TAWANDA CHARI
There are certain concerts you leave remembering the performances. Then there are concerts you leave remembering the experience.The Hit Factory: Zimdancehall Meets Zimhiphop belongs firmly in the latter category. Much like Ama2K Fest, which has increasingly understood that a concert can be more than a collection of artists performing on a stage, Hit Factory felt deliberately curated. From the merchandise that gave attendees something tangible to take home, to the production, venue, media coverage and carefully constructed lineup, there was a clear understanding of what a modern Zimbabwean music event can be.
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| Jnr Spragga performing at Hit Factory |
Merchandise, in particular, is an underrated part of the concert experience. A good piece of merch becomes a souvenir, a reminder and, eventually, a collector's item. It allows the experience to linger long after the final artist has left the stage. And Hit Factory understood that perfectly.
But before the headline acts came through, the organisers made another particularly smart decision: the medley.
The show opened by platforming a collection of artists across both Zimhiphop and Zimdancehall, giving newer and established names an opportunity to perform in front of a sizeable crowd.
Kikky Badass was naturally one of the biggest names in that opening group, but the medley worked precisely because it did not rely solely on established stars. Carol Icey was a particular standout. The moment she hit the stage, people moved towards it. There was an immediacy to her performance that made even people who might not have been familiar with her understand why she belongs on stages like this. She is simply an entertainer.
Tha Bees brought his own energy, while Icey Ekxne of the OCD clan also helped complete the hiphop contingent. There are a few acts on the Medley I missed because Ndoitwa R needed saving. On the dancehall side, Jahnoz, I-Ratty and Eyetal Fyah represented the helmet strand of Zimdancehall, giving the opening sequence the kind of genre hopping rhythm that would become a defining feature of the entire night.
And that was perhaps one of Hit Factory's biggest strengths.Zimdancehall and Zimhiphop were not treated as two completely separate worlds. They were allowed to coexist.
Sonically, the genres might occupy different spaces, but there are obvious overlaps in their technical foundations: cadence, writing, delivery, wordplay and the importance of personality. Moving from one to the other therefore never felt like a drastic change in direction. It felt natural.
The DJs and the medley set the tone before the main performers took over, and that was another brilliant piece of curation. It gave the audience a gradual entry into the show rather than throwing them immediately into the headline performances.
Madedido arrived and proceeded to remind everyone that, sometimes, the hits simply speak for themselves. It probably wasn't his most commanding performance, but when the catalogue contains songs people already know word for word, there is a certain inevitability to the crowd response.
Gender iFimero, the surprise dancehall appearance Nisha Ts took the stage. Nisha Ts was one of the night's most polished acts. Whatever Nash Paints and the team have done around her, it is working. She is an artist who understands performance. There is personality, confidence and a sense of fun to the way she occupies the stage, making her one of those performers who is simply enjoyable to watch.
Bagga kicked off the hip-hop sets with a bang, bringing the kind of raw energy that has always made him such a compelling live performer. His set drew from the records that have helped cement his place in Zimbabwean hip-hop, including “Jerusalem” and other fan favourites, while his delivery reminded the crowd why Bagga remains one of the country's most distinctive voices.
Then Saintfloew happened. At this point, the argument almost feels redundant. Saintfloew is one of the best performers in Zimbabwe, and he seems determined to prove it every time he steps onto a stage. There is an intensity to his performances that makes the audience feel like they are participating rather than simply watching.
He was, once again, arguably the best performer of the night. You can debate who you think is number one in Zimbabwe right now. But we will probably be talking about Saintfloew at number one soon enough.
The dance battle that followed was another thoughtful touch. A dancehall versus hiphop dance battle served as something of a palette cleanser between performances. It gave people a chance to grab food, get drinks, catch their breath or simply recover from having too much fun. At a long concert, these little moments matter. They keep the audience engaged without exhausting them.
Blot then stepped into a difficult situation and made it look like the plan all along. Originally, Hulengende was expected to perform but reneged at the 11th hour. Blot's inclusion as the replacement proved to be a shrewd choice. He was genuinely one of the best acts of the night and brought the kind of presence that made you forget there had ever been another name on that slot.
