Tinashe Kachingwe a United States-based Zimbo based R&B chanteuse last week took to the stage at the Soul Train Awards ceremony.
The rest of the world will view them on November 30.
Our team was able to catch the awards live on November 7 in the US! Just kidding . . . Local girl Tinashe performed her hit songs 2 On and Pretend off the album Aquarius.
The Zimbabwean descent singer did her thing and reportedly whipped up the crowd.
Tinashe has done collabos with the likes of Usher and Kid Ink! She is proof that local artistes need not look inwards if they must taste musical glory.
Tinashe was introduced by rap legend the colourful Flavor Flav with his big old watch hanging round his neck.
The singer, Flav, was part of the famous rap group Public Enemy which is famous, among other things, for their nonchalance and thought-provoking rap commentary spawned during the Reagan years of black disenchantment.
Hosted by talk show host Wendy Williams, the awards saw Naija artiste Davido being nominated for best international performance.
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Performers included MASE, Doug E Fresh rap legends alongside MC Lyte and Da Brat.
There was a Jodeci onstage reunion! Jodeci was the ultimate boy band which sparred with the likes of Boys to Men back in the day before splintering with bros K-Ci and JoJo Hailey going their way. Honourees were Kool & the Gang.
Album of the year Beyoncé – Beyoncé
Drake – Nothing Was the Same
John Legend – Love in the Future
Janelle Monáe – The Electric Lady
Michael Jackson – Xscape
Pharrell Williams – Girl
Kenneth Cruz – Fame
Record of the year (The Ashford & Simpson songwriter’s award) Jhené Aiko – The Worst
Beyoncé – Pretty Hurts
Aloe Blacc – The Man
John Legend – All of Me
Sam Smith – Stay with Me
Pharrell Williams – Happy
Video of the year Jhené Aiko – The Worst
Beyoncé (featuring Jay Z) – Drunk in Love
Aloe Blacc – The Man
Chris Brown (featuring Usher and Rick Ross) – New Flame
Usher – Good Kisser
Pharrell Williams – Happy
Best gospel/inspirational song Erica Campbell (featuring Lecrae) – Help
Inspired People (featuring Charles Jenkins) – Real Love
Donnie McClurkin (featuring Tye Tribbett) – We Are Victorious
Tamela Mann – I Can Only Imagine
Smokie Norful – No Greater Love
Michelle Williams (featuring Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland) – Say Yes
These were some of the categories of interest to me. The results will be broadcast live this coming week on BET.
The downlow: Dancehall music violence A recent gig in Harare was marred by violence in which music fans were injured as a result of a stampede precipitated by an onstage scuffle of one Soul Jah Love and another dancehall artiste and “someone” detonating a teargas canister into the crowd. The gig was called “Sting”.
It seems after all is done and dusted, that the only thing that stung was the gas in the eyes of dancehall music fans.
Still, there is a lesson to derive from the unfortunate event. Most of the dancehall artistes are coming out of the tough ghettoes of Mbare, Dzivaresekwa and Mufakose.
These areas are bedevilled with debilitating poverty and youth disenfranchisement. Masses of jobless, listless youth may perhaps be searching for a way to vent, a way to express the rage “against the system” (Babylon) at the slightest of provocation. The lyrics of dancehall songs espouse violence and overt sexuality.
It’s a heady cocktail brewed in a ghetto cauldron simmering with the angst and zeitgeist of a restless youth. Thus it was that the stampede occurred and several persons were hurt.
I expect that we have not heard the last of it.
Yesterday morning, music superstar Tuku weighed in and decried the violent behaviour of some dancehall exponents saying words to the effect that musicians should not have to compete because music is not sport, it is art with every artiste being unique.