BUDDING Bulawayo reggae artistes Sydney Nkomazana and Asher Baton, who featured in an international reggae album compiled by prolific Jamaican producer Gangalee, yesterday launched a track at Jah Place in Bulawayo.
BY LUYANDUHLOBO MAKWATI
The artistes said they were grateful to the people of Bulawayo who supported them in the launch. The compilation was engineered by Richard Brown and Chris Kele, marketed and distributed by Gangalee Productions Company.
The 10-track compilation features seven Jamaican and two South African artistes, among them Gangalee, Junior Reid, Black Dilling and Jah Thunder. The track that earned Nkomazana and Baton a slot in the compilation is titled Can’t Put Me Down.
Baton said they were pleased to have a track landing a slot in a compilation of highly competitive Jamaican reggae artistes, who are owners of the genré. Nkomazana said they had been working hard as reggae artistes for a long time and Jah had finally rewarded them.
“We have been doing this and we tried to perform in various circles, but people would not embrace us. We are here today and we have struggled to be where we are because we were never copycats and we will not copy anyone. Our hard work has finally paid off, thanks be to Jah,” Nkomazana said.
Baton paid tribute to his father. He said he started playing the guitar with his father Papa Victor, who used to lead the Motsi Uruka reggae band.
Reggae music has for long been popular and common among the country’s youths and is now usually fused with dancehall, raga and associated chants.
