Ngoni Dapira

HISTORY is expected to be made tonight (Saturday) at Manicaland Motoring Club for both the promoter Patson ‘Chipaz’ Chimbodza and the concert headliner, the multi-award winning singer and songwriter Jah Prayzah, as they will both have the daunting task of filling up the arena to reincarnate or surpass what the late superstar Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi did in 2014.

The event starts at 6pm till late.

Jah Prayzah

It was in September again when the late Tuku performed at Motoring Club to a massive crowd of over 2000 people. The multi-use motoring club arena in Mutare has a capacity of 5000 spectators. Now eight years down the lane, Mukudzeyi Mukombe, who goes by the stage name Jah Prayzah is the musician of the time and has become a perennial hitmaker in the mould of the late saManyanga as Tuku was affectionately known. This will be a litmus test to see if he has the same aura to draw a huge crowd and fill up Motoring Club.

In 2014, Tuku did not only just fill up Motoring, but he held a memorable show that was the talk of the town for months as he drew a rainbow crowd of revellers, white, Indian, coloured, black people across all ages, just to show how popular his music was appealing to all, regardless of race or creed. This will be the daunting task that Jah Prayzah will have to match or surpass tonight.

The late Oliver Mtukudzi

A well-travelled artiste in terms of staging regional and international shows, the 35 years old Jah Prayzah has 11 albums since he started in the music business in 2005 and launched his first commercial album ‘Sungano’ in 2007. Whilst his last album release was, ‘Takarasima ‘in August last year, Wagwizi as he is now affectionately called by his followers, is currently riding high with his latest singles ‘Furuwa’ and ‘Ticheneke’ that proved he is now in a league of his own. In the track ‘Furuwa’ which became Jah Prayzah’s first release this year, he reproduced the old classic love track ‘Furuwa’ by Tairos Tendaupenyu and the Rising Power Band and gave it a contemporary feel that has made the track go platinum. The track produced by Rodney Beatz was fused with a new tune but maintained the Furuwa lyrics as part of the chorus.

The precast wall of galvanised steel sheets that was put up for the show.

Barricades being set up at the venue to demarcate sections.

On the other hand, top Harare music promoter Chipaz has gone all out to make this concert a show stopper. The whole arena has been barricaded with galvanised steel sheets as precast walls whilst the VIP section has been well secured and will have a separate entrance and separate bar.

“Tickets are selling fast and I want to guarantee people that it will be a show worth attending as we have put measures in place for security and convenient services,” said Chipaz.

Freeman

The night will however not only be about Jah Prayzah as the contemporary choral music star Mambo Dhuterere and the charismatic Zimdancehall sensation Freeman also known as the HKD Boss, are a force to reckon with and will be expected to bring their A game. Emergy Slyvester Chizanga popularly known as Freeman HKD recently announced 8 October 2022 as the release date of his forthcoming latest album titled ‘David and Goliath’. The versatile artiste proved his mettle in the 2019 collaboration track ’Ngaibake’ that featured sungura maestro Alick Macheso as it became a chart buster. Mambo Dhuterere’s unique, contemporary choral music style has also grown fast to popularity and it will be a great opportunity for his Manicaland fans to meet with him as he rarely performs outside Harare.