.

Kapital K

GM.: Your music has

managed to get airplay on our

local radio stations. Tell us a

little bit about yourself. Who

is Kapital K?

Kapital K: I am a passionate,

humble yet highly confident

kid, straight out of H-town, in a

unique and different sound as

well as a story through which I

use my music to share to my

fans, family and friends. I’m

very outgoing and generally

cool to kick with.

GM.: How did you get into the music

business?

Kapital K: I got into music as early as

12 years. I wrote my first verse at 9

under the influences of the likes of

2Pac, Coolio, Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and

my Dad. Lol! When I moved to

Zimbabwe from North Carolina, USA,

my dad made it possible for me to enter

a professional recording studio for the

first time with the late, great, Fortune

Muparutsa. From then I’ve been

engaged in the music/entertainment

industry pretty much every aspect.

GM.: How has the journey

been so far?

Kapital K: The journey’s been

long and hard, but Team

K4K’s perseverance, passion

and persistence is what keeps

us going. With a vision and

hard work, everything plays to

be smoother and we’re moving

steady. We’re space at the

moment.

GM.: How is the music

industry in South Africa

different from Zimbabwe?

Kapital K: South African

music has the support of the

locals, something Zimbabwe

doesn’t fully have yet, but

improvements are being made

back home and things are

starting to pick up. That’s

about the only

difference?!Wait! Also the fact

that people in SA use the

internet more and don’t keep

their music locked up in their

laptops or garages. Yea! People

in SA tend to be way more

professional and it’s a level the

Zimbabwean music industry

is yet to accomplish. As

Zimbabweans we need to

understand our value as

artists and brands and treat

like a bar of gold.

20

GM.: You are a hip-hop artist.

Do you do any other music

genre?

Kapital K: Yes! I also deliver well

when it comes to afro-pop, pop

and a bit of R&B. Smoothish you

know (smiles).Hello ladies!

GM.: Do you write your own

music and what inspires you?

Kapital K: Yes I write

everything. Nothing has ever

been for me, ever! I’m inspired by

almost everything, specifically

my daily experiences whether its

school, partying, relationships,

struggles etc. I turn situations

into music which makes it easier

for people to comprehend and

enjoy seeing as though music is

the best universal language apart

from you know..... Lol!

GM.: What do you think about

the hip-hop movement in

Zimbabwe?

Kapital K: The movement is on

the rise and I am very proud of

the guys who are uplifting the

flag. I have no favourites but I

DO respect what Showtime

Africa is doing. Those are my

brothers for life. Jnr Brown is

doing an amazing job. Tehn

Diamond is my brother and has

always contributed greatly to the

movement. FTR is pushing well.

I don’t see anyone else. But on a

broader note, we gotta give it up

to the DJs that rotate our music.

The likes of Dizz, Roxx and all

my brothers and sisters at ZiFM

and Star FM.

GM.: In the next 5 years,

where does Kapital K see

himself?

Kapital K: I see myself in a very

influential position in the music

industry in general and I see

myself giving hope to my fellow

Zimbabwean artists. I want to

pave the way for them and be

able to build my brand further

locally and internationally.

GM.: Last words…..

Kapital K: Capital Invested in

Kapital is more capital.

#TeamK4K #KapCity

Without them it’s very difficult

to be heard. Lastly, the

bloggers. People are beginning

to take blogging more seriously

and this adds value to the

movement. Zim is currently

having.

GM.: Do you have any

favourites? Anyone you would

like to collaborate with

locally and internationally?

Kapital K: Locally there are a

few. I’d spoil it if I told you who

the names were, but it’s

something the people have

wanted (smiles).Internationally

I can name a million. Fabolous,

La Fouine, Mary J Blige, J Cole,

B.O.B and Macklemore hehe.

The list is endless.

“As Zimbabweans we need

to understand our value as

artists and brands and treat

like a bar of gold.”

21

The Strum

David Hondoyendzomba The story of acoustic players is

often that of humble beginnings.

Thanks to the likes of legendary

Oliver Mtukudzi the acoustic

guitar has become an instrument

to be celebrated and the genres

brought about by this beautiful

instrument are changing the

sounds of Zimbabwean music.

One young artist who has taken

inspiration is David

Hondoyendzomba who would

like to be known as “Mr Bindura”

a title taken from his hometown,

Bindura.

Born David Ruzivo

Hondoyendzomba on the 7th of

March 1980, David credits his

musical skills to his family

background. His father was a

teacher and also played the acoustic

guitar, whilst his mother was part of

the church choir at the Salvation

Army. David is also quite the sporty

one as he loves basketball which he

used to play way back in high

school before he put his full time

concentration on his music. He is

also an athlete and is a master in

karate. Like the saying goes,” A way

to a man’s heart is through his

stomach”, and David is no

exception, not only does he love

GM.: Please tell us about your

debut album, ’Uncle Sam’

which is also the title track.

David: “Uncle Sam” is actually

the story of my life. The song is

about a young man who moves

to the city to seek opportunity

and he is being told to go back

home to “Uncle Sam”, who

happens to be his uncle,

’musarapavana’. I have my uncle at

home whom I regard as my

father, as my own father is now

late.

GM.: How did you start

playing the guitar and are there

other instruments that you

play?

David: I don’t know, I love rock because rock music is about guitars. I had a friend, an old friend of mine, Masimba Kangai. We used to listen to rock music. He introduced me to Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams so you know, that’s

cheese, he also cooks. A man

of many of many talents we

must say.

With his debut album “Uncle

Sam” out, David shares with

us the great elements of

playing the guitar.

22

the vision that I had, playing

rock. I used to make my own

guitar shape using k-lite. I

didn’t have the tin can like

Oliver Mtukudzi did. So my

dad played for, actually he was

friends with John Crystal, so

the first album, “Tafara Band”,

which featured the song,

“Handina Mari”, I got hold of it. I

listened to that album; I was

the first one to get it out of the

plastic. So I went to the garage

and started playing the guitar.

We had a band in the garage;

we drew drums on the walls of

the garage like Tafara band and

imitate John Crystal. That was

the first show that I attended. I

can play any instrument but I

don’t have the time for that

because I need to focus on

playing my lead guitar and

vocals as well; and also coach

my band.

GM.: How has your journey

been in music?

David: It’s been difficult but

quite interesting though. I have

been motivated. It has been

challenging and in other

circumstances such as the

Chibuku Road to Fame, it made

things quite easy for me and my

band members. It motivated us

to think that we could make it

because coming out as third

best band in the country in the

Chibuku Road to Fame is

inspiring. But it’s been

challenging financially, like

back home, there is nothing to

hold onto, music wise, there is

nowhere where we can play

because Bindura is a small

town, we couldn’t find a guitar

there because it’s not developed

musically, we couldn’t get

rehearsal studios so I decided to

move to Harare. Things here are

quite busy; I got a lot of

attention from promoters and

sponsors and fans too. So I’m in

a position to, I’m not saying

that I’ve made it, but I have a

good platform where I am on

fair ground, if I don’t make it

from here it’s my fault because I

have the opportunity.

GM.: What has been the

response to your music? Is

your music getting airplay on

our local radio stations?

David: People are very

interested in my music. People

love new artists and new music.

People feel that my album

should make it, so they ask me

questions like, “Is your cd on

radio?” and stuff like, “I think

that “Uncle Sam” is a good

album”. Star FM is playing my

music but unfortunately, I have

not taken my album to the

other stations. I’m in the

process of distributing my

album to the radio stations.

GM.: What do you think

about the music industry in

Zimbabwe pertaining to

acoustic music?

David: I think it’s doable, there’s potential but if you don’t do

live performances you won’t

make it because airplay,

doesn’t do much except for

marketing. Cd sales don’t

bring much. I think it has

potential, but it is a bit

unprofessional. The way we

do things is like,”Ana

musiyanwa. Tirikuita so….Iribho!”

There is nothing like

contracts. I think that it has to

do with our fathers, the ones

who pioneered music in

Zimbabwe like the engineer at

Gramma Music, Mbirimi, the

way they did things, it really

branched out to everyone it

was contagious. We didn’t

have many professionals

except for David McCarthy,

Tuku’s managers; I do believe

that individually, you can be

professional, as an artist

though it is risky to put

quality on that because you

lose business in trying to be

professional because some

people will not agree with

contracts.

GM.: What inspires your

music? Do you write your

own songs?

David: I think that a little bit

of something from everyone. I

admire a lot of Oliver

Mutukudzi,”music yake

yakarongeka” (his music is

organised); that’s where I get

a lot of ideas from. Not sound,

but I take his music

arrangement. I use it in my

own music.

23

I don’t want to talk about the

Bon Jovis but it’s a bit of

everyone. Any good song inspires

me; I’m inspired by the song

mainly. Even Simon Chimbetu

inspired me. He was called the

“Master of Song” because he

wouldn’t play a song to the end

but he would cut it and sing the

next song and everybody would

sing along to it. That’s what I

want to be like also.

GM.: Which artistes have you

worked with, and/or would

like to work with?

David: My next move is Oliver

Mutukudzi. There is a single that

I want to work with him. I’ve

worked with a lot of artists

except Macheso. I’ve worked

with Victor Kunonga, Sulu, Jah

Prayzah; I’ve rubbed shoulders

with a lot of artists. Regionally

I’m thinking Zahara because

she’s an acoustic guitar player

that’s where I come from, but I

will step up her groove just a

little bit, and I’m willing to learn

from her. Locally, I would also

want to work with Jah Prayzah.

There’s something I want to do

with him because I’m a composer

too, but there’s a certain type of

music that I don’t want to play

because I don’t want to classified

as a certain artist. So when I

write, I want to collaborate with

other artists because the identity

of the other artist comes out in

that song.

GM.: Where do you see

yourself in the next few years?

David: The next Superstar! I see

myself as being an icon in my

hometown in Bindura. I want

people to start calling me “Mr

Bindura”, (although off the

record, the real “Mr Bindura”

passed away.)

GM.: Last word…

David: I think that the guitar has

no limit. You can never say that

you can play the acoustic guitar

or lead guitar. There’s a lot of

room for improvement. It’s a

hard road really because it’s not

just about playing the guitar

only, if you want to be a

musician. It’s not about the

singing only. It’s about playing

the guitar and it’s about the

singing, it’s about being

organised, good song, PR, the

whole thing about being an

entrepreneur, you need good

brains, you need to be intelligent;

focused. I think it’s about the

total package. The problem is

that some people who play the

acoustic guitar can’t sing and

they want to make it out there as

solo artists, it’s difficult. It’s good

to be professional and say that I

am the lead guitarist but not lead

singer. Sometimes you can get a

band grouped up and say you

sing, and I’ll write the songs.

Yeah, you just need to be

professional and know what you

want.

David Hondoyendzomba &

the Blackways

Discography

Debut album “Uncle Sam”

Major appearances

World wetlands day

Ambassador Hotel

Opening of Parliament

World Environment day

Book Café

Chibuku Road To Fame

Price Waterhouse Coopers

Beer Engine (Jameson Hotel)

Moses Chunga Farewell

Zimbabwe Fertilizer

Company

Mokador Restaurant gig

Lion king Sundays

City Sports bar with

Sulumani Chimbetu

Mazowe Trust Dinner dance

Competitions

2nd place Crossroads National finds

electric bands category 1999

(Bulawayo)

3rd place Chibuku Road to Fame

2003 Provincial finals (Bindura)

2nd place Music Crossroads

Provincial finals Mushandirapamwe

Hotel

2nd place 2007 Chibuku Road to

Fame Provincial finals (Harare)

3rd place 2007 Chibuku Road to

Fame National finals (Glamis

Stadium, Harare)

1st place 2010 Chibuku Music road

to Fame Provincial finals (Harare)

“Uncle Sam” by David

Hondoyedzomba and the Blackways

is out now, so go and get your copy.

Until the next strum…..

24

GROOVE THEORY

It’s just like an elephant stuck in

the middle of a road, on the island

that marks a roundabout. This

very elephant, being the same that

escaped from a game park having

felt suffocated and limited by the

fence, and having grown tired of

being the entertainment of rich

tourists instead of exercising his

full capabilities as a young bull.

Now that he has broken out and is

“free”, he starts off in the jungle

where he moves freely

, crushing every obstacle in his

way. Almost all the animals do

not cross his path, literally, for

fear of being crushed. By the

time this young bull reaches

the highway, he is at his peak.

His tusks are sharp and full

grown; his hide is thick, fresh

and rough. He has full

confidence in himself.

He hesitates to cross the road

as there is too much unfamiliar

traffic, then comes night time,

Deep Confrontation – The young elephant

© Pauline S. Chimedza 2014

The young elephant….

just a bit of traffic.

The young bull feels safe to step on

this seemingly never-ending carpet

of smooth tar. For the first time

ever, he sets foot on smooth

ground. It feels good. He is the

king at this time.

The little traffic that’s there

swerves out of his way at the sight

of him. He finally decides to rest

on this patch of comfortable green

grass in the middle of the carpet.

25

He opens his eyes only to see a

whole lot of machines like the

few he had seen occasionally at

the game park. He never

thought they’d be so many! He

stands up and he realizes he’s

surrounded by them. Some are

speeding past him; some are

going round the little round

patch he is standing on. He

doesn’t know if he should move,

lest he tramples on what could

be his ticket to stardom, but

these same machines seem like

competition, as they trumpet

almost like him and they seem

like they never get tired. Maybe

if he follows them, he will learn

more, at the same time they

might limit him, they might

block him from rising, and

maybe he can do better than

them? Then he is stuck on the

island in the middle of the road,

watching others make decisions

and move on. And he wonders

how they do it, and if he can do

it too. Then he realizes it’s not

all about the trumpet, how loud

it sounds the tempo or the style.

It’s also about decisions,

responsibility, learning your

surroundings and knowing

which way to walk.

Word to the young artist, who

in this case, is the elephant,

humility is hard to maintain for

all of us, especially where there

is talent and also finance, but

there are a lot of bitter pills to

swallow before you get to the

top.

“…..humility is

hard to maintain

for all of us,

especially where

there is talent and

also finance but

there are a lot of

bitter pills to

swallow before

you get to the

top…..Those

people who took

the long route are

not stupid, it takes

time to get to the

top of a building

and with every

level you learn

something new

about where you

are going. You pass

one level to get to

the next.”

It’s important to be humble

before the Lord and others. It’s

better to seek guidance before

we breakaway from our own

game parks and tear down our

fences; so we can find our inner

selves and discover what drives

us. Those people who took the

long route are not stupid, it

takes time to get to the top of a

building and with every level

you learn something new about

where you are going. You pass

one level to get to the next. You

can’t do a Masters without a

degree. The fence is there to

keep you grounded until you

are ready. When the time is

right, the gates will open and

there won’t be need to break

anything. No need to trample

on anything whilst in the

jungle, because as big as you

might be, young elephant, and

as strong as you might be, Mr

Bull; those tiny forces joint

together could be a major cause

of your downfall. Be nice, you

never know where your bread is

buttered. Learn from living

testimonies, the success stories,

and ask the how they did it. But

first, you need to be humble

because without humility, there

is no learning, without learning

there will be no knowledge,

without knowledge there is no

power. And that’s a biscuit to

chew on…

It reminds him of home. On this patch he falls into a peaceful sleep, but this time with a sense of fulfilment. Wait a minute…what’s that loud sound? It sounds like as trumpet but with him sleeping, whose trumpet is it?

26

Star Power

Rihanna

All the way from

Barbados she made

music in the sun,

relating to a girl like

me. But then she

started growing up,

she became a good girl

gone bad to the point

of being rated R. From

the darkness, to her

loud red hair and she

has proved that she

can talk that talk with

the success she has

achieved. And she is

definitely

unapologetic about it.7

albums, in 7 years, and

268 awards under her

belt including 7

AMAs,6 Grammy

awards and having

won ‘The Video Of

The Year’ at the 2012

MTV Video Music

Awards with ‘We

found love’ featuring

Calvin

Harris, this Bajan beauty is

proving her worth as a star.

RiRi Facts

Rihanna is derived from the

Celtic name “Rhiannon”, but

did you know that in Arabic,

Rihanna means sweet basil.

