Reggae Music in Zimbabwe

Reggae is one of the most respected music genres in Zimbabwe.  the Legendary Bob Marley graced the nation on the independence celebrations in 1980 and gave a iconic performance, he even composed a song for Zimbabwe. From that day on-wards the seed of reggae/dancehall was sown in the country. Fast-forward to 2015 the reggae/dancehall seed is evidently bearing fruit as ZimDancehall is the major music genre in the country. Reggae has however taken a back seat.

There are still a few artists who remain faithful to reggae/conscious songs as everyone is joining the dancehall wagon. Below are some of the existing reggae musicians in Zimbabwe:

• Transit Crew : The oldest reggae group in Zimbabwe, it was formed in 1988 and to date they still belt out some deep roots reggae tunes. Its members include : Munya Nyemba, Samaita Zindi and Anthony Liba also includes talented younger members Joshua Penga, Farai Kazembe, Jeffrey J, Farai Sithole, Rootsman Solo Spice, and Emmanuel Mannex Motsi (Who now sometimes performs with his own band) . Transit Crew are the most known and most toured Zimbabwean reggae group. They have released 4 albums to date: Sounds Playing (1988), The Message (1989), Money (1990) and Unity (2009). They laid the foundation for Zim Reggae and Dancehall in the country.
  

• Mannex Motsi - Entered the music scene more than 10 years ago. Mannex has belted out some classic reggae tunes such Munhu Mutema, Vavengi, Mwari Ndewe Munhu Wese and my Favourite Rozi. Mannex is still part of the Transit Crew but sometimes performs with his crew the "Mo Family" . His reggae music deep and full of meaning which l presume is one of the benefits from working with the oldest and biggest group in Zim reggae. Recently Mannex has tried to also penetrate the Dancehall scene to little success, Reggae is his music and he must stick to it, it may not be the most paying and most popular but he is one of the few who can make reggae a force to reckon with again.

• Mathias 'Matty' Julius ; Entered the music scene in 2011 and is based in the UK. His music is mellow and easy to listen to. Real conscious vibes is what you get from this gentleman. His songs include Pahushamwari Wedu, Yorira Ngoma and my favourite Matty Luv which he released this year. His music is getting more better and smoother by each song.
  

• Mic Inity : Has been in the music industry for more than 10 years. Mic Inity started by performing covers of popular reggae songs. He gathered quite a following as he continued performing cover songs, After some time he started receiving criticism for lacking creativity and this pushed him to release his first album titled "Freedom". The album performed fairly well and it silenced critics as he proved he has the mettle to create great reggae tunes on his own. Mic Inity sometimes collaborates with artists from various genres, he sometimes sings dancehall but with an oldskool dancehall flavor.. He is one of the best live performers in the country, and is blessed with a mighty voice that compares to that of the iconic Buju Banton. Launched his second album Survivor early this year.
  

• Ras Caleb Da Rascal Dread : Entered into the music scene a couple of years back but got his break last year with the socially conscious hit song Tokwe Mukosi. His career has blossomed since that song, currently he is regarded as the best reggae musician in the country. He has hits such as Mwana Wenyu Uyu, Mutoro, Nehanda, Anodada Neni and the current hit Toropito. He however also sings dancehall, which many fans complain about given the immense reggae songs he delivers. He has a unique voice that has made him recognizable, and his songs are full of message. 
  

Notable Mentions

• Culure T - One of the first local roots reggae artist. His sang reggae gospel (Many Zimbos do not even know that). Sadly he passed away in 2006 but his legacy still lives on. He gave us the classic songs Satan , Mumoyo Mangu, Dzimba Remabwe,Tinoda Chiedza  just to mention a few. Rest iN Peace Tendai Gamure " Culture T"
  

Feel free to comment with those that I have ommited.

Proud_Zimbo