By Trevor Makonyonga
The lock-down has come with many restrictions which have affected livelihoods and basic human rights like education. With all the seriousness associated with this terrible situation the world is in, musician,
Fidel Country Boy has penned a track that has lightened up the mood in Zimbabwe.
Many will agree that Tangai Bhawa managed to entertain through the good wordplay, relevant lyrics and probably just talking about what most people miss in their lives during this pandemic.
Not everyone has found the song to be amusing as Comic Pastor featured the artist on the August Awards’ Chekupenga of the month probably due to Fidel’s reference of God in the song. With many people posting videos singing along to the song and the impact it has had on the country, it would be ill conceived to disregard the contrasting effect the song has had on people.
Bustop TV caught up with Fidel to talk about Tangai Bhawa and Ten Pakufamba.
“As an artist and an entertainer I researched on what people
wanted. It is my role as an artist to get into people’s minds and obtaining what it is that they want at any given time. This way I realized people in the whole world missed clubbing. Ndakaona kuti vanhu vakuda bhawa
infact we miss it. So I was registering people’s concerns on how everything is opened except for drinking places.
So in my story then continued with an eye on our sisters (prostitutes). These sisters of ours have been hit hard because their business is at a standstill. So when the lockdown is over, people will be going out so the sisters are going to adjust their prices to upwards to ‘Ten pakufamba. ‘ Masister achakwidza obviously.
The Zimdancehall artist however emphasized that he is not condoning prostitution but simply predicting the most possibly reality.
“It’s not like I am promoting prostitution but I’m just saying what’s on the ground. I want to thank God because he gave me songs that are unique, songs which most artists I am meeting say they would have never been able to think of. Bhawa rikuvharwa masister achakwidza mitengo,” he said.
He also took time to clarify on the issue of using God’s name ‘in vain’.
“I did not blaspheme the name of God. God is for us all and he cannot be personalized by anyone. What I sang is what I wanted to do with my God. I was trying to preach on that song. I was saying people should not give an excuse that they are not praying because they are not going to church. God is omnipresent. He is love and he is like wind, you will find Him everywhere. Only open minded people can get that. Those walls we call churches have become dealing places because God doesn’t need walls to
be worshiped. Ndaitovhura vanhu brain paya. God doesn’t have boundaries we can sing anyhow we want about this God that’s why people have different names for him.” Fidel said.
He also added that he was working with local producer, Dj Tamuka on a track which is yet to be released.
“I’m now working with DJ Tamuka. We are working on many projects. We are currently finishing a song called Pamba pangu coming out soon. We have piled up projects.I still work with DJ Mockery.”
Fidel has always played understudy to Shepherd “DJ Mockery” Birima who has nothing but kind words for the artist whom he says is taking positive steps in the right direction.
“I have always worked with Fideli on tracks such as Sandra Ndebele, a song of praises to the Bulawayo based music crooner. On Tangai bhawa it was more of a family project. T Jay and Maz brought the beat, Sly produced and Fidel worked on the lyrics. I was just the executive producer. Tangai bhawa is a Fidel project, we cannot all be seen upfront like the Jackson 5. Working with Tamuka has been a step in the positive for Fidel. As a family we will not stop there. Fidel and I work together well and we will continue
like that.”
Tangai Bhawa was a collaboration of some of Norton’s hottest talent; Maz, Sly, DJ Mockery and Fidel. Maz worked on Ay Poyoo and Van Choga’s Ghetto rules, Sly did many projects with Celscius whilst DJ Mockery is host of Chill Pill Fridays at Pakare Paye and currently has been having gigs at Bush alongSandringham road.
Before Tangai Bhawa and Ten Pakufamba, Fidel came out with Dhomo which most people only got to know of when Seh Calaz posted a video of a little girl singing the song on his Facebook page.