This could explain her

perfume line which she

launched, which includes

Reb’l Fleur which is her

nickname given to her by her

grandmother, Rebelle and

Nude.

• Rihanna was born in St

Micheal, Barbados, but by

origin she is Afro Guyanese,

hailing from the South

American country of Guyana.

She is also part Irish.

• Rihanna is the oldest sibling in

her family with two younger

brothers Rorrey and Rajad

Fenty, and two half-sisters and

a half-brother from her father’s

side.

• She began singing at the age 7,

and in her teens she formed a

girl group with two of her

classmates. Hmm, does that not

sound like Destiny’s Child?

27

RiRi’s hair album by album

A girl like me Music in the sun Good girl gone bad Rated R

Loud Talk that Talk

Unapologetic

RiRi as Beyonce and the other two

Michelle and Kelly.

She and the band then went

on to audition for veteran

music producer, Evan

Rogers. He then took the

then 16 year old, Rihanna to

the United States.

After making a demo, Rogers

took Rihanna to audition for

Jay Z who signed her up

there and there although

initially he did not want to

sign her up.

Off stage, Rihanna is a

reserved girl but once you

know her, she loves to play

pranks on her friends.

In 2012, Rihanna

celebrated 7 years in the

industry and 7 successful

albums. And had a tour.

She told Complex

magazine during her 777

cover shoot that

‘Diamonds’ is her favourite

single since she last

released ‘Umbrella’.

To the Power Ri

Rihanna recently

completed her 5th world

tour, the Diamond world

Tour.

She has also been featured

in movies such as ‘Bring It

On: All or Nothing

(2006),’Battleship’ (2012),

in which she starred as a soldier

and she has upcoming movies for

2013 and 2014.

Rihanna has more #1 hit

songs than anyone else in

this decade. She holds a

record of reaching 20 Top

10 hits on the Billboard

Charts.

In 2012, Rihanna was

named by Time Magazine

as one of the most

influential people in the

world.

• At the 2013 American Music

Awards, she received the Icon

Award.

28

BILLBOARD

CHARTS:RIHANNA’S #1

HITS

SOS (2006) 1 Week

Take A Bow (2008) 3

Weeks

Disturbia (2008) 3 Weeks

Live Your Life (2008) 2

Weeks

Rude Boy (2010) 2 Weeks

Love the Way You Lie

(2010) 2 Weeks

Only Girl (In the World)

(2010) 3 Weeks

S&M (2011) 1 Week

We found love (2011) 8

Weeks

Stay (2013)

RiRi’s Hit

Songs

• Rihanna’s hit song “Umbrella’’

was written by Tarius “The

Dream” Nash. This song

actually set off The Dream’s

song-writing career, making

him the most sought after

song-writers in the business.

• Ester Dean wrote and co-

wrote most of Rihanna’s

songs on her “Loud”, “Talk

that Talk” album. From the

album “Rated R”, Ester wrote

the hit song, Rude Boy”. Other

hit songs include” What’s my

name?”, “S&M”, “Fading”,

“Complicated”, “You da one”,

“Where have you been?”,

“Talk that Talk”, “We all want

love”, “Drunk on love” and “Roc

me out”.

•“Shaffer Chimere Smith,

popularly known as Ne-yo, wrote

“Unfaithful”, “Take a bow”, “I hate

that I love you”, “Russian roulette”

and “Stupid in love”.

• The eerie “Disturbia”, was

written by former boyfriend,

Chris Brown

• “Rehab” was written by Justin

Timberlake and produced by

Timbaland.

Rihanna’s Star

power

She has managed to achieve success

in a short space of time. Be it her

edgy songs, her diverse hairstyles,

or her bad girl persona,

RiRi has proved that she

has the qualities of a long

standing artist and she is

not going anywhere,

anytime soon. Like Janet

Jackson and Madonna, she

has the ability to evolve her

image and music,

something very few artists

can achieve. She’s achieved

success as a reggae, R&B,

pop and techno-dance

artist. Her hairstyles and

hair colour also have made

her quite a trendsetter.

RiRi’s star power is at four

because of her daring

nature when it comes to

her career.

29

QUIZ

Are you celebrity

obsessed?

The world would come to

a stop if there were no

longer any music

channels, or if the

entertainment pages did

not print the latest

scandal on a famous

person. You know

everything about them.

You are constantly

keeping up with them, or

even emulating their

image e.g. half-shaved

head a la RiRi. There is a

thin line between being a

fan and being celebrity

obsessed. Take this test

and see where you stand

on this line.

1. Your favourite celebrity is

walking down the street and

you happen to cross paths with

them. Do you:

A. Notice them and give

them a polite nod

B. Stop and stare until they

completely pass by

A. Nothing. I just put on what

feels comfortable and sensible

B. A number of things. I mostly

dress myself but I might steal a

style from a celebrity’s wardrobe.

C. Fashion magazines, and

whatever celebrities are wearing.

5. Your favourite TV channels

would probably include:

A. Something educational

like Discovery or BBC

Knowledge

B. Infotainment like Series,

some laughs with the

Comedy channel and BBC

Lifestyle

C. All things music and

entertainment like

Channel O, VUZU and E!

C. Scream and jump to the opportunity of

greeting them, and maybe take a pic with

them

2. You buy magazines:

A. Once in a blue moon. The money can be

used on more important things.

B. 2 to 4 times a month. I need to have an

idea of what’s happening in the world.

C. Every single issue that I can get my

hands on. I need to be up to date with

the trends.

3. When going through a newspaper, you

start reading:

A. The headlines and business section

B. Columns. They are so inspiring.

C. Entertainment section.

4. Your style is influenced by:

30

Results

Mostly As. Celeb what? You live in

reality and could care less about

people whose careers depend on

getting attention from the public and

media. You might have one or two

musicians whose music you

appreciate, but you are not fazed by

the latest music video or who’s

dating who? Life’s too short to be

serious, live a little. There is some

good, thought provoking music out

there, and some famous people who

could give you a little inspiration.

Mostly Bs. You are not completely

clueless about entertainment and

celebville. You would not turn down

tickets to a show, and you can do the

Harlem shake when nobody is

watching. You take some inspiration

from celebrities but maintain your

individuality. (You wouldn’t want to

be a clone of Nicki Minaj).You are

definitely a fan.

Mostly Cs. You probably see

yourself married with children to

your favourite celebrity. Your room is

a shrine dedicated to your idol. You

probably also follow every celebrity

blog site and concert in town. You

probably even know when who got

their first tattoo or nose job. In the

midst of gossiping about celebrities,

you will air your opinions based on

how ‘close’ you are to them. In as

much as celebrities are fascinating, it

is important to place your focus more

on your life and the world around

you. You do not entirely need to look

like a famous person to be cool,

because your uniqueness makes you

special.

6. You win a contest to meet

an international performing

artist .Are you excited?

A. I would like to ask

them questions about

their career choice

B. Of course. It’s not every

day that I meet a celebrity

C. Yes. I worship the ground

that they walk on. Will

probably take the water

glass they drink in as a

souvenir.

7. What do you think about

tabloid media?

A. Don’t they have

anything better to do

B. They should have

boundaries

C. They should leave those

celebrities alone

8. You would probably sit

down a good three hours

watching:

A. Parliamentary debate

B. A soccer match

C. The Royal Wedding

9. Your role models are:

A. Family members. They

have always had my

back.

B. People who have used

their celebrity status to

change the world like

Nelson Mandela and

Oprah

C. They are like so many.

How do you choose

between Kesha and Lil

Wayne?

10. On your social media pages,

you mostly post or tweet

about:

A. Nothing much. I rarely

have time.

B. Whatever is on my

mind

C. OMG! Did Kim and

Kanye just name their

baby “North”? What is

happening in the Big

Brother house?

31

OUT

Heavy layers

Heavy perfumes

Bold red lipstick

Dark colours

Exaggerated platforms

32

SUMMER FASHION TRENDS

Summer’s here and we all know what that means….FUN! And of course less is more meaning lighter everything so as to bear the summer heat and this is how we do it for summer 2013/14

Do not throw away your leather jacket or boots

Mixed prints are in, just make sure that you do

it right.

Bold statement jewellery is definitely in

IN Light fabrics, little or no layering Floral or citrus scents Nude shades For both men and women, go bold Pointy toes

FASHION

Fashion Designer

RumbiRumbi Clothing

By Rumbidzai Chirumbwana

RumbiRumbi Clothing is a

brand celebrating the urban,

young professional

Zimbabwean woman. Our

brand prides itself in selecting

unique fabric from around the

world and manufacturing it our

entire product in Zimbabwe.

We are currently working on

our second range of clothing

which hit exclusive stores on

July 31, 2013.

Tag&Bow Boutique, 11

College Road, Alexander

Park

G24 Emporium shop 27, 5

Harrow Road, Doon Estate

Village, Msasa

Email :

rumbirumbi@gmail.com

Facebook :

RumbiRumbi Clothing

Twitter:

@rumbirumbiclothing

33

GROOVE WOMAN

Summer fashion

Fiery red

Red is a very bold colour for those

individuals who love to make a

statement. It is also a mood

elevator which boosts confidence

and makes you feel like you are in

control. Wear with sleek hair,

neutral lips and black or nude

heels.

Tuxedo 2.0

This style is for those ladies who

would love to trade in those

dresses for a masculine but sexy

look. The tuxedos come in various

styles from shorts to ankle length

slacks and short-sleeved jackets.

Wear it with a blouse, a jewel

toned scarf and closed toe pumps.

Sweet and soft

Like the season, light fabrics like

silk and chiffon are in. Wear this

with few or no accessories and

metallic sandals.

Modern Floral

Big, bold floral prints are

representative of the blooming

flowers in season.

Lace dresses

Lace is feminine, it is sexy and

light and definitely a must this

summer. This is suitable for

Sunday lunch, or in darker

shades for evening functions and

dinner. Wear with pearl beads or

bling it up with silver or gold

jewellery, and a pair of heels or

sandals.

Colours

Bold and light is this summer’s

theme. Acid green, gerbera daisy

(pink), aquamarine and wisteria

(purple) are a must this spring

for dresses, blouses, scarfs and

accessories.

Peek-a-boo

If you are the adventurous type

then this look is for you. It

reveals abs and toned thighs

but keeps you fully clothed. It

is suitable for a night out at the

club or dressy parties.

Graphic black and white

Whether it is checks, stripes

or hound tooth, black and

white is back with a bang.

34

Beauty

Lips

As we offload the weighty

clothes, now it is time to lighten

up those lips. Nude is the in

colour for a perfect pout.

Eyes

This season don’t pluck out or

tweeze your eyebrows. If you

have thin eyebrows or you are

not a fan of very bushy brows you

can fill them in by making short

strokes with eyeliner. With your

eye shadow go pastel. Layer on

super pigmented colours to

create an edgy, polychromatic

take on the classic smoky look or

opt for a single line of liquid

pastel.

Skin

Less is more, so invest in more

subtle shades of blush.

Hair

Trendy hairstyles for this

summer

Long and wavy…..

Short and precise…..

Hair by Gerri.com

Hair by Gerri.com

…from the stars

themselves…..

Shoulder length…..

Kerri Washington rocks shoulder length hair with short bangs.

35

Hair factors

Dandruff: Is that flake

giving you a

headache?

There is nothing as annoying as

annoying as an itching head.

Scratching seems to be a great idea

until your clothes have flakes, (and

we don’t mean corn flakes).

Dandruff!

What is Dandruff?

Dandruff is a harmless, chronic

condition that occurs when the

scalp becomes dry or greasy and

produces white flakes of the dead

skin that appear in the hair or on

the shoulders. Dandruff is very

embarrassing, and affects up to

40% of people over the age of 30.

They have longer oil-producing

glands on their scalps, which

contribute dandruff.

Poor diet

If your diet lacks food high in

zinc or vitamin B, you may be

more likely to have dandruff.

Illnesses

Neurological diseases such as

Parkinson’s disease, stress,

compromised immune system,

heart attacks and strokes

Oily hair and scalp

Excessively oily skin and hair

makes you prone to dandruff.

Remedies for

dandruff

Can you believe that you can relieve dandruff with stuff

found in your own kitchen or medicine cabinet. Skip the

dandruff shampoo, here are six homemade remedies for

dandruff. Aspirin Crush two aspirins to a fine powder and adding it to the normal amount of shampoo you use each time you wash your hair. Leave the mixture on your scalp for 1-2 minutes, then rinse well and wash again with plain shampoo.

Causes:

Allergies

Most of the chemicals used

in hair products tend to be

slightly aggressive on the

scalp’s natural process

therefore in certain

individuals who are

hypersensitive, they develop

dandruff.

Skin conditions

Skin conditions such as

psoriasis, seborrhoeic

dermatitis, or eczema

Age

Dandruff begins at as young

as 10 years old and continues

into middle age. This

problem can be life-long.

Being male

Researchers think that

dandruff is more prevalent in

men due to male hormones.

HAIR TIPS

• First, shampoo with a

shampoo containing zinc pyrithione. This kills the fungus.

• Follow this shampoo with one that has salicylic acid, which "scrubs" off the flakes.

These two in combination should control your dandruff problems, but if this doesn't work, THEN consult a dermatologist, who can prescribe stronger medication.

36

Mouthwash Wash your hair with regular shampoo; then rinse with an alcohol-based mouthwash. You can follow with your regular conditioner. Salt Salt is abrasive so that table salt comes in handy when it comes to scraping those flakes off your head. Shake some salt onto your dry scalp. Then work it through your hair, giving your scalp a massage. Once you’ve worked out the dry, flaky skin and are ready for shampoo.

Vinegar To give your dandruff the brush-off, follow up each shampoo with a rinse of apple cider vinegar mixed with 2 cups cold water. Or you could apply 3 tablespoons vinegar onto your hair and massaging into your scalp before you shampoo. Wait a few minutes, then rinse it out and wash as usual.

Baking soda Wet your hair and then rub a handful of baking soda vigorously into your scalp. Rinse thoroughly and dry. Do this every time you normally wash your hair, but only use baking soda no shampoo. Your hair may get dried out first, but after a few weeks your scalp will be producing natural oils, leaving your hair softer and free of flakes. Lemon Massage 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into your scalp and rinse with water. Then stir 1 teaspoon lemon juice into 1 cup water and rinse hair with it. Repeat this daily until your dandruff disappears.

ADVICE FROM HAIRDRESSERS TO THE STARS….. • Try not to scratch your scalp

when you are washing your hair. The key is to work up a good lather and then massage, with the soft pads of your fingertips.

• On a bad hair day, wash your hair. It will make you feel much better and more confident. But if push comes to shove and you don’t have time, tie up your hair in a ponytail. You can also accessorise your hair with an Alice band or stylishly tie -up a scarf.

37

MPV…..my point of view! ©

The Salon: The

female sanctuary

A place to achieve vanity with

lots of oestrogen and chattering,

there can only be one place that

looks like the Beijing Conference;

the salon. (All males must be

warned before they decide to

tread into this territory).

Oh, the salon! The favourite

hangout. The free therapy

session; the news desk; the safe

haven and yes, the female

sanctuary! This place is a holy

ground, where divine beauty

interventions are made. Whether

it is the hair or nails, maybe a

facial or pedicure, the salon must

be a reflection of what the world

would look like if girls run the

world.

I personally get my hair and nails

done at two different salons.

They are both favourable for my

budget and my convenience. The

hair salon is by the shopping

complex close to my home and

the nail salon is right in the

building where I work in, to my

boss’s horror, the office next

door. (And I have a wicked grin

on my face as I write this).

The owner and head nail technician

is a friendly and bubbly lady. She is

one of the few people who would

probably beat me in a ‘talking

marathon’, (and boy is she loud). But

I am fond of her, maybe I adore her.

She and the other ladies call me by

the nickname, ‘tete’, (aunty), which

is very amusing because I am in no

relation to any of them either by

blood or marriage.

The nail salon is my favourite place

to be. It is always fun to have

something new done to my nails,

and beautify my hands. Did I

mention that they wash and rub this

sweet smelling lotion? (Taking a

breath) Fabulous!

