The Observer - 16 February 2014 - 9
16 February 2014 - 9 - 11
08 December 2013
Music is in my blood - JayCee
Migrant labour film now out
T
T
Christabell Chari
Excoriate, and made history when
venue usually and only performed
he dancehall genre has they had their first album.
at by international celebrities like
he was first employed and his then wage of
Masimba Ngondonga
taken Zimbabwe by
“We were inspired to venture into
Beyonce, Chris Brown, Mariah
around five shillings.
storm and has seen thethedancehall asThebelieved the style of
we film poses debatable questions of
Carey and so on.
he art industry witnessed
birth
“It was an honour to fly to UK
of aemergenceunique film “Much tohad a unique feel in terms people who migrated
new and of new and music whether the Malawian of
adventurous musicians acrosswhich unveils the attention of and worked towards the
for the first time in my life, handina
the Land of Promise” the catching to Zimbabwe both the
the reasonsbreadth of the country.
length and behind Nyasaland people, now and old,” Chitate said. the current Zimbabwe
young development of
kumbofungidzira kana kurota
Malawi the high-density suburbs,
migrating to Southern Rhodesia, then decided to go solo
In
He should be compensated.
ndichakwirawo ndege rimwe zuva,”
Speaking to after the showcase Zengeya
now Zimbabwe and clearly outlines the
this genre of music rules supreme and left the group.inspirationon to from childhood
He went came
he said.
socio and economic implications associated said his
among the youth. Dancehall is now produce the hit song “Chachaya”, people that later
In 2013 Chitate produced
stories about Malawian
with the movement.
increasingly characterized byFirst Floor track about relationships wherefilm.
another album – his fourth - called
It was showcased at the faster a Art developed into this new
“The stories that for a
rhythms although
“Zvavharana” and had another
Gallery recently. it is known as a the guy denies responsibility I used to hear as a child
Written and directed by Cosmo Itayi about the Malawian people always crossed
genre of Jamaican popular music pregnancy.
tour to UK with Freeman and Lady
Zengeya, the film fuses live interviews The song caused a storm inhas made me develop a
of my mind and this many
that originated in the ‘70s.
Squanda in March 2013.
reality and bring out
different historians and experts bothparts of keen interest to see its its
from
Virtually all high-density suburbs
Harare and beyond
Chitate had one word of caution
Malawi and Zimbabwe together with fact the bigger picture of the Malawian people,”
have which drive every viewer to look into as a lot of people fell in love
produced their own dancehall borders he said.
for upcoming artists.
files
champions, some of whom have with this Meanwhile, an exhibition
“I would like to advice all the
retrospect and raises childhood memories great track and he became himinspired by the studio, forcing himself being invited to some major
to go back to
risen to who have everothers haveMalawianfor popular songs dubbed ‘From Sound to