Voltz JT made a surprise appearance, adding another layer to what was already becoming an increasingly perfect lineup.
Then came Jnr Spragga, the man of the moment. There is little argument that Jnr Spragga is currently one of the hottest artists in the country, and the reception at Hit Factory made that abundantly clear. With songs such as “Mambo,” “Pombi” and his recent run of popular releases, Spragga has managed to capture the moment in a way very few artists currently can.
The crowd knew the songs. They knew the words. And, most importantly, they wanted to see him.
Which brings us to Holy Ten. It was fitting that Holy Ten closed the show. The man has hits for days, and by the time he finally arrived on stage at around 2AM, the people who had waited for him were not leaving without getting their money's worth.
Dennis, in particular, was waiting. But there was something else noticeable about Holy Ten's appearance. There is a demographic of Zimbabwean hip-hop fans that has not seen enough of Holy Ten on major stages lately. His presence at Hit Factory felt like a reminder of just how much of an audience exists for him when the opportunity is presented.
And perhaps that is one of the bigger stories coming out of Hit Factory. Zimbabwean hip hop has arrived at a very different place. If someone had told me in 2009 that this would eventually be the culmination of Zimbabwean hip-hop, I probably wouldn't have believed them.
Yet here we are.
There are, without much debate, at least five hip-hop superstars operating in Zimbabwe right now. That is an incredible statement for a genre that spent so many years fighting for legitimacy, fighting for platforms and, at times, fighting even for its own audience.
For someone who has been repping hip-hop for years, watching that evolution in real time is deeply satisfying. And Hit Factory was a celebration of that progress.
It was also a reminder that Zimdancehall and Zimhiphop don't have to compete for the same oxygen. They can exist in the same space, feed off the same audience and create a much bigger experience together.
The production helped enormously.This was probably the greatest concert production and curation I have seen in Zimbabwe. Period.
The venue was another quietly brilliant choice. The space was clean, the ablution facilities were plentiful and, importantly, usable. This is something event organisers sometimes overlook, but anyone who has attended enough concerts knows that good bathrooms can make or break the experience.
The indoor setting probably helped, but the fact remains: the facilities were clean and sufficient, and judging from the number of women praising them throughout the night, that did not go unnoticed.
It was also a relatively safe space.There were, inevitably, a few drunk attendees and the occasional stage invader because, well, not everyone follows instructions. There is always that one person. But for the most part, Hit Factory felt controlled and comfortable.
The media team also deserves its flowers. The coverage around the event was excellent, and the entire production felt like it had been thought through from beginning to end. There was a clear understanding that an event is no longer simply about putting artists on a stage and hoping the crowd enjoys itself.
The organisers were telling a story. And I wouldn't be surprised if we see some of these ideas replicated at other Zimbabwean shows. That is usually what happens when somebody gets something right.
Just when it seemed the night had given us enough, Ama2K Fest dropped another announcement.
The second edition of Ama2K Fest is bringing Jamaican dancehall star Skeng and Nigerian Afrobeats star Victony to Zimbabwe as guest performers.
Skeng represents the raw, contemporary edge of Jamaican dancehall. He broke through with the ominous, infectious “Gvnman Shift” before building a reputation around his distinctive voice, dark-edged production and street-oriented aesthetic. His catalogue includes records such as “Protocol,” “23,” “Gang Bang” and the Billboard-charting “Likkle Miss” remix with Nicki Minaj, placing him among the more recognisable figures of the new generation of Jamaican dancehall.
Victony, meanwhile, represents a different but equally exciting side of Africa's current musical explosion. The Nigerian singer has built his identity around elastic vocals, atmospheric Afrobeats and a willingness to move between Afropop, R&B and hip-hop influences. His breakout came with “Holy Father” alongside Mayorkun, before “Soweto” became a global hit and one of the defining Afrobeats records of its era.
Hit Factory showed what can happen when local artists are given the production, curation and platform they deserve.
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