In this particular salon one

meets various characters, most

very colourful. Because of this

salon I now know the who’s

who of Harare without even

meeting them. Every scandal you

can think of you will hear it. For

some strange reason ladies find

it easy to divulge personal

information in a public place

like this.

I personally choose to be

discreet even in the midst of hot

and saucy discussions. It is

because of who I am, and who I

want to be, that I keep my

personal life, personal!

38

through a session, while egos

are being fed or trampled on;

society is being dissected by

people who deal mostly with

hair. (No pun intended).

“For some strange

reason ladies find it

easy to divulge

personal information

in a public place like

this.”

But all salons have a general

atmosphere, oestrogen! (With

this statement I include our

‘pink’ male friends). Whether

it is the low density up-class,

expensive salon, or the ghetto

tuck-shop salon, you will

never find silence in these

places.

Unfortunately, there is very

little problem solving, or

intellectual conversations in

the Salon. The main topic of

discussion, MEN! I think it is

high time; women stopped

centralising life around

testosterone and focus more

on important issues such as

world peace, how to raise our

children to be good citizens,

or how to ensure that every

woman, whether rich or poor,

owns lots of pairs

of…..SHOES! And hand bags.

Undoubtedly there is never a

dull day in a salon. At times

there is drama! Those owing

debts, the wife versus the

mistress, the ‘pink ladies’ versus

the other ladies, and division

amongst the hairdressers

themselves, I have witnessed

physical fights, verbal abuse

(every profane word you can

imagine, I have heard), but the

action is priceless! (Shaking my

head).

Salon. Salon. Salon. Only a

woman can understand how

therapeutic it is to go there. You

go in low, you come out high. It

is a hospital for non-surgical

plastic surgery. It gives women

more things to talk about.

Blessed be every salon that

every woman sets foot in, and if

two or more women are

gathered, there shall be a lot of

chatter.

P.S.: Always write your own

love story

Ciao!

Lady E

So in as much as I love attention, some information is very lethal to give away.

I do though, from time to time,

ask for advice from the head

technician. Her being slightly

older, level headed, happy-go-

lucky and, yes, married, she

gives good sound advice, but

encourages prayer and

listening to one’s heart.

Yes, advice. If one wants to

vent out frustrations, possibly

cry, have a good laugh and

maybe catch up with the

latest gossip, this is the place

to be. It is also a place to

connect with people and

make new friends.

Home wreckers, feminists, the

naïve females, the sluts, the

church heathen and saints, all

meet in this place.

I absolutely love this nail

salon, and I doubt I will be

changing any time soon.

As for the hair salon, where I

get my hair done in particular

it is usually calm. There is of

course, the news desk also

known as , gossip. And I

cannot forget the ‘battle of the

sexes’ debates with the

barbers. It is always

interesting to sit

“P.S.: Always write your own love story”-Lady E

39

BODY

Getting summer ready As we have all noticed, most of those carbs go to the stomach area which is a big no, no for those of us who will

want to be strutting in swimwear by the poolside during the upcoming summer season. Since the days are

getting warmer here is a great way to prepare for summer.

Flat belly workout Start toning your stomach by sprinting. Running activates all the stomach muscles, but you will have to push yourself harder. Walking with your stomach pulled in is also beneficial. There are several sit-ups that can put you into shape. Here are 3 types of sit-ups: V-sits This works out the lower abs How it’s done: • Sit on the floor with your knees bent

and your arms next to your legs. • Lift both feet off the floor. • Lower your upper body while

extending your legs. • Lift up with control, into the seat

position. • Don’t let your feet touch the floor.

Side knee to Elbow

This works the midsection

How it’s done:

• Lie on your side

• Roll slightly backwards so that

you rest on the soft part of your

bottom

• Keep your hands behind your

head

• Lift both legs off the floor

• Tuck your knees in until your top

knee touches your top elbow

• Extend your legs, keeping them

off the floor

Tip: Pull your belly button into your

spine to aid balance.

Seated Leg lifts This works the lower abs

How it’s done: • Sit on the edge of a chair • Hold onto the side and lean

slightly backwards. • Lift both legs off the floor

pulling your knee upwards. • Lower with control Tip: Ensure that you don’t swing your upper body.

40

HEALTH

Being young entails

energy, good looks and of

course great health. Great

health requires a lifestyle

that promotes it including

exercise, well-balanced

diet, and hygiene. Health

experts are always

working tirelessly to

ensure that the public is

informed about health

trends, new vaccines, as

well as alerts on disease

outbreaks. Of late the

medical trend that has

been affecting people in

Zimbabwe is Diabetes.

According to medical

experts, diabetes has

become one of the major

chronic diseases that are

affecting mortality rates,

along with cardiovascular

diseases, cancer and HIV-

related infections. Worst

still, diabetes especially

type 1 has become more

and more prevalent in

young people.

DIABETES MELLITUS

Definition

Diabetes is a condition in which

the body cannot control the

level of sugar in the blood

resulting in high blood sugar

levels.

Diabetes mellitus is a disorder of

carbohydrate metabolism

resulting from deficiency of or

resistance to available insulin

and is characterised by

hyperglycaemia.

Diabetes mellitus is the third

leading cause of death from

disease.

There are four types of diabetes

including type I, type II,

gestational diabetes and

diabetes associated with other

conditions, however we will

discuss on type I diabetes.

Type 1

This is also known as insulin

dependent diabetes mellitus. It

accounts for 5% to 10% of cases

and typically occurs in people

younger than age 30. It is

characterised by insulin

deficiency and risk of ketosis.

Cause

The exact cause is unknown

however type 1 may result from

an autoimmune process possibly

triggered by a virus, with genetic

factors playing a part.

How diabetes affects the body

In diabetes mellitus, the beta

cells in the pancreas no longer

produce any insulin and

therefore these individuals must

inject insulin every day to

maintain a blood glucose level

within the acceptable range. This

is referred to as ‘absolute’ insulin

deficiency. Insulin is a protein

and therefore must be injected. It

cannot be taken orally because it

is destroyed by the digestive

juices in the stomach before it

can be used.

41

Signs and symptoms

Excessive urinating

Abnormal thirst

Weight loss

Fatigue and weakness

Excessive hunger

Visual disturbances

General aches and pains

Itchiness of the skin

Slow healing of cuts and

wounds

Frequent infections

Numbness or tingling in

the feet and hands

Dehydration

Acetone breath

Decreased levels of

consciousness-dizziness

and loss of balance

Abnormally deep, very

rapid sighing breathing

known as Kussmaul’s

respirations

Nausea, vomiting, stomach

pains

When blood and urine tests are

made:

Blood results will indicate

blood sugar levels that are

high for example the

glucose tolerance test will

reveal blood glucose over

200mg/dl at the 2-hour

sample.

Urine specimen reveals

absence of ketosis

Serum blood glucose level

is less than 70mg/dl

Management

1. Administer prescribed

medications. In type 1 the

client with the condition

should take prescribed

insulin. It must be

administered at least a

minute to 30 minutes before

meals.

2. Nutritional

recommendations to

individuals should be

modified to take account of

associated features of

diabetes, including:

a. Excess weight and obesity

b. Underweight

c. Eating disorders

d. Raised blood pressure

e. Renal failure

There is no such thing as a ‘diabetic diet’. It is simply a healthy eating plan-and the way we should all eat. 3. Use of peer support groups 4. Physical activity -Adults with type 1 diabetes should be advised that physical activity can reduce their enhanced arterial risk in the medium and longer term.

-Adults with type 1 diabetes

who choose to integrate

increased physical activity into

a healthier lifestyle should be

offered information about:

Appropriate intensity and frequency of physical activity

Role of self-monitoring of changed insulin and/or nutritional needs

Effect of activity on blood glucose levels (likely fall) when insulin levels are adequate

Effect of exercise on blood glucose levels when hyperglycemic and hypoinsulinaemic (risk of worsening of hyperglycemia and ketonaemia)

Appropriate adjustments of insulin dosage and/or nutritional intake for exercise and post-exercise periods, and the next 24 hours

Interactions of exercise and alcohol

In the next issue we will continue more on management of type 1 diabetes mellitus including how to administer insulin, recommended exercise routines and the diet plan for those people with diabetes. Stay healthy.

42

HEALTH TIPS

Food balancing act

You are what you eat, and here

are some health benefits of

some of your favourite foods:

Love your tea? Rooibos tea

helps skin irritations like

itchy skin, eczema,

sunburns and acne. Rooibos

is rich in antioxidants

shown to fight

inflammation. Add Rooibos

tea to cool, bath water and

allow it to soothe you.

Hmm, chocolate! Yes you

can satisfy your cravings

and also improve your

health. For once it helps

prevent strokes. This is due

to a class of chemicals called

flavonoids, which are found

in fruits, vegetables, tea and

red wine. These act as

potent antioxidants that

protect cells from free-

radical damage which can

contribute to aging, heart

disease and certain cancers.

Fish are good for the eyes.

They are rich in Vitamin A

and Vitamin D which helps

dry eyes and improve

eyesight.

For the love of fashion

You love looking stylish and

trendy but did you know that

some fashion trends are actually

bad for your health. Here are a

few of them:

Tight clothes

They flatter your figure,

accentuating those curves but

at times they can be a real

eyesore, and a real health

hazard. Guys you might need to

ease on the speedos and skinny

jeans, you need to loosen up.

Tight pants cause testicular

torsion and lower sperm

potency due to the amount of

heat. In general, tight clothes

cause numbness to the muscles,

‘tight pants syndrome’ which is

marked by abdominal

discomfort, heartburn and

belching, bladder problems.

Artificial nails

Long nails elongate the fingers;

nail art makes the nails look

pretty however artificial nails

can cause severe damage to the

nails and fingers in the long

run. Acetone thins the nails

therefore causing them to break

easily and making one’s fingers

susceptible to diseases . Give

your nails time to heal and

strengthen before booking

another nail appointment. You

can paint your nails with nail

polish which will still look very

pretty.

High Heels

Ladies those heels are real killers.

Literally! In as much as they add

centimetres to the little women or

they put that oomph into that walk;

high heels strain muscles in both the

legs and lower back. When possible

wear flat shoes and keep the heels for

special occasions and those important

meetings where you might need to

look the part.

Hair extensions

Ladies from all walks of life love a

long, thick mane which keeps

everybody gasping but very few are

blessed with luscious locks. The

solution? Hair extensions! They come

in all lengths, colours and styles

which can be bonded, braided, plaited

or pinned onto one’s natural hair.

Prolonged use will eventually cause

balding of the hairline, thinning and

breakage of the hair. Give your hair

some time to breathe in between

hairstyles and keep it natural. Opt for

a wig if your natural look is not a ‘do’

with you, so that your hairline has

time to recover.

It is important to look well

groomed and stylish, but it is far

more important not to damage that

very same temple that you love to

adorn. Be moderate and find other

alternatives of looking fabulous

without causing your body harm for

the love of fashion.

43

GROOVE MAN

Summer Fashion

trends

Dos and Don’ts

DOs

Layer lean

Citrus and musk scents

Stripes

DON’Ts

Saggy slacks

Board shorts

Military themes

Crinkles

Mandals

Wrap around shades

Skinny jeans

Bold colours

Denim

Sportswear

Unless you want to look like you’re cycling through Tour de France….don’t!

These have never been a fashion do…… The sun is out and it’s time for a cool summer

guys…..Cool as in lighter, bold and with lots of

swag!

ETV’s Ken Baker

Jamie Foxx

44

GADGETS

GALAXY NOTE 3

Specs: 5.7-inch touch,

Android v4.3 with

Qualcomm Snap dragon

800 Erexynos 5 octa

processor, 13 MP rear

camera, 3200 m Ah battery

and 32/64GB internal

storage.

Overview

While Apple is happy with its 4-

inch displays, Samsung is moving

towards larger screens sizes. The

new Galaxy Note 3 is thinner and

lighter though the display size has

been increased to 5.7 inches. The

company has replaced the plastic

back with a soft textured back

cover along with a serrated pattern

on the side to give it a diary-like

feel. Like the S4, there is a

2.3GHzquad-core Qualcomm

Snapdragon 800 and an eight-core

Exynos 5 Octa chipset version. It

will be paired with 3GB RAM.

Samsung's S-Pen functionality has

been beefed up.

The Galaxy S4 Zoom

So can a camera phone kill a stand-alone

camera? Well, it seems Samsung is getting

closer to the answer. First it made a

camera with 3G connectivity, now it has

integrated an optical zoom to a phone, the

Galaxy S4 Zoom

45

Overview

Design: The Galaxy S4 Zoom

has got a weird design for

a smartphone. Yes, it is a

slightly com-pact version of last

year’s Galaxy Camera, but we

are not sure the concept works

as a smartphone. The lens at the

back makes it awkward to grip.

Then there is the 208 grams

weight that could tire your

hands in less than 10 minutes.

You will also have to live with

the constant stares rom people

Battery: The 2330mAh

removable battery on the Zoom

struggled to survive a day with

a couple of hours of calling, data

connectivity and a new click

here and there. However, it

used judiciously, it can last

longer

Traktor Kontrol S4

Overview:

The Native Instruments

Traktor Kontrol S4 is FINALLY

here and the complete VIDEO

REVIEW is finished ahead of

schedule! Native Instruments

was gracious enough to send us

a brand-spankin' new Traktor

Kontrol S4 unit as soon as they

hit the store shelves. In return, I

have completed a 25 minute,

two-part video review which

goes over all the main

functionality and usage

possibilities that this mean

little beast can crank out.

Complete Video Review after

the jump.

GoPro HERO3: White

Edition

Professional quality video capture in

1080p 30fps, 960p 30 fpts, 720p 60

fps, and WVGA 60 fps

Overview

Built in Wi-Fi compatible with

the GoPro app for

Smartphones/Tablets; as well as

the Wi-Fi remote (available

separately)

5 MP photos with 3 fps burst

mode, and time lapse at .5, 2, 5, 10,

30, and 60 second intervals

197'/ 60m Waterproof Housing

with integrated flat lens housing

Compatible with LCD Touch

BacPac, and 2nd generation

Battery Bacpac, as well as

backward compatible with all

older generation bacpacs

46

They are the cause of the hectic traffic

jams we go through day-to-day during

the rush hour, yet they make

travelling smoother. Of course, we’re

talking about motor vehicles which in

urban lingo we call them ‘rides’ and

here are some of the trending ones

RIDEZ

LAND ROVER

FREELANDER 2

It may have been largely forgotten

in the hype of its more glamorous

sister, the Range Rover Evoque, but

the success of the updated Land

Rover Freelander 2 remains crucial

to the iconic British brand in the

lead-up to the launch of a new-

generation model in 2015.

The 2013 Freelander 2 update

brings several styling tweaks, an

interior makeover and a new 2.0-

litre turbocharged petrol engine in a

refresh Land Rover hopes will

provide enough of a boost to

ward off challenges from both

premium and non-premium

competition such as the Audi

Q3 and updated Q5,

Volkswagen Tiguan, Volvo

XC60 and even the Evoque

itself.

EXTERIOR

Most noticeable are the front

and rear lamps that now

incorporate LED technology, and

there’s a new signature graphic

for the front running lights. Less

obvious is the bright finish to the

grille and fog lamp surrounds,

together with minor detailing

enhancements to the grille

surround and front guard vents

Additional features include auto-

dimming rear-view mirror, seven

airbags (including driver’s knee),

power-folding side mirrors and

approach lamps, rear parking

sensors, 18-inch alloy wheels

(19-inch on HSE models),

full-size spare wheel and

climate control.

Fitted with 19-inch alloys our

Freelander Si4 HSE provided

a firmIsh ride over less than

perfect road surfaces, but

without being uncomfortable.

The standard 18-inch wheels

offered a slightly suppler ride

over the same surface.

INTERIOR

The interior is where most of

the effort has been focused with

the 2013 update, with several

features borrowed from Evoque.

There’s a new-look centre

console that boasts an electric

parking brake, while the original

Terrain Response dial has been

replaced with easy-to-use flush-

mounted buttons, freeing up

more space for storage –

something lacking in the

outgoing Freelander.

47

The instrument cluster has also

been revamped with a new five-

inch screen displaying vehicle

data like temperature and fuel

levels, gear positions and

Terrain Response mode, sitting

between the twin display dials.

Steering wheel toggle switches

operate several easy-to-read

drop-down menus and set-up

instructions. It’s all very

intuitive.

There’s push-button start

across the entire Land Rover

Freelander 2 line-up replacing

the old-school key docking

system employed by the

previous iteration.

A reversing camera is now

standard across all but the

entry-level Freelander 2 TD4

manual and features a

marvellous bit of technology

that allows drivers to

accurately guide the vehicle’s

tow ball into the perfect

docking position.

Also new to Freelander for 2013

is a 380-watt Meridian sound

system with 11 speakers and

subwoofer for lower and mid-

spec variants, while the range-

topping SD4 HSE Luxury

boasts a more powerful 825-

watt 17-speaker Meridian unit.

There’s also a revised satellite

navigation system with seven-

inch touchscreen available as an

option on all but the top-spec

HSE models where it’s

standard. It’s a cleverly

integrated unit that also

features step-by-step prompts

for the ‘Say What You See’ voice

activation system.

Bluetooth phone and music

streaming is also standard

across the entire 2013 Land

Rover Freelander 2 line-up.

While interior space remains

unchanged from the outgoing

Freelander, the rear seats have

been lifted for a stadium seating

experience.

DRIVETRAIN

The 177kW/340Nm Si4 2.0-litre

four-cylinder turbocharged

power plant joins the Land

Rover Freelander 2 line-up as

the only petrol engine in an

otherwise an all-diesel family.

It’s almost identical to the one

used in the Evoque.

Mated to a six-speed automatic

transmission, the Freelander’s

new four-cylinder drivetrain

cruises at 110km/h effortlessly

and with very low noise levels

heard inside the cabin.

Turbocharging ensures there’s

plenty of torque on tap from

2000rpm, providing plenty of

punch for safe high-speed

overtaking – even in these

conditions.

Progress from rest is equally

brisk with the new Freelander

able to sprint from 0-100km/h

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE TRENDY LANDROVER FREELANDER LOG ON TO WWW.LANDROVER.COM WHERE YOU CAN EXPLORE YOUR FINANCE OPTIONS.

48

in 8.8 seconds. Top speed is 200km/h.

SAFETY

The Land Rover Freelander earns a

five-star ANCAP crash test rating and

comes standard with seven airbags,

dynamic stability control, anti-locking

braking with electronic brake force

distribution and cornering brake

control, roll stability control and

engine drag control.

COMFORT & CONVENIENCE

The latest Land Rover Freelander 2 is a

hugely capable compact SUV, offering

more refinement, punchy on-road

performance with the new Si4 petrol,

and standout off-road capability in a

family-friendly package.

PEUGEOT 208 HYBRID FE: FRUGAL

& FAST

The FE stands for two different things,

according to Peugeot: fuel economy

and fun and efficiency.

Peugeot 208, is claimed to be 25% more

aerodynamic. There’s a new front grille

with a large portion blanked out to

make the front end more slippery, and

because the 1.2-litre petrol engine

that powers the concept requires less

cooling.

Apparently there are no door mirrors

or handles. These create too much

aerodynamic drag, so have been done

away with – a rear-view camera

defeats the reduced visibility

problem.

Round the back is where the 208 has

been manipulated most – the new

rear-end design is said to distribute

the airflow better, completing the air-

cutting design of the concept.

It also runs on narrow, low-rolling

resistant tyres that are wrapped

around 19 inch wheels with carbon

inserts, which also distribute airflow

better.

And as well as being far more

aerodynamic than the 208 it’s based

on, the Hybrid FE is also 20% lighter.

The drivetrain is a combination of a

super-efficient petrol engine, a

Lemans-inspired electric motor and a.

clever, though quite

rudimentary, manual

transmission The three-

cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine

has been tweaked to reduce

friction, thus improving

efficiency. It still turns out

68bhp, but is claimed to be 10%

more efficient than a standard

1200cc motor.

The electric motor attached to

the batteries is extremely light,

tipping the scales at a flyweight

7kg. But it does more than just

generate the power to the drive

the car. It also provides the

reverse function, with the six-

speed manual only providing

the six forward-moving gears.

The batteries, also pretty

skimpy at 20kg, are mounted

under the rear bench alongside

the 25-litre fuel tank, so there’s

no compromise on the boot

space either.

49

ADVERTISE HERE

52

AT THE MOVIES WITH STERKINEKOR

TYLER PERRY’S

MADEA

CHRISTMAS

Genre: Comedy

Age restriction: 10 LPV

Length: 1h 40min

Released: 13 December 2013

Starring: Tyler Perry, Chad Micheal

Murray, Tika Sumpter

Review:Just when you think that

Tyler Perry’s character, Madea has

run out mischief and family

intervening, another movie comes up

in the longstanding comedy series.

The holidays are back and this

Christmas, Madea is taken to a small

town by a friend who tricks her into

believing that they are paying the

daughter a surprise visit. Madea

finds herself not only babysitting,

but right in the centre of secrets that

slowly unravel. And as usual, Madea

never leaves behind her

wisecracking humour and of course,

no-nonsense principles which whip

up not only her friend’s family, but a

whole town, a Madea Christmas.

Popcorn rate: 3/5 Madea is one hell

of a crazy grandma!

Director: Tyler Perry

Genre: Fantasy, adventure

Age restriction: 10-12 PG V

Length: 2h 1min

Released: 27th December 2013

Starring: Hiroyuki Sanada,

Keanu Reeves, Ko Shibasaki

Synopsis: In 18th century Japan,

Oishi (Sanada) leads a group of

Samurai whose master has

been killed by the treacherous

villain, Lord Kira (Tadanobu

Asano). Joined by talented

outcast named Kai (Reeves),

the Ronin (Samurai without a

master), seek to avenge the

death of their beloved and

respected master. However,

Kai’s loyalty to Ronin and the

mission is tested when he falls

for the deceased master’s young

daughter, Mika (Shibasaki)

Director: Carl Rinsch

For the epic lovers…..

RONIN (3D)

Laugh a little…

CLOUDY WITH

A CHANCE OF

MEATBALLS 2

(3D)

Genre: Animation

Age restriction: PG

Length: 1h 35 min

Released:31 January 2014

Starring: Anna Faris, Bill Hader,

Will Forte, Benjamin Bratt, Terry

Crews, James Caan, Andy

Samberg, Kristen Schaal, Cody

Cameron, Melissa Stern, Kris

Pearn

Synopsis: Inventor Flint

Lockwood thought he saved the

world when he destroyed his most

infamous invention -- a machine

that turned water into food

causing cheeseburger rain and

spaghetti tornadoes. But Flint soon

learns that his invention survived

and is now creating food-animals -

"foodimals!" Flint and his friends

embark on a dangerously delicious

mission to battle hungry tacodiles,

shrimpanzees, hippotatomuses,

cheespiders and other foodimals to

save the world - again!

Director: Cody Cameron, Kris

Pearn

51

TV PEOPLE WE KNOW…..

Tinashe ‘Flowsick’ Rodrick

Our television viewing would

be dull if it did not have its

interesting personalities who

host the various programs

from day to day. From the

breakfast show to the news

anchors, or talk show hosts,

they bring in their colourful

personalities to our living

rooms, and kind of make some

of us want to be on TV too.

One personality we have got to

know is the music TV program

‘Five’ presenter, Tinashe

‘Flowsick’ Rodrick. He’s

energetic, creative and loves

his food.

GM.: Hi Tinashe, and welcome

to Groove magazine. Tell us a

little bit about yourself. Who is

Tinashe Rodrick?

Tinashe: Umm, okay. Tinashe is a

Capricorn, born on the 1st day of

January. I like words and food.

I’m actually married to them.

GM.: You recently joined our

national broadcaster as the new

presenter for the music

television program.

Tinashe: It’s a weekly music video countdown show called “Five”. Basically we play the top five videos selected by viewers through Facebook and twitter we get in touch with them during the week, and then we compile them; then on Friday we play the videos

GM.: So how has the experience

been?

Tinashe: So far it’s pretty much

new but I feel like I am actually

adding flavour to the show.

GM.: Have you always known

that you wanted to be a TV

presenter?

Tinashe: No. I have always

wanted to cook food for a living

that something that I figured out

when I was 3, or 5 years old.

GM.: So you are a chef?

Tinashe: Professionally trained,

yes. Chinese, Italian,

Portuguese.

GM.: So how did this gig

come about if you are a

professional chef?

Tinashe: Okay! (Laughs) What

happened is, I went for

auditions at Lion Lager. So at

these auditions, they were

looking for models, they were

casting models for their ‘Raise

our flag’ campaign, and this was

last year, in 2012. So at the

audition, that was the last day, I

met this guy who is a movie

director, well I got the Lion

Lager gig, so I got caught up

and I lost touch with him. Then

I bumped into him and he told

me that he was working on a

movie, and I went for the

casting. So the movie didn’t

happen, but during the casting

he linked me up with some guys

from ZBC and then this guy, I

called him up randomly one day

and I told him that “Dude, I’ve

been watching TV, I think that

TV needs me”. Then he called

me and linked me to this one

guy, and then I auditioned for

‘Jam Down’ initially, then the

52

producer of ‘Jam down’ introduced

me to the producer of ‘Woza

Friday’. So initially, I was

shortlisted for ‘Woza Friday’, so I

had been on their waiting list for a

while, with a couple of other

presenters. And then this guy from

‘Five’, the producer of ‘Five’, invited

me to audition for ‘Five’ because he

said that I could wait forever. And

then instantly we clicked. Me, the

camera and the producer we

clicked. ‘Five’ is now some months

old. That is like very distant from

the kitchen but yeah it has been fun.

GM.: Other than presenting, what

else do you do?

Tinashe: I am a spoken-word artist

but I paint words for a living.

GM.: Where do you see yourself

in the near future?

Tinashe: Well I see myself cooking

because that is like mandatory. I

still want to cook food. I want to do

a really eight-star establishment,

putting in the resources together.

And definitely I want to go main

stream with the spoken-word

because I believe that my product is

ready, it is a real game changer. I

have worked with an amazing team

of producers and a pool of artist,

musicians and poets. That project

on its own is gonna change the

game. I want to be the most

celebrated TV presenter around,

sooner or later, I would really like

that.

GM.: Tinashe is…..

Tinashe: Psycho. (Laughs) I’m

mentally disturbed and lyrically

creative. I speak before I think but

I pick my words. That makes me

very weird. (Laughs again)

GM.: You have mentioned that

you have worked with a number

of artists on your project. Who

have you worked with; and who

would you like to work with in

the near future locally and

internationally?

Tinashe: I have worked with

mainly the guys from Spinalong

Music; it’s a newly found stable,

studio where a set of DJs called D9

record. They are behind every

track on my album. Locally I’ve

worked with Don, So Profound,

Madzitatiguru, Mandisa from

Bots, Richie Orange. Amazing,

amazing artist Richie Orange. I’m

still working with Ammara

Brown. How could I forget my

boy, Xolani, X-mile? He was a

Starbrite finalist; he was in third

place last year. I’m also about to

get into the studio with this lady

called Lihle. She’s an amazing

vocalist. I’ve worked with the

Djembe Monks. But ultimately, I

would like to work with Steve

Makoni. I don’t know why this

guy is underrated, but to me he’s

legendary. And it’s a privilege that

he is still alive. I think that he is an

amazing and exceptional

musician. I would like to work

with mainly producers but I would

like to work with Berita from

South Africa.

I interviewed her and I thought

wow, she’s amazing. Maybe this

girl called Nekka, she’s from

Nigeria. She’s half-Nigerian and

half-German. She’s amazing.

Internationally a producer I think,

I don’t think that internationally

no one can complement what we

are doing here, we are cool as we

are, but I wouldn’t mind trying to

work with the guys from the

Swedish House Mafia, or Greg

Osvaldo.

GM.: Last words

Tinashe: Look out for my EP, a

powerful selection. A nine track

selection. It is a game changer. We

are really trying to commercialise

poetry, yet maintain the quality

and relevance of the substance.

Tinashe speaks eleven languages

including Ndebele, Shona,

English, Pedi, Sotho, Xhosa, and

Zulu, a bit of Creole, Portuguese,

Venda, and Italian. Some of the

languages he learns through his

food.

Watch Tinashe, as he counts

down your favourite music

videos on ‘Five’ every Friday at

1400 hours on ZTV.

53

With ambitions to succeed and the pressures of expectations, one wants to have something tangible to bring to the table. And because at times one needs a lot of capital to start their own businesses, getting a project loan from the bank is a long process on its own; they might find it tedious and fail to launch their ideas. We have found some simple ways to start raising capital, and with a lot of discipline, focus and patience, you might be able to raise capital and also have a source of petty cash to help you get by as you build your empire.

Line of business: Airtime Capital required: Start from $1500 going up Labour required: Minimal. You will need to go purchase airtime vouchers from dealers. Minimum profit per day: $30 to $40 Target market: The general public Reasons why this is a good start up: Airtime credit is a necessity for all cell phone users so you are likely to make sales due to the demand. You would have to be strategic where you sell your airtime vouchers so as to have as little competition as possible. Line of business: Hair and beauty Capital required: None to $500(for the nail kit) Labour required: Your talent or trained skills in beauty therapy Minimum profit per day: Varies with your charge and number of clients but one can make $50 or more Target market: Women who are image conscious Reasons why this is a good start up: It is a fact that most women love to look good and have a great appreciation about grooming. You would want to start with people that you know and you can offer house-calls and special promotions so as to increase your clientele.

Line of business: Car wash Capital required: $100 for cleaning equipment Labour required: You will have to be willing to stand for most of the day Minimum profit per day: $20 to $45 Target market: Motor vehicle owners, car parks Reasons why this is a good start up: A lot of people do not really have time to thoroughly clean their cars, so you could maximise on this. It is important to be strategic and create a large clientele basis so as to increase your profit margin. Your neighbourhood could be a great place to start and as your skills and speed improve you could move to other places, or receive referral clients.

With the current economic

environment and high

unemployment rate, at times many young people find it

challenging to make it in this

world.

BUSINESS

54

Line of business: Cooking and baking Capital required: A minimum of $20 for ingredients Labour required: Your knowledge and speed in the kitchen will determine the amount of labour needed, otherwise it is mostly minimal. Minimum profit per day: Varies with what you are selling but from $10 Target market: Offices, schools, industries Reasons why this is a good start up: Food is a necessity, so depending on your target market and what you are selling for example samosas, or scones are good for school children at break time, or for tea at offices and meals such as sadza or rice for industries, you would need to focus on your area of strength in terms of your culinary skills. Otherwise you could find yourself eventually expanding and might even start your own food outlet, or confectionery shop.

The above business start-ups can be a temporary means of accumulating capital for your business idea, or you could grow from your small business into a larger one. It is all up to you so get started.

Line of business: Fruit and vegetable market Capital required: $50 Labour required: Minimal Minimum profit per day: $20 to $40 Target market: The general public, health conscious individuals Reasons why this is a good start up: ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’, so that has been often said and it is true, so with the health conscious individuals your market is a winner. Be strategic with your market so as to increase your potential of increasing your profit margin.

55

YOUNG BUSINESS PERSON

Tommy Deuschle CEO of Emerging Ideas and C Media

Not only is he one of Groove magazine’s famous dads, but he is also a young, innovative businessman, and our feature for our young business person profile. A holder a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Oral Roberts University, USA, Thomas Deuschle III, or Tommy, is one of Zimbabwe’s businessmen, with a company that sets to promote business ideas by young, upcoming entrepreneurs.

He describes himself as, “I am an American citizen, with a Zimbabwean drivers licence, a British accent….umm…..with a half Canadian wife,” (and laughs jokingly),”No but in the real sense, I am a son of my father. And I am someone who really believes in God’s plan for Zimbabwe, and God’s plan for Zimbabwean people. And I believe in the young generation;

as youth pastor I really have a chance to, you know, I guess, to make such a positive change for Zimbabwe and the nations around.” Tommy is the first born son of founder and senior pastor of Celebration Ministries International Church, Pastor Tom Deuschle, and he too, has followed in his father’s footsteps in ministry, as he is the youth pastor at the church. He also comes from a business background, having his grandfather, and father, being businessmen themselves, making Tommy his father’s son in the truest sense. GM.: What motivated you to get into business rather than we know that you are from a very musical family; instead you focused on the business side? Tommy: So actually I am into music, and I write songs. My brother and I are releasing an album actually coming out sometime this year. This is actually the first time I’m talking about it to you, no one else knows about it. And the idea of music; my brothers normally do the music stuff. Business, I saw a big need for young entrepreneurs, and young ideas to have a platform,

“…I am someone who really believes in God’s plan

for Zimbabwe, and God’s plan for Zimbabwean

people….”

56

the overall perception of good ideas coming from young people, I don’t think that they are taken seriously as they should be. GM.: Is it viable enough in Zimbabwe? Tommy: 100%.And my counter question to that is; do young Zimbabweans have potential? And the answer is yes. 100% GM.: What grounds you? Tommy: What grounds me? The word of God. GM.: Do you have any other ventures that you are looking to get into? Tommy: All the time because we are in the start-up community, there are always new ideas, business plans being brought to my desk that need to be developed and new ventures coming up. GM.: Where to from here. Where do you see yourself and your business in the next 10 years? Tommy: In the next 10 years that’s a long time, my goodness. My son will be 11, so I do really see a regional presence. And the goal is that by 2025 we will have over 100 start-ups that have come out of Emerging Ideas and that are successful. GM.: What advice would you give to young people out there who want to start their businesses? Tommy: The advice is not to be greedy, to work together, and to complement each other’s strengths. And to really work together; to put your own agenda aside, and to make a difference to the people around you. And obviously the last thing is to be living within God’s will because that’s huge.

which is why I got into business, which I run a company called Emerging Ideas and C Media and we help incubate companies, incubate ideas and the best entrepreneurs. So the short on, I really felt like there was a need for entrepreneurs to be guided, invested in and helped with their ideas because Zimbabwe is so full of potential. GM.: You are the co-founder of Emerging Ideas and C Media. Why did you choose this industry? How did this business emerge? Tommy: I went to business school at Oral Roberts University. I started my business when I was 23, which completely failed but I learnt a lot along the way. GM.: So C Media is media and advertising, I guess…. Tommy: Its video production and online digital printing. GM.: As a young business person what challenges have you faced with the economic challenges that we have had over the years? Tommy: The current challenges today are the platforms for young entrepreneurs to be supported. I don’t think that they do exist, and that is what we are trying to change, and that’s what drives me. I don’t think that the tax system is friendly to young start-ups and entrepreneurs. I think that sometimes young people with good ideas are not taken seriously and I think that’s where the future lies; so the challenges have been I guess policies on the view of start-ups and just the overall idea;

“The current

challenges today

are the

platforms for

young

entrepreneurs

to be

supported. I

don’t think that

they do exist,

and that is what

we are trying to

change, and

that’s what

drives me. I

don’t think that

the tax system

is friendly to

young start-ups

and

entrepreneurs. I

think that

sometimes

young people

with good ideas

are not taken

seriously….”

57

MONEY

Money advice:

How to save up for

something that you

want

You probably have that phone that

you have been longing for, or

maybe that beautiful pair of shoes

that you could take on credit but

you are uncertain that you will be

able to pay for it. Some of you are

eager to go back to school, or you

would love to go on holiday to a

beautiful tourist resort but that

dream seems a little far-fetched

because your disposable income

does not seem to be enough to

cater to all your needs. Do not fret;

here are some easy ways to save up.

1. Have an objective

What do you want? Think about

why you want it and how happy you

will be when you get it. Write down

that thing that you really want and

how much it is. This will be your

motivation to save. It would help to

write on a piece of paper and stick it

on your bedroom mirror, in your car,

or on your desk so that you are

constantly reminded of your

objective.

2. Open a savings account or have

a savings jar

The best way to save is to have

somewhere to put your savings. A

savings account is ideal as you will

be saving up without the temptation

of spending; keeping your money

safe and also you get a little interest

from the bank. Another way of

saving is having a savings jar or

piggy bank where you throw in

money every day so as to save.

Remember, this is money for that

special something. You can always

give it a name like the ‘shoe fund’, or

‘dream holiday fund’.

3. Budget Writing down a budget for your income is a great way to help you manage your finances. You are able to see what is necessary and cut out unessential expenses. If you are willing to go the extra mile, you can actually sacrifice things like having nails done, buying coffee or lunch but instead, get nail polish, make coffee at work or carry a lunchbox.

4. Discipline This is a great challenge for most people. Most people have a bad habit of buying things that they do not need. Remember your objective. This will help you focus and give you restraint. If you are going to shop for something specific, carry only the money that you need for that particular thing to avoid temptation of buying something else that you do not need.

5. Be a smart shopper

Other than budgeting, you can

also save money by being a

smart shopper. It seems

annoying when you are given a

credit note for your change but

those credit notes can come in

handy. Instead of purchasing

your goods with cash, you can

collect your credit notes and

pay with them instead. Buying

essentials such as bath soap,

sugar, tinned foods etc., in bulk,

can save you from buying the

same things the following

month, so you can have room to

save. Take advantage of sales

and you can go thrifting for

clothes and shoes which saves

you some money.

58

The shark and the

Japanese Fisherman

By Musekiwa Samuriwo

© 2010

Before I venture into writing some

views on business it would be

important to appreciate my view

of sharks and the excessive

hunting of any animal by man. I

would explicitly say I believe that

God has made us stewards of his

creation thus we must act

responsibly and accordingly that is

to say avoiding any excesses as

with trawlers, poachers and other

types of greedy hunters.

But interestingly enough from a

business perspective the

relationship between the shark

and the Japanese fisherman is an

interesting one to look at. I would

consider it to be a significant

metaphor especially for any

entrepreneur who has experienced

the pain of loss, having been bait

or prey to the shark.

Sharks in business are a revered

species, renowned for one thing;

hunting down and killing the

naïve or inexperienced

entrepreneurial spirit. Many

people have dived into the ocean of

opportunity somewhat blindly

believing that they would swim

without any peril or danger.

And sometimes there isn’t but

most times many of us have

entered in with massive bloody

wounds or small lacerations giving

off the scent that attracts sharks;

simply put blood.

In business terms I believe this

scent represents a number of

positions that turn many

entrepreneurs into prey.

Naivety - when one enters

business with the notion that

everybody is genuinely interested

in helping. It isn’t to say that there

aren’t any genuine people in

business but it is appropriate to

say that one needs to recognise

and discern genuine interest.

Sharks can smell this a mile away,

the young entrepreneur with a

brilliant idea who is desperate for

someone to believe in him/her.

Naivety in entrepreneurship is

dangerous and exposes most of us

to heartbreak and sometimes

certain death (giving up) as we

become bait to predators in open

and perilous waters.

When we started developing our

software business naivety led us to

encounter some people who were

just looking for an opportunity to

make money. Most of these people

proved to be a waste of time

because they weren’t in it for the

long haul; they wanted a meal

there and then (little did we know

that we were the prey).

Ignorance with certainty is not

bliss in business. Many an

entrepreneur has lost an idea

because of ignorance.

Entrepreneurs who are

uninformed pay the ultimate

price; they will experience

painful losses because they did

not know. Hosea says that, “My

people perish because they do

not know.” Ignorance in business

is one of the main reasons people

fall prey to sharks. Entering into

business uninformed and

uninterested in knowledge is

dangerous. The money may

sound great and the opportunity

may look good but careful

inspection and understanding is

critical. It is important to learn

to read the lines and to read

between the lines, that is to say

knowing what to look out for. In

business, we’ve met people who

claim to be privy to some

important people, resources or

information. Initially, we fell

nicely into his jaws, lapping up

his bold assertions that he knew

so many powerful people. More

so he was boasting about his

capacity to rollout a multi-

million dollar network in a few

months. Yet, as we got more

informed and as we called his

bluff we realised that we had just

encountered a shark and our

ignorance and lack of knowledge

would have led inevitably to

death.

59

Desperation – countless

entrepreneurs overwhelmed by

challenges and problems like lack

of capital have found themselves in

open water with blood seeping

from their hearts, calling the

resilient predator to come and

have supper. When entrepreneurs

are desperate we have an open

wound in our hearts. Desperation

is a clear sign of disappointment,

frustration and worse still, a lack

of key virtues required in building

a successful and lasting business.

Sharks welcome desperate people

with open arms. I remember when

our business was ‘desperately’

looking for finance we found

ourselves meeting more sharks

than genuine investors. One time

we had an investor who wanted us

to undervalue the whole business

below the value of one product.

He knew one thing, that we

needed money to support the idea

and so he was making an offer to

very desperate souls.

Greed – when an entrepreneur

sees the open waters of

opportunity they too tend to

become too greedy. In a foolish bid

to make money fast, entrepreneurs

over commit, over promise and

ultimately sell themselves short to

their larger more voracious

competitor. Whenever the pursuit

of the all elusive mother of all deals

overwhelms clear and rational

business sense an entrepreneur

must realise that he/she is bait

(probably self-made).

In the late early stages of our

business we met up with what

seemed the ultimate strategic

alliance. He was promising the

world and he had the offices to

prove it. We were thinking to

ourselves that we had hit the big

time yet it was going to become

apparent to us, that all that

glittered wasn’t genuine gold (we

were just being greedy).

Over the years by mistake or

genuine learning it is becoming

clear that in business there are

sharks of varying degrees and sizes

whose express intent is to have

entrepreneurs for breakfast, lunch

and supper. Their sole instinct is

to smell blood and feast on the

flesh of their prey. Yet, these

sharks aren’t as infallible and

ferocious as we by first impression

think. It all depends on how we

get into the water.

It is thus appropriate to introduce

the concept of the Japanese

fisherman who hunts shark in

open waters. In business this

character is the entrepreneur who

is well equipped to seize

opportunity and create significant

value. He/she is not necessarily a

shark matching bite power for bite

power. He/she is not in blind

pursuit of market share. But as

stated in one of my earlier articles

he/she is an entrepreneur looking

for market space.

Unlike the entrepreneurs who are

trapped or lured by open waters

unprepared for eventualities, the

Japanese fisherman is well prepared,

well informed and very clear of their

intentions.

The Japanese fisherman is the

entrepreneur who sets aside time

planning and learning. He or she is

in direct contrast to the earlier

stated entrepreneur. Given the

opportunity to encounter a shark

they are well armed and equipped to

expose and do away with the

predatory instincts of the shark.

The entrepreneur who is better

equipped has vision and therefore is

restrained in the pursuit of dead end

opportunities.

Vision creates the platform and

vehicle which allows the

entrepreneur to develop and weigh

his/her strategic objectives and

what it will take to achieve them.

A clear reality of the cost will ensure

that the entrepreneur can

adequately communicate what they

are looking for. Thus when such an

entrepreneur enters the vast ocean

of opportunity their efforts are more

focused and they are better armed to

deal with sharks.

With time we will discover the

profound meaning of this metaphor

in business.

60

FOOD

Quick & Easy snack…

Sandwich Rolls

INGREDIENTS

12 Rolls 1 Lettuce head 5g Cheese 4 Tomatoes 10 Carrot sticks 2 Cucumbers Assorted cold meats

In the oven……

Baked Chocolate and

Coffee Pudding

INGREDIENTS

150g Butter

300g Sugar

2 Eggs

10ml Baking soda

10ml Berry jam

280g Cake flour

30ml Cocoa powder

250ml Milk

250ml Strong coffee

SAUCE

250ml Cream

100g Dark chocolate

30ml Brown sugar

61

METHOD

1. Cut through the top of the rolls but

not completely.

2. Place the lettuce, then the assorted

meats in the centre of the roll.

3. Slice the cucumber and tomatoes,

and place them alternatively inside

the roll.

4. Grate the cheese and the carrots

and place them in between the

tomatoes and the cucumber.

Serves 4-6 or you can make as many

as you would like.

METHOD

1. Mix butter and sugar until light

and creamy. Add eggs one by one and

mix well.

2. Add balsamic vinegar, baking soda

and berry jam to mixture.

3. Sieve flour and add cocoa powder,

coffee and milk to the mixture.

4. Pour batter into a greased oven

dish and bake for 1 hour in a pre-

heated oven at 180 degrees.

5. Remove the baked pudding from

the oven and pour and pour the sauce

over immediately.

6. Serve with cream or custard.

Serves 8-10

What’s cooking?

Butter Bean Curry

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ Onions

2 Tomatoes

1 Green pepper

750g Dry butter beans

30ml Mild Spicy curry powder

2 cups Water

1 ox Beef stock cube

1 cube Seasons garlic

Serve with rice or sadza

62

METHOD

1. Sort the butter beans and soak in water

overnight.

2. Boil in clean water for 1 hour and drain in a

pot.(pre-cook)

3. Brown the onion in oil.

4. Add the curry powder and simmer for 2

minutes.

5. Add remaining ingredients and the beans

turn down the heat and simmer for 30

minutes.

6. Add seasons cube 5 minutes before the end

of the cooking time.

VOICES

The Urban Ancient

poet…..

He is young, and very talented.

He delivers the day to day issues

that affect each and every one of

us, in one way or the other,

utilising thought provoking

statements in urban lingo and

with witty humour. He made his

HIFA poetic debut this year, and

was the slam master at the 2013

Shoko festival poetry slam, and

has been a frequent feature both

on radio and television. We are

rest assured that he is one of the

new breed of poets, who are

going to change the view of

poetry and perhaps

commercialise it. He is the

Urban-ancient poet, he is

Madzitatiguru.

GM.: Madzitatiguru, what an

interesting name. Who is

Madzitatiguru?

MTG: Madzitatiguru is more or less like a selection of certain characteristics that come from a boy or a man, I don’t know what you call him, and 23 year old called Tendekai Tati. In other words, Madzitatiguru is a character; a character that I created, but then I, myself go by the name Tendekai Tati, that’s who I am at home, and that’s who I am with people

who know me on a personal basis

that I ‘m Tendekai. But when I’m

on stage, when I’m writing, that’s

when I become Madzitatiguru. And

Madzitatiguru is this mixture of

ancient art or artist, I don’t know

what to call it, but it’s a culture,

just like poetry has been there since

the days of old like the poetry for

mitupo (totems), “Maita Soko, maita

Gudo vanotibira chibage mumunda…”,

something like that into the

modern sphere. Madzitatiguru is

this person who tries to bring that

ancient culture into the modern

sphere or tries to bring relevance

into the things that happen today

using ancient methods. So that’s

why Madzitatiguru would be

called the

Urban Ancient poet because he

brings the ancient culture into

the modern atmosphere.

GM.: Why did you choose

poetry? When did you start

with poetry?

MTG: I started in 1995 when I

was 5 years old. I didn’t actually

choose poetry then, it was a

matter of a teacher picking me

out in nursery school of a poem

that they wrote. But I kept on

remembering when I went to

school that I did a poem called

“Education”, I don’t remember

the words exactly, but I

remember the title of the poem,

I remember myself reciting it.

So I always knew

63

that I had a poetic nature in me

that had been induced by

someone else but it was part of

me. So when I was in primary

school I never did much in poetry

but I would read the ones in the

books, maybe I’d be the one of the

few reading the poetry sections of

the text books. Then when I

really started reciting poetry on

my own terms as in something I

wrote originally, actually I co-

wrote the poem with somebody

but I recited a poem when I was

in form 4 in 2006. I was supposed

to write a speech, I’m a public

speaker as well; I was part of the

public speaking group of the

school. So they asked us to write

speeches, to deliver speeches for

Africa day, so I wanted to play

truant, and tried to run away so I

didn’t write anything. So when

the day came my teacher asked

me to deliver the speech and I

told him that I didn’t write

anything so he said go and deliver

an impromptu speech about

Africa Day. So the other members

of the club decided that I should

go last because I was the only

male. So I went on stage then

delivered a poem that I once

wrote. I remember one teacher

congratulating me and giving me

a large ‘stash’ of money

equivalent to today’s $20. I made

my professional debut at

Chinhoyi University in 2010,then

in 2011 I was on the House of

Hunger Poetry Slam stage-and

that’s when I started my

professional career.

GM.: What inspires your work?

MTG : It’s fortunate or

unfortunate that the things that

inspire me are the negative things

that I go through-the things

around me that affect me

negatively. I know that there are a

lot of things to talk about like being

happy, parties and love, but I feel

that I don’t quite do justice to those

things that’s why I let the Tehn

Diamonds and Junior Browns sing

about being ‘happy’ and everybody

will be singing along with them,

but you wont find me part of those

things. I write about stuff that I see

and things that happen to me.

GM.: How receptive are people to

the genre of poetry. What can be

done to improve the art?

MTG: Currently poetry has been

for certain people; if you don’t

know that there is poetry

somewhere then you don’t know is

for some people. Poetry is

recognised with Book Café because

the Book Café has a lot of arts

activities that it caters for-meaning

that the Book Café is the biggest

platform for poetry. People know

poetry is there but do not go to

where it is performed. That shows

that poetry has value but not the

value that it should have. I think

that poetry is secluded to a certain

class of people. Poetry should be

brought to the people and should

be relatable to everyone. We need

to bridge the that gap and remove

stereotypes from poetry.

GM.: You have done festivals

including Shoko and HIFA

what has the experience been

like. Any projects you are

doing?

MTG: Right now, I don’t know

what to call it an album or

something but I’m working on a

project that I entitled, ‘Nhau

Dzepadare’, then in English it is

called ‘Ciphers of The Ancient’-

which is a mixture of a lot of

things including music, poetry

and theatre. It’s more of a ribbon

tape. There is a connected from

one “track” to the next from the

beginning to the end but I

wouldn’t exactly call it an album.

I’m also doing collabos and

mixed tapes with some artists.

I’m also writing tracks for

consulting artists-lyrical content

that I just come in to add. I made

debut at HIFA. This year and it

was an elevation. It was different

because I didn’t know about 90%

of the people, so I saw it as an

opportunity for my artistry to

develop and grow. So because of

that I had an adrenalin rush

which was constant even before

I went on stage. I noticed as I

was interacting with people, I

could feel this energy different

from other even that I have

attended. The experience was

quite great.

GM.: You were a participant at

this year's Shoko festival.

Could you please share your

experience.

64

POEM by Madzitatiguru

If I’m louder than possible Then it’s because of the microphone But the microphone does not amplify To the amplitude on its own You’re going to need an amplifier, A mixer and at least one loud speaker I’m the speaker and I’m loud So you won’t need your magnetic speaker You need me You see, I remember ndichiri mupfana kuchicrosswa makumbo MuPeugeot 504, ndichigara pamakumbo Zvichinzi uyu haabhadhare, ihalf ticket Ndichinzi number 7 webhora because of maRickets Ane mateya mwana uyu apa airehwa ndini Mavende achinzi magedhi ebhora kuchiru nemabhini Emadrum akachekwa aiita ngura kukanaya Matoys achinzi anogara mumba panze tichitamba nemota Kana zvidhinha zvekusunda zvichinzi bhazi Mabhazi ekupinda ghetto ari ma AVM Kombi ichiri kunzi mini bus Yakazotanga kudaidzwa kunzi kombi after VW 2.5 ndokubva yanyorwa kuti commuter Omni bus Yakuplacer ma e.t ayo akudzoka futi nhasi muna Leopold Takawira Yakapinda two dollar coin ichinzi pangolin Tiri vapfanha tichinyeperana kuti I goridhe Paholiday ya August neya December I remember tichiskera matemba… ….takaungana nemacousin hobho Pachi releaswa mafresh, vana ‘’priz, priz mahobho’’

Wangu usamuzembera ndapota Chirimupoto chimbambaira chiri mupoto Dhikondo ndera mai vaDhikondo Muvharanda majose mune tutable netuchair netusikana tunotamba Tuchiti ndochi….. …ndomazuva ainetsa fashani yakudzoka futi nhasi yema scotch-scotch Nemadungaree Namadhikauzi, masize hombe ema earring Batista na John Cena vasati vapinda mupicture Kuna Lex Luger, Yokozuna na Kamala Hulk Hogan, Jim Dugan, Navaya tsano vanonzi Undertaker Tsano vaya vagara Machips aya anonzi maJohn Cena haasiriwo akatanga kutora zita kubva kuwrestling, zvakatanga nema Doink Magen’a aizvipenda kumeso ogan’gira vanhu Hapana chinhu chitsva pasi pezuva Kusati kwana DJ Chilli naDJ Naida Kwaiva na John Phiri naEric Knight the night rider Coke on the beat na Tich Mataz tichiiona pablack and white Zvichitoshamisira kuti mune colour TV Macolour TV tese tanawo zvakushamisira nhasi ndezve kuti mune plasma TV in 3D VCR yakatombonetsa sekunetsa kwakaita DVD Macassette eparadio tichirewinda nemapen Kukazouya macd Cd rinoscratcheka seku scratcheka kunoita mavinyl record History repeats itself saka stadha marecords enhorondo

MTG: Over ally I enjoyed the

experience. . You can imagine from the

Chiwoniso Maraire main stage at

Water Whirld, all the way to the King

Pinn Main stage in Glen Norah (Peace

in the hood). Shoko Festival is a bridge.

On artist development, the workshops

were really informative. However, a

personal highlight was the poetry slam.

I was asked to be Slam Master and I

took it up without any prior

experience. I had never performed in

"numbers" before so you can imagine

my confusion. It was a difficult

transition but I got the hang of it in the

end. I learnt a lot and I'd be interested

in a chance to have another go at it

with a different energy.

GM.: Where do you want to take

poetry?

MTG: I hadn’t thought about it that

way but I would like to do things that

are relevant. I would like to earn a

living as well. People differ; everybody

has their role and their place in this

world . Like there are people to

entertain other people and there are

people to inform and those to heal

people and I could go on. But I would

like to be that one person who reveals

things to people about things that they

do not see and help them see. What I

would like to do with my poetry is to

expand as an artist as well as the way

that I deliver the poetry I would like to

bring something unique to the people.

that they can enjoy but also enlighten

them by giving solutions to their

problems. I enjoy entertaining people

but also in forming them.

GM.: Last word…

MTG: There is more value in the

build-up to a five minute performance

so people should value that.

65

SCENE

By Tendekai Tati

Shoko Festival: We Are

The People!

In the Scope of a Poet’s view: Shoko

festival 2013

The poetry scene in Zimbabwe as it

stands has a lot of talent and

contrary to what most people say, it

has and it is still growing, it’s only

that the progression is gradual. One

of the platforms to thank for this

gradual progression has notably

been the Shoko festival.

As biased to poetry as this article is,

what is the Shoko Festival anyway?,

Lest we might take it for granted

that the individual reading this is

aware.

According to the founders, the

Shoko Festival is an initiative of

Magamba network, one of the

country’s leading urban culture

organisation working on the cutting

edge of culture activism and new

media. The festival was launched in

2011 beginning as a 3 day

programme , going on to expand to

a 6 day programme in 2012. It has

brought together leading

International acts and leading local

acts in their various sectors of art.

That includes music, comedy,

poetry , and some elements of the

Hip hop culture including graffiti

and dance.

Who is the Suitable audience?

Well in my opinion, the festival is

so versatile that everyone is

included; all it takes is to just pick

up the programme (which is in the

form of a magazine by the way)

and choose which shows that suit

your preference from the line up of

shows. In addition, the festival

also includes a number of

workshops for artists and the

community.

On this years’ programme,

performances kicked off with the

Shoko Comedy Night. The Host

was Clive Chigubhu , the youngest

fastest growing stand-up

comedian in Zimbabwe (Google

that name). On the line-up of

comedians were Carl Joshua

Ncube, Simba the Comic King ,

both from Zimbabwe , then Kagiso

Lediga and Tumi Morake , both

from South Africa. All five are the

biggest names in both countries

and indeed they proved why.

The second night was the

‘Breaking Barriers ’ poetry slam.

This was held in partnership with

Pamberi Trust (Book Cafe) .

There were three South African poets

, Afurakan (Champion 2012) , Ewok

and Masai Dabula (Champion 2013) ,

Ian Kamau(Canada) , ?oem Tha

Answer (Botswana, the question

mark is not a typo) .

From Zimbabwe, Orator took the

lime light and made it the top three

,along with Ewok and Masai, the

winner. Bravoman from Zimbabwe

(the Star Brite finalist), made a great

audience engaging performance but

failed to capture the judges and was

knocked out in the second round.

Tinashe was the only lady that made

it to the 3rd round but all this is not

to say the other poets did not do well ,

as the Poetry slam culture goes , the

finalist were just ” Lucky”.

“The Rising” was the theme for the

first performances at the Chiwoniso

Maraire main stage at Waterwhirld.

This saw artist such as Ian Kamau

(Canada) , Mzungu Kichaa

(Tanzania) , Tariro Neguitar (oops

Negitare) and Tony Rebel

performing. “The Shutdown” on the

same stage the following day had

Khuli Chana (wish him well on his

recovery) , Junior Brown( The feeling

aint fair ,right?) Symbiz Sound,

Dhadza D ,Netsayi and the Monkey

Nuts. MMT did a pretty good

performance too, and so did Simba

Tags . The event was really loaded!

(Where were you?)

66

ADVERTISE HERE

69

The Julius Chongono stage

“Sunset” had Momo Size with a

well polished violin and guitar

backed poetry act. Charity did an

acoustic music and poetry set and

then Josh Meck did a Solo with a

bass guitar .(That was amazing by

the way) . As Josh Meck was

closing, he called a poet on the

stage and Madzitatiguru turned

up giving a dose of unusual

“Poetry and Bass fusion ” (it was

unusual for me ). The following

“sunset” featured SoProfound,

Batsirai E Chigama (with a band)

and ?oem the Answa (I insist , the

Question Mark is not a typo).

To close of the festival was ‘Peace

in the Hood’, that was held at

Glen Norah shops on the King

Pinn stage. This event was filled

with local and international acts

who gave explosive performances.

There was also spray-can art

(graffiti ) and a number of dance

ciphers around the area. I

personally liked most of the

performances but Symbiz Sound

Shut it down , enough said...

The Hub Unconference

By Elspeth Chimedza Being my first time to attend Shoko Festival, I was delighted to attend at least one of the workshops, by invitation of course. In a day and age where technology has made the dissemination of information faster, accessible and somewhat reliable, how do we as young people in media utilise this tool to share information which could change our world. In attendance were eager journalism students, social media activists, youth activists, technological developers and of course artists. A great mix for exchange of knowledge about media trends, tools, applications and even styles of relaying information to the world around us. Facilitators included Lukonga Lindunda (Zambia), Natasha Msonza (Zimbabwe), Privilege Musvanhiri (Zimbabwe), Koketso Moeti(South Africa) and Fungai Machirori (Zimbabwe); with each of them sharing their challenges with media, new innovations in improving media and the importance of one’s online presence. Lukonga discussed about the “Mobile Revolution” whereby mobile phones are slowly replacing large computer monitors as technology advances hence the accessibility to the internet and other applications by every mobile user. Apparently “most people in Africa will never use a computer….”-Gustav Prackett; and seeing the increasing purchase of smart phones by most ‘urbanites’ in Africa and the trend is slowly encroaching rural areas , too. On the other hand, Natasha shared about using phones for social impact and how to secure our phones so as to avoid ‘índiscretions’ in the case that a phone lands in the wrong hands. (Wise advice).

A new way of telling stories in media is through ‘Visual Story telling’. Story maker is a software created by Small world News (USA) in assisting journalists in visual story telling. A very interesting innovation which is still undergoing testing and upgrading but it could change the way people share information. So how many of us are into blogging or follow blogs? I myself am a blogger (although I have not been very consistent ), and Koketso Moeti and Fungai Machirori opened my eyes about ‘blogging in the future’. How important is blogging in disseminating information? How does one put value in blogging ? Well ,if done well, an individual can use blogging as a way of sharing things that affect them and the rest of the world. A blogger can also monetize their blogs for as long as they have the right strategies and consistency in assuring their readers relevant information that they can always look forward to. Fungai highlighted about an individual’s ‘digital footprint’; in English, the information history that you leave in cyberspace. In other words, think before you type and post anything on any platform because that leaves an impression of the kind of person you are and what one represents. The workshop was quite insightful looking at present journalism and what the future holds. Taking from the Shoko Festival theme I would say,” We are the people……the people who bring about change for the future!”

68

SHOKO FESTIVAL

FEATURE

SCENE

Having attended Shoko Festival we couldn’t just let the event pass by without

asking at least one international artist to share

with us their view of the festival and Zimbabwe as a whole. Lucky for us we got

hold of Tanzanian musician, Mzungu Kichaa who was more than glad to share with us not only his

journey as an artist in Africa , but the Shoko Festival experience.

GM.: Jambo, and welcome to Groove Magazine Zimbabwe. Please tell us about Mzungu Kichaa. Who is he? MK: That is a hard question. I always prefer it if someone else tells the story of who Mzungu Kichaa is. It is hard to talk about oneself, but I will try. I was born in the countryside in Denmark and I grew up in Zambia, age 6 - 10, in the rural village of Mapanza, where I went to the local primary school. I think this is where I became “African". Just like a child with one African parent or some kind of birth-given connection

to Africa, I decided to really take up Tanzanian culture and the language when I moved there with my parents at the age of 15. Choosing the name Mzungu Kichaa (crazy white man or murungu anopenga) was a hard process. I guess it is ironic and perhaps also shows that I accept that I am different, but I strongly believe that we are all different regardless of race or were we come from. My calling was to break down racial barriers and to give the negative meaning of Mzungu a new meaning or at least another meaning. GM.: So what inspires your

“I grew up in Zambia, age 6 - 10, in the rural village

of Mapanza, where I went to the local primary

school. I think this is where I became “African". ”

music and how relevant is it to young Africans in general? MK: I am inspired by all music. I even studied the mbira at one point during my bachelors degree in London, under Chartwell Dutiro who was a member of Thomas Mapfumo’s band Blacks Unlimited. I really, really feel this music. My first big inspirations in music (also when I was in Zambia) included Bob Marley, Alpha Blondie, Bhundu Boys, Kanda Bongo Man and Tracy Chapman. Later on I fell in love with Jimi Hendrix. Studying ethnomusicology at university also gave a lot of insight into traditional music from all over the world. But my passion has always been African music.

69

about how developed Zimbabwe was back then, compared to Zambia. Those days we had absolutely nothing! It seems that today Zimbabwe has a bad name and people abroad think it is still unstable. But I found it to be peaceful and the people I met to be easy going and very friendly. I have definitely already spread this "news" with the people I have met since my visit. GM.: You performed at Shoko Festival 2013, as well as shared your knowledge on song writing in a workshop. What was your experience like? MK: Performing at SHOKO was one of my highlights this year, and trust me I have been busy, and it is competing with a lot of other great events this year. But there was something special about Shoko and the audience. People really took time to listen and to understand my music and I really respect that.

I collaborated with Chabvondoka and Tariro Negitare who are all great musicians. The workshops that I did together with Tariro were also good fun. I always love to help inspire young artists face to face.

“Performing at SHOKO

was one of my highlights

this year,….” GM.: What did you learn from the whole Shoko Festival that you could take back to Tanzania? MK: I learnt a very good approach to holding a festival. I think what the Shoko Festival organisers are doing is very admirable and important. I really found that people were supportive and that they were doing a great job. It is an important community based initiative, at the same time as being professional and also providing very entertaining acts. I don´t think that anyone can complain about the line up. I mean, they programmed that crazy murungu.... joke aside, there was a lot of great music that I personally really enjoyed watching. I am also personally involved in managing and promoting events in Tanzania, so there are definitely a lot of ideas that I got from Shoko that I will try to incorporate into them. GM.: How well was your music received at Shoko Festival and by Zimbabweans at large especially after your radio interview?

“My calling was to break

down racial barriers and

to give the negative

meaning of Mzungu a

new meaning or at least

another meaning.”

especially the youth. But I always fuse some elements from the past into my music. We all share this past, which is what makes it relevant. I also write predominantly conscious music, whether its about love or politics, it is conscious and relative to what is happening around me. GM.: We understand that this was your first time in Zimbabwe. Please share with us your thoughts on Zimbabwe. MK: Wow.... Zimbabwe was an amazing experience for me. It was my first time to perform in Zimbabwe, but actually, I came there to visit a couple of times while I lived in Zambia (86-90) as a child. I was always impressed 70

GM.: Shoko means word. What words would you like to impart to young Zimbabweans, especially in the arts and entertainment industry? MK: Faith and Perseverance. Always have faith in what you are doing and keep persevering until you become nothing but the best. And those are some very motivating words from Mzungu Kichaa. We hope to have you back soon in Zimbabwe! For more Kichaa music follow him on:

MK: Well, that is hard for me to say. But in general I felt well received. I was happy on stage and so was my band and I could sense from the crowd that they were happy too. One thing that I didn´t expect was to find so many people who already knew about my music. But for me, what’s most important, is to make new fans and friends, and I definitely did that at Shoko. I think you need to ask someone else who attended the concert or listened to my music on the radio to really find out how I have been received in Zimbabwe since my visit. GM.: What are the differences between the urban music and culture in Tanzania and that of

Zimbabwe, that you have noticed? MK: I think that there are more similarities than differences. I feel I was there too short to really make a statement about that. GM.: Can we look forward to another visit from Mzungu Kichaa anytime soon? MK: Yes! At least I hope so... But I will definitely do my best to make it happen. First I need to put the final touches to my new album which will be coming out early next year. So make sure you tweet or Facebook me @mzungukichaa so that I can keep you updated.

Mzungu Kichaa and band

“…..what’s

most

important, is

to make new

fans and

friends, and I

definitely did

that at

Shoko.”

Mzungu Kichaa

@mzungukichaa

71

72

Album Reviews

Album : Lifted

Artist : Mr. Bell

Genre : Gospel

Record Label : Archangel Music

Date of release: September 2013

A double CD album with 23 tracks in total, Kenneth

Jonasi, popularly known as Mr. Bell, has really

worked hard on his comeback album after years of

being off the Zimbabwean scene and having been

based in South Africa. He wrote and produced most

of the songs having a balance of praise, which would

be the more upbeat tracks and worship, which are the

ballads. Well thought of and containing powerful,

inspirational messages, “Lifted” gives fans that

nostalgic Mr. Bell flavour that they were introduced

to, in the early 2000s, and a sound that is relevant to

current times. The album features the likes of vocally

talented Liezel Watson, Verlene Faro, Portia Jonasi,

rapper Afurakhan on “Rebel Music” and the

traditional hymn “The Lord Is my Shepherd” was co-

produced by pioneering urban grooves producer,

Delani Makhalima and additional arrangements by

Bernadine Bismarck. Some tracks like “I Can” and

“Come Together” include samples of inspirational

messages from Bishop Tudor Bismarck and the great

Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr. With a book to

accompany the album “Lifted” is sure to get you

lifted.

Rate:

Get it for: Believe it, whether you are into gospel

music or not, this is a must have album. The best

tracks from this album, both CDs would have to be

on CD 1: I Can, Come Together, Broken Rose, Lifted,

Entertain You and CD 2: I Believe, You Are The One,

Ngairire, So Help me God, Exalted and Handeyi.

MUSIC

Album : Fire Of Zamani

Artist : Ice Prince

Genre : Afro Pop/Rap

Record Label : Chocolate City

Date of release: November 2013

Ice Prince is one artist who has been known

for consistency and this album is nothing

short of that. Inspired by fellow musician,

Tuface’s song, the title of the album, “Fire Of

Zamani”, is a reflection of Ice Prince’s journey

in life and his career. Having been a BET

award winner, he managed to get

international artistes such as French

Montana and Wale to feature on this album,

which added to his five hit singles.

Impressive, we must say! So listeners get to

hear Ice’s vocals, which are pretty

exceptional and of course his powerful rap

which has made him one of Africa’s most

bankable artistes. Overally, this album is

good, with Ice playing around with different

sounds such as reggae/dancehall, and gospel

however, it has its moments where one can

question, ”Okay, Ice Prince what happened

on that track?”. But this “fire” of Zamani,

really brings the heat on and takes African

music to a whole new level on the

international scene.

Rate:

Get it for: Because it’s Ice Prince! But the

whole album is worth listening to. Aboki is

an obvious favourite, the groovy, Jambo,

Gimme Dat, Komotion, the hit-I Swear in

collaboration with French Montana and

Person Wey Sabi gets one into a great mood!

73

Album : Britney Jean

Artist : Britney Spears

Genre : Pop

Record Label : RCA

Date of release: 3 December 2013

So with a title for an album, “Britney Jean” one

would have thought that Ms. Spears was bringing

on her A-game with a probable feisty, over the top

“alter ego” so as to reclaim her title of Pop

princess however this album falls short of

Britney’s glory. It has been called her most

personal album to date, one tends to wonder

what’s been happening to her, personally? It is

public knowledge that this album was produced

after calling off her engagement, (which should

have been more reason to create a superb album),

however her eighth studio album has more lows

than highs. She was hands-on on this album and

allowed Will.i.Am to produce most of the songs.

What can we say, we love Britney and how sweet

and down-to-earth she is, but we miss the pop

superstar that we met in the late 90s. Oh well, it’s

good to see Britney back on the music scene and

we hope that her new Vegas gig will be

compensation for this album and remind fans

why they loved Britney so much.

Rate:

Get it for : Some tracks like the intro “Aliens”,

”Til It’s Gone”, ”Perfume”, ”Don’t Cry”, ”Now

That I Found You” and of course the reason why

we all have to ”Work B****”, with the lines "You

want a hot body? You want a Bugatti? You want a

Maserati? You better work, …“, are worthy tracks

to listen to.

Album : Beyoncé

Artist : Beyoncé

Genre : R&B/Pop

Record Label : Sony BMG

Date of release: 13 December 2013

If ever Queen B wanted to seal the stamp on

who runs the world, it was the day when she

secretly released her fifth studio album. With

no promotion and without the knowledge of her

record label, Beyoncé took one of the biggest

risks in music however she managed to break

iTunes records within three days of release. The

self-titled audio-visual album of 14 songs and 17

videos is the most personal album to date.

Actually after listening to the album, “Beyoncé”

is the music version of Mrs. Carter’s biopic,

“Life Is But A Dream”. There’s nothing fancy in

terms of production compared to the album’s

predecessors however this is the most intimate

that fans could get to Bey. She includes

husband, Jay Z, daughter Blue Ivy, Drake, Frank

Ocean and poet, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on

the album thus highlighting the elements that

make Beyoncé who she is. The videos are simple

and contain snippets of personal home videos,

showing how far Beyoncé has come as an artist

and a person.

Rate:

Get it for: For the ultra Beyoncé fan this album

is a must-have as it encompasses soulful ballads,

the “girl-power” tracks and of course why being

Mrs. Carter is so fab. The best tracks on this

album are Flawless, Drunk In Love, Pretty

Hurts, Jealous, Mine and Superpower. As for

the videos, it is whatever you relate to, we love

“Grown Woman”!

The beat makers…

What are the

components of a good

song? Some say a

singer’s voice. Others

prefer to qualify a

song by the lyrics.

Whilst most would

agree that it is

definitely the beat.

And Groove magazine

understands the

many fundamentals

of a great song so

with that we found

out from one of the

many talented ‘beat

makers’ in

Zimbabwe, local

music producer Evans

Dube about making

‘beats’.

Evans ‘Block 101’

Dube

Evans Dube (TG) is a music producer of production studio and label Block 101 which is based in Masasa Park, Harare. His journey as a producer began a couple of years back when he was in high school.

“In retrospect, it’s funny how long we’ve come and we haven’t even started yet. I went to Speciss College for high school and you can imagine we did the usual, chase girls, party and all the other stuff except study.” He was being a typical young man in high school although it seems that it was then when his passion began. Evans says that he started producing music or beats as it is called, to just mess around-or in his

honesty to get the girls. “Back in the day we started off with the basic stuff, working on cakewalk software and recording with budget headphone computer microphones. It was a friend of mine- Matthew Grey who introduced to all this chaos.” Well it was good chaos in our opinion.

Evans and his friends started

producing a whole bunch of

potentials from Masasa Park-

the hood. They started working

with people like TNL, who

were a group of youngsters

from Masasa Park. TNL

consisted of three members-

Tinashe, Natasha and Lionel.

”That’s when we released our

first album as a group of

collaborating artists-Block 101

had not been born yet. A couple

of years later we started calling

ourselves Block 101.” The idea

behind block 101 according to

Evans was that they were a

group of producers and friends

who worked with potential

artists one on one, face to face

and interactively from the

beginning. Block 101 was all

about developing potential

talent in the hood and

developing it to become the

“In retrospect, it’s funny how

long we’ve come and we

haven’t even started yet.”

74

next big thing. “We started from

humble beginnings. It was all about

learning,

We were virgins in the business and

we had no idea where we were going

or how we were going to get there but

we were having fun and we were

learning-that’s all that counted.”

When they started they were

producing urban grooves and hip-

hop. “We were trying to make music

tailored for Zimbabwean people-

which in our first couple of years, we

failed miserably but we were learning

and we had fun…”, and that’s all that

counted.

Their first big project was Block 101

Volume one which was released in

2011, eight years after they had started

making music. This compilation

included the likes of Varaidzo, J Boss,

Shamz, Thari Khris, Tricky-T, Ta$h,

Codacane, Sio-P and a whole bunch

of other talented singers and rappers

who slowly making headway in the

industry today. In the past decade

Block 101 has worked with the likes

of Tererai Mugwadi, Taurayi

Mandebvu, Maskiri, Reckless

Damage and Sanii Makhalima.

“We’ve also worked with a lot of

small time artists who have built the

backbone of Block 101 music

production who Block 101 wouldn’t

be Block 101 without them.

Currently block 101 has two main

producers who are Evans Dube and

Brighton (Dexter). They also have a

lot of other producers who specialize

at different genres of music as well as

instrumentals such as PhroPhos.

Block 101 genres include R&B, hip-hop, dub step, urban grooves, dancehall and house. Their first major breakthrough as a label was with Varaidzo, the R&B singer. Currently block 101 has two main producers who are Evans Dube and Brighton (Dexter). They also have a lot of other producers who specialize in different genres of music as well as instrumentals such as PhroPhos. Block 101 genres include R&B, hip-hop, dub step, urban grooves, dancehall and house. Their first major breakthrough as a label was with Varaidzo, the R&B singer.

“We are proud to call her a product of

Block 101 as we were the first to work

with her and develop her as an artist.”

So where does Block 101 see

themselves in the years to come? “In

the future we are hoping to expand

Block 101 beyond our borders and

work with international artists like P

Square, D Banj, David Guetta and

Calvin Harris.” Their music has been

getting international recognition

especially in the States by people in

California. They have had

collaborations with the Nigerian

artist Mark Hayes and UK producer

Bill Van.

Evans’ thoughts on the music

industry in Zimbabwe are, “The

challenge facing music producers in

Zimbabwe today is that we are

incompetent in comparison to

international markets and

international standards.” He adds on,

“Our music is failing to make it

internationally and it only appeals to

local Zimbabweans. For the industry

to grow it has to appeal to

international markets.” He also

believes that our lack of production

schools such as degrees in Music

offered by schools such as Witts

University in South Africa and

Berkley in the USA is a major

hindrance to our development.

“When one is learning about music

production in Zimbabwe, he learns

at home and uses pirated software

like Fruity loops,” says Evans.. “For

the industry to grow it has to appeal

to international markets.”

He also believes that our lack of

production schools such as degrees

in Music offered by schools such as

Witts University in South Africa

and Berkley in the USA is a major

hindrance to our development.

“When one is learning about music

production in Zimbabwe, he learns

at home and uses pirated software

like Fruity loops,” says Evans,

“Because of our lack of international

standard in music production

education, we fail to produce music

that is internationally recognised

because it lacks the quality to get

there.”

It is not all negative though. “We

have managed to make reasonable

progress and we have stars like

“We started from

humble beginnings.

It was all about

learning,…..”

75

“In conclusion, we need the support

of the Zimbabwean people and we

are going to make you proud.” Big

dreams and great ambitions, Block

101 are aiming for world class.

Upcoming artists who need to be

produced and producers who would

like to collaborate with Block 101

you can get hold of them on:

Email: block1o1@outlook.com

“Because of our lack

of international

standard in music

production

education, we fail to

produce music that

is internationally

recognised because

it lacks the quality to

get there.”

Tuku and Mapfumo who are the

pioneers of Zimbabwean music

and have taken it international.”

In his thoughts, in order to

improve our music we need to

have centres where industry

professionals come in and teach

local producers how to make the

best music. “I think we need to

have better quality music

education in our schools in

Zimbabwe music education is

but a myth.”

Block 101 has prospects of

becoming a major production

house and label in Africa. “We

firstly need to improve our

quality of music as well as

become an internationally

recognised label.”

They also aim at grooming more

talent in Zimbabwe and getting

professional artists from abroad

to come and train our artists.

76

Check out the music that they

produce on:

www.reverbnation.com/block1o1

www.soundcloud.com/block1o1

And like their page on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/BLOCK101

On the decks ...

Club DJs

Shumbatafari: DJ V & DJ

Banks

They rock the radio airwaves by

getting the weekend started with

their club tunes, and they are part

of a brand that calls out all the

party people to the clubs. If you

have not heard these guys play, you

better start now because they

definitely know how to spin those

decks. They are n’sync like the

music they play; they bring the

house down and they are the

members of Shumbatafari, Dj V

and Dj Banks.

GM.: Welcome to Groove magazine.

Please tell us about yourselves

DJ Banks: You mean individually, or as

a group? (Brief chattering between DJ V

and DJ Banks)

DJ V: We are brothers as well as

cousins. What else can I tell you? Uh,

and uh we are a group. Our group is

called Shumbatafari, you know, though

we’ve got our individual names in the

group, as we play individual genres of

music in the group.

So yeah, the real Shumbatafari

is kinda like a house name, like

a brand, you know like my shirt

here, the Shumbatafari shirt.

Banks has got his own thing

going on but you know, he can

wear the Shumbatafari shirt but

I can’t wear his label so it’s like

DJ Banks is gonna sign his label

so it’s like has got his own label

so. (He laughs)

GM.: Okay.

DJ V: Yeah so this is like the house brand, you see, we…..we are brothers, we are family. We

came up with the concept

which, this concept of

Shumbatafari. Shumba

means we are like tough a

shumba. Uh…Tafari is

derived from tafara in a

Rasta way…eh like we

please people, our job, like

it kinda like beats. There

are some people that Rasta

people come and tell me

what it means just from

hearing the name but some

people find it hard to

understand what it

actually means but…

77

DJ V: Well for me it’s a long story.

It dates back to maybe 10 years ago

when I had a passion for music and

instrument. I had a sound system

so we used to promote bands and

stuff. Then I just, from that culture

of entertaining people, promoting

other people’s shows, I started

deejaying at these shows then I

realised that deejaying could be an

art that I could master myself and

make money out of deejaying. So

my brother KB who is the actual

founder of Shumbatafari, the guy

with the actual concept of

Shumbatafari, the late Tapiwa

LenninTapfumaneyi a.k.a DJ KB.

You know when this guy was in

New Zealand for 10 years he was

jamming all around New Zealand

at festivals and he worked on radio

at Munt FM and then he came

back in 2009.When he came back

we sat down and he said “Let’s

stop this whole promotional thing

with the band because it’s killing

our sound and it’s going down the

drain”, and it wasn’t bringing us

anything although we had a

passion for music and supporting

those people, “we are supposed to

maintain our sound at the end of

the day”, KB. So KB being a dj, a

professional dj, sat me down and

said that we needed to work out

something out making money out

of our own sound. He taught me

professional deejaying and that is

how Shumbatafari began in

Zimbabwe, though it’s already an

international brand.

The first question he asked me was

what kind of music do I want to

play? And I told him that I want to

play house music. He told me that

house music was good but I need to

understand the basics of house

music in a way no one understands

house music. “When you go to a

show, when you play house music,

other people will know that this guy

knows his house music.” So he

contacted Banks in SA and Banks

came through, after 10 years of being

out. We sat down and went through

to open a studio in Southerton,

which was our meeting point, our

starting point. Our friend Chippaz

Promotions is also part director in

Shumbatafari. Shumbatafari is a

registered company. So we opened a

studio and we got a chance to play

through Banks’ contacts, we got an

audition at Rugby bar. Banks took

the bull by the horns and he did his

thing. And the other guys who were

there were chased away. (Laughs)

and we took over Rugby bar and

from Rugby bar came other links.

We played at Rugby Bar for one year

and eight months from June 2011 to

the 31st of December 2012. We had a

good following at Rugby bar and we

don’t regret Rugby bar because

that’s where most people know us

from but we failed to market our

brand. We marketed Rugby bar and

people still go to Rugby there,

”Kuchinzi kuRugby bar kunofaya”

(saying that Rugby bar is hot!).

We didn’t market DJ V, DJ

Banks, or DJ KB. Out of all of that

though, we got club events to

mention a few that are really big

including the Big Brother Africa

Wendall Welcome party,

Schweppes Sparkling water

event. With Delta, we have a

longstanding relationship

especially DJ Banks he played at

the Burn Launch, and he also

played at the P-Square beer fest,

alongside DJ Raydizz. But before

all this came along he was

playing at Universities like at the

Lion Lager universities beer fest.

So yes, Banks has a longstanding

relationship; so as a family when

one gets something we always

work together, so there are many

of us because you can never

entertain a crowd on your own.

We need to entertain people so

that they remember our name.

But we didn’t start in Harare. In

Chinhoyi as djs we realised that

we can’t go any further in

Chinhoyi, we had people coming

from the surrounding farms. We

didn’t think that we still had

white people on the farms

(laughs a little), but I remember

that a couple of white guys

telling us that we are good and

appreciating that we can play

house music. We made a lot of

progress in Chinhoyi then we

moved to Harare. Now DJ Banks

and I are currently on radio.

78

GM.: Is there a difference

between being a club dj and

being a radio personality/dj?

DJ Banks: There’s a very, very big

difference. I think that one major

difference is being a radio dj;

your focus is mainly on

interacting and talking to the

people. You have got your music

set out for you. You’ve been told

already what you have to play-

it’s like a script. But being a club

dj, you have to be creative. You

have to be creative with song

selection, reading the crowd and

what people like. That’s basically

it, the major difference.

GM.: Who is inspires you?

DJ V: Wow! You know the

concept of Shumbatafari is a

professional, international brand

that whenever Banks gets called

to Madagascar, or Amsterdam or

Budapest, he’s going to play you

see now. Let’s just say Banks has

his own music genre, when I turn

on the radio without even

finishing the song automatically

I’ll know that it’s Banks, because

he has his own style of music.

The speed of the song, or the way

he samples his beats, that’s DJ

Banks. Shumbatafari style is that

we don’t copy other people

although we have people that we

look up to for standard of play or

the people that take us to the

next level. They are trendsetters

for everyone; anyone can have his

own style.

DJ Banks: Yeah before I started I

used to envy two guys based in

SA, DJ Reddy D, and then the

American dj, DJ Sleek, I play his

extended version and now I’m

doing my own, but that’s one guy

I like his sound.

DJ V: As for me on that aspect I

like DJ Euphonik, Chrisen, and I

could take Kent. There is this guy

who’s coming up in SA, his name

is DJ Crystal. He has a unique

sound. Although my style of

playing is totally different to

theirs. I have learnt songs that

are appealing to you as a

Zimbabwean, not take their style

as other djs. So I mix, well we all

do that, get a local blend. I think

that we were the first djs to be

mixing local songs in our sets

with people dancing because

local dancehall was seen as

something that was out but then

I heard Banks playing,

‘Takaipa,takaipa’ and everyone was

jumping and you know it just

changed the vibe at Rugby bar.

GM.: What is the market like

for club djs? What could be

done to improve it?

DJ Banks: I don’t know. It seems

that the crowd, I’ll talk more of

Harare because that’s what I

know. They are moving to

outdoor venues. They don’t want

to be closed up, they are more

about outdoor-open events e.g.

Rugby Bar, paHuku-people want

air.

So I don’t know maybe it’s because

there are not that much took at-to

look forward to in terms of clubs.

There are quite a few that are top

notch that you can enjoy yourself

freely with no havoc, good

infrastructure, they are very few. So

maybe if there are few that pop-up;

that improves the club scene.

GM.: You play on our local radio

stations. What is it like? Is there a

difference between radio and the

live scene?

DJ V: There is a big difference.

Playing on radio is for listening.

There are some songs that you

cannot play on air that you can play

on a live set and there are those that

you can play on radio. Radio reaches

out to many people like many things

are involved when playing on radio

such as censorship, timing and stuff.

So imagine that you’re playing in a

closed room and there’s no one

dancing in that room except you

nodding your head and some boring

host who is busy writing his notes.

But there is another guy in a kombi

planning his night, right there and

he is blasting his speakers and there

is a granny who is sitted by the

radio.

DJ Banks: (Laughing) wondering

what the hell? You can’t control the

crowd.

DJ V: You are playing to a bigger

crowd. But what you can do now,

you have to blend your music to suit

everyone and everyone can

appreciate what you are doing at

that particular moment.

79

DJ Banks: And also the one good

thing, one advantage of radio over

live sets, you know they say that

your personality is who you are in

the dark, so when you are there

alone there is minimum interaction

with whom you are playing for so

it’s easy for you to be yourself. In the

club there is someone who doesn’t

like what you are playing, they are

holding a bottle and they are

looking at you. (Everybody laughs)

.They can’t wait for you to finish. It’s

not easy.

DJ V: That’s when you show your

musical maturity. You know some

people go on radio and they just

play songs. On radio there is that

chance of introducing new songs

and you know showing people your

style. I believe Banks has been on

radio so many times and he has

developed his style. That’s one thing

that takes us back as djs.

GM.: Which artists/djs would you

like to work with locally,

regionally and internationally?

DJ Banks: Wow! Locally? Hmm

(Thinking) I’ve worked with most

of them. But I have to say Winky D

and Gutspy Warrior. Those two

really know what to do.

DJ V: Or people you wouldn’t want

to work like Mic Inity. You’ve

deejayed for him? (looking at Banks)

DJ Banks: I’ve worked with him but

I’ve not deejayed for him.

DJ V: I wouldn’t want to work

with him. He has no respect for

djs. People should respect djs. DJ

Banks when he’s sitting here no

one knows that he has degrees.

We are actually educated, we both

have degrees, and we went to

school. We are actually looking

forward to masters even have a

doctorate. The problem with most

people is that when they see a dj

and think that they are not

educated. There’s a big market for

djs. There are some big djs that we

don’t know about that are in

Harare but we don’t know them.

They are probably in the Brook,

playing for weddings in the Brook.

DJ Banks: Regionally I would love

to work with 2Face Idibia, I know

that it is random, many would ask

me. I would also like to work with

these guys Radio and Wizzo from

Kenya. From SA, I’m a huge fan of

HHP, he’s really good on stage and

I would like to see DJ Fresh before

he gets old. (Laughs) Yeah,

internationally I’m a very, very big

dancehall fan. I love dancehall.

Most of them have already come

here. If I were to choose who I’d

want to work with? I know that

Mavado came but I would love to

work with Mavado. I was part of

the Popcaan concert, I actually

deejayed there. But I would love to

be on stage, up close with Mavado.

I think that’s about it. And please

bring Jay Z to Zimbabwe. That’s

an extreme dream, you can tell.

(Laughs)

DJ V: Artists and DJs? You see

with the type of house that I

play; say that I get a chance to

play; I wouldn’t mind giving a

shot at performing live with

Toya DeLazy. She’s got that

groovy, unique style, you know,

that’s bumping and gets

everyone moving. Em, DJs? I

don’t want to look too high. I

just want to see what I can do

within the next three, four

years. I want to perform with

Euphonik and share decks with

the likes of Kent; and actually

show my style to those guys.

And that’s about it. (Thinking)

I look up to guys such as Nikki

Romero, Dmitri Vega. Those are

the guys that inspire me, they

do it. At the, what you call that

annual festival with Swedish

House Mafia? (Asking DJ

Banks) Yeah, the Tomorrow

land festival. Those guys, they

really showed the power of the

DJ, producing songs, you know,

just like how David Guetta

turned around the art of music

with Black Eyed Peas making a

beat for those guys and actually

making a world hit platinum

single, “I’ve got a feeling”. I

think it was a hit during the

world cup, so yeah, something

like that. I think that

Zimbabwe can be part of that

as long as we appreciate our

own style of music.

80

G.M.: Where do you want to

take your deejaying career?

DJ V: I think that we have to

speak as a crew now.

DJ Banks: Well, we dream of

Shumbatafari as a big household

brand. We are not just focused

on linking djs like this but we are

thinking of venturing into

producing. I was approached by

Valentine about. V is working on

a track. (Laughs)

DJ V: (Looking at DJ Banks)

Yeah he’s been teaching me.

DJ Banks: It’s been a passion of

mine.

DJ V: I think that it’s working.

Like when you go play with other

djs when you are like a

producer/dj it’s kind of not fair.

It’s like someone who’s using a

geyser and you are boiling water

to bath.

DJ Banks: We’ve plans of

venturing into that I think that

you have a track (looking at DJ

V) that you are working on.

DJ V: Yes I have a track that I’m

working on. You must listen to

the track.

GM.: What advice would you

give to a young people

interested in pursuing

deejaying as a part time/full

time career?

DJ V: When I look at deejaying

as an industry, it’s important

that you make your own style of

music. Focus and know; and

really understand what you are

doing. I believe that deejaying is

an industry even for someone

wearing a suit and tie, but don’t

compare the job to a dj.

DJ Banks: Be versatile, be

different. Know why you are

doing it. Be bold, be the guy if

you want to make a living out of

it. It can pay bills.

DJ V: KB we always look up to

our brother, our late brother for

teaching us the work. You

know we always had a problem

we would go to him and ask

him. He was the least popular

of us all but he got us through

many things. Where we are

today is because of him.

DJ Banks: Big up KB! Mukanya!

If you get lost, then follow his track. Check out DJ V’s house track “Sekele” featuring Djembe Monks and Thandoe. Out now!

Tune into Star FM for all your

party hits and club bangers with:

DJ V on the Flight mix at 1830

hours on Friday

DJ Banks on TXO at 1430 hours on

Wednesday

DJ Banks on the All Star Party at

2000 hours on Saturday

“The problem with most

people is that when they

see a dj and think that

they are not educated.

There’s a big market for

djs.”

“When I look at

deejaying as an

industry, it’s

important that you

make your own

style of music. “-DJ

V

81

82

In the next issue…

• What 2014 has in store for you:

Year plan

• More summer fashion

• Stars to look out for in 2014

• Music & Entertainment

• G Quiz: What is your love

language?

• Gifts for him and her for this

Valentines Day

…and so much more!

SUBSCRIBER WHO WILL RECEIVE

GROOVE MAGAZINE AS FROM MARCH

2014 Surname and initials______________________________ First name_________________________________________ Postal address _________________________________ Date of birth (dd/mm/yy) ______________________ Telephone (w) ____________ Mobile____________ Email ___________________________________________

ACCOUNT HOLDER Surname and initials ______________________________ First name _________________________________________ Postal address___________________________________ __________________________________________________ Date of birth (dd/mm/yy)_______________________ Telephone (w)______________ Mobile____________ Email ____________________________________________ Subscription 6 months ($9) new renewal

METHOD OF PAYMENT

Cheque or postal orders to the amount of $9 Cheques payable to Debit Visa MasterCard with the amount of $9 Card No. expiry date_____________________________________________ Last three digits on back of the card______________________________ Signature of account holder_______________________________________ Debit my Cheque savings transmission account Every month $1.50 three months $4.50 6 months $9.00 (subject to price increases) NOTE: Cancellation of debit order must be done by the account holder Bank______________________ branch code______________________ Branch_____________________ account number I, the undersigned, request Groove Magazine Zimbabwe to arrange with my bank and Multi-Data to withdraw the amount to the authorized here from my account Signature of account holder_______________________________________ Date________________________________________________________________

This offer is only valid in Zimbabwe and expires on 28 February 2014. Your details may be used for promotion, if you don’t want us to receive them, please contact us. CONTACT DETAILS: +263 733 817 786, +263 775 821 040 subscribe@groovemagazinezim.com

Subscribe

Have you heard?

You can subscribe and get your copies of Groove Magazine at 25% …and get into the groove with the beat of the nation!

LAST WORD…

My very warm regards to all the

readers as we endeavour on this

the very first publication of Life

with Lance. Lance being me of

course. It’s a pleasure to meet

your acquaintance. I have been

haggling with myself the past

couple of days as I wanted to

make a very good impression on

you guys and well what better

way to do that than to discuss

first impressions.

I found this especially interesting

because it shows the power of first

impressions. How you introduce

yourself to a person, how you first

present yourself to a crowd, the

manner in which you enter into a

certain scenario; that to me

determines how your audience is

going to respond to whatever else

you are going to contribute from

that moment onwards. It’s the

courtship equivalent of bad breath,

because if the way your breath

smells cannot accommodate the

intended target of your words,

then I am afraid all attempts will

be futile and she may never know

of your how great a guy you truly

are all because you failed to use a

breath mint. Come on brother be

serious.

In literary works, in music,

probably in all forms of art, there is

huge emphasis on creating a great

introduction in your work. This is

meant to captivate the audience, to

grab them by the collar and

demand their attention. Why

simply because those very first

moments are the determinants of

whether or not that particular

piece is going to tickle your fancy.

Ladies will bear testament to me

that the intensity of foreplay is a

great indicator of enjoyment to

follow.

83

That very first moment when we encounter someone for the very first time, which my friends may determine how that person will view you from that day onwards, so my personal advice would be to take this seriously. One Kurt Vonnegut had this to say about first impressions; “Charm was a scheme for making strangers like and trust a person immediately, no matter what the charmer had in mind.”-Kurt Vonnegut, Breakfast of Champions.

Life with Lance !

Lancellote Chimedza

©2014

more of a glance that quickly runs

through the lady’s entire wardrobe,

and the smile becomes more

pronounced and I always throw in a

compliment, nothing too overcooked

(might indicate stalking) and always

indicate how it was a pleasure

meeting that person. The more

confidence you instil in them the

more they want to be around you

because you make her feel good about

herself. Those are just quick pointers I

picked up and they have worked

relatively well for me, try them, they

might work for you as well.

However at the end of it all, we just

need to realise that we only get one

shot at a first impression, and it is of

paramount importance that it be your

best, because it really does shape how

your audience relates to you

thereafter. However, failing to make

one is not the end of the world,

though it means a lot of work to make

up the difference. I surely hope I have

made a great impression with those of

you who come to read this. For my

aim is always to please your mind as

well as to educate. I trust I have done

both to the best of my ability and look

forward to a long a mutually

beneficial relationship.

So until the next edition of Life with

Lance, always remember eat right,

drink even better and always leave

some alcohol in the fridge for a

hangover. Cheers!

“However at the

end of it all, we

just need to

realise that we

only get one shot

at a first

impression, and it

is of paramount

importance that

it be your best,

because it really

does shape how

your audience

relates to you

thereafter.”

84

Stop blushing and agree with

me. It’s the truth and we all

know it, it’s in those initial

moments before that we realise

that we are in capable hands

and the actual act will just be,

but a fulfilment of expectations

created by that first impression.

When you are touched the right

way and handled with the

desired tenderness, all the

tension disappears; all of you

relax, as you wait to be taken.

There right there is the power

of first impression. It breaks

barriers of doubt, fear,

apprehension and insecurity,

which makes it easier to put

yourself across.

I have learnt a few tricks as I

grew up that help me to deliver

a more than decent first

impression judging by the

results. When meeting a person

of the same sex, I deliver a firm

grip, and a brief stare (yes I said

stare) accompanied by a subtle

smile and my name in full. This

projects me to be a confident

individual who is not afraid to

put himself out there and this

gives me a strong footing from

where to launch my “turf war”.

It is always a competition for us

men. However when meeting a

woman, the handshake remains

firm (sign of strength and

security), the stare becomes

ADVERTISE HERE

87

ADVERTISE HERE

88