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Reason AKA Sizwe Alakine and UK Rapper OneDa to Headline Shoko Festival

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Zimbabwe’s longest-running celebration of urban culture, Shoko Festival, has revealed two major international additions to its highly anticipated Mash Up Night, set to take place at Harare Gardens on Friday, September 26.

For its landmark 15th edition, the festival announced that South African Hip Hop legend turned Amapiano sensation, Reason AKA Sizwe Alakine, and UK award-winning rapper OneDa will headline the event.

Reason AKA Sizwe Alakine, a South African Music Awards (SAMA) winner and nominee for Best South African Hip Hop Album of the Year, is renowned for his transition from hip hop to Amapiano. Festival organisers say he will deliver a unique “Hip Hop vs Amapiano” Sound Clash, taking the audience on a journey through his evolution as an artist, blending socially conscious lyrics with contemporary beats.

Adding international flair is Manchester-born rapper, producer, and poet OneDa, whose career has been supported by BBC 6 Music, 1Xtra, and BBC Radio 1. Recently named BBC Introducing’s One to Watch by the AIM Independent Music Awards, OneDa will collaborate with rising Zimbabwean urban artists Yadis and Enhle during her visit, further highlighting Shoko’s commitment to fostering cross-border artistic partnerships.

Shoko Festival Director Samm Farai Monro, known as Comrade Fatso, said: “Reason embodies what this year’s festival represents – building an urban culture legacy. He has been influential in South African hip hop for two decades and now pushes boundaries in Amapiano. OneDa’s collaboration with Yadis and Enhle demonstrates our commitment to creating international growth opportunities for Zimbabwean urban artists.”

The Mash Up Night line-up also features local hip hop star Sane Wav and legendary producer Take Fizzo. Fizzo will headline with performances from urban grooves pioneers Mafriq, Trinity, MC Chita, Mau Mau, Tererai, and Nembo Bwoy, taking the audience through Zimbabwe’s urban music evolution.

Further highlights include a collaboration between Kenyan spoken word artist Mufasa and the Arundel School Music Department, blending spoken word, jazz, choir, and orchestra. Additionally, Zimbabwean artists Segulm, Briza, Paintafresco, Yadis, and Enhle will debut new material created under the Mashoko Tapes residency, a festival initiative encouraging genre-crossing collaborations and experimentation in Zimbabwean urban music.

The 2025 festival will also feature Comedy Night on Thursday, September 25, headlined by Zimbabwe’s King Kandoro and Kenya’s satirical sensation Justine Wanda, alongside local talents Mike Chipere, Munya, Mbongeni Ignatius Ndlovu, and DJ Iroq. The festival will close with Peace In The Hood in Chitungwiza, a free event showcasing performances by Zim Hip Hop giant Bagga, Young Fantan, 2024 Best Newcomer Runna Rulez, rising dancehall artist Madedido, and chart-topper Jnr Spragga.

Tickets for Mash Up Night are available online at www.flippintickets.co.zw
and at Moto Republik box office, 3 Allan Wilson Avenue, Harare. Early bird tickets are priced at $10 for Mash Up Night, $15 for Comedy Night, with a combo ticket for both events available at $20.

Shoko Festival, organised by Magamba Network, celebrates Zimbabwean urban culture, free expression, and alternative youth art, remaining the country’s premier platform for cutting-edge creativity.

ALSO READ : Shoko Festival 2025 Announces Mash Up Nights for 15th Edition

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Chivayo Hands Shinsoman Mercedes Benz and US$10K in Surprise Gift

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Businessman Wicknell Chivayo has extended his latest show of largesse to Zimdancehall artist Shinsoman, gifting him a Mercedes Benz C-Class valued at US$25,000 along with an additional US$10,000 in cash.

In a statement posted on his social media platforms on Monday, Chivayo said the gesture was inspired by the artist’s contribution to Zimbabwe’s music industry and the personal impact his hit song Mawaya Waya had on his own journey to success.

Chivayo described Mawaya Waya, released more than a decade ago, as one of the songs that motivated him during his early days as an aspiring businessman. He said its lyrics also carried a deep emotional resonance, reminding him of his late parents.

“Artists like Shinsoman laid the foundation of Zimdancehall. His songs remain timeless and continue to inspire generations. Such creativity deserves proper recognition and appreciation,” Chivayo wrote.

He praised Shinsoman, born Romeo Antony, for supporting national programmes, performing at state events, and encouraging discipline and focus among young people. He also highlighted the musician’s open support for the ruling ZANU PF party.

Chivayo directed Shinsoman to collect the luxury vehicle from Enterprise Car Sales in Harare and confirmed that the cash gift was intended for fuel and personal use.

The flamboyant businessman, who has made headlines in recent months for showering musicians and public figures with expensive cars and cash, said the reward was also a way of honoring the role of Zimdancehall in shaping Zimbabwe’s cultural landscape.

Shinsoman, popularly known as the “Dancehall Father,” rose to fame in the early 2010s with a string of hits including Hanzi Ndakupenga, Mama Devante, and Hatichabatika, a collaboration with the late Soul Jah Love.

The latest gift adds Shinsoman to a growing list of artists and personalities who have benefited from Chivayo’s highly publicized philanthropy.

ALSO READ : Wicknell Chivayo Gifts Luxury Vehicles and Cash to Prophet Walter Magaya

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Yeshua Dzumbira’s Debut Book Calls Youth to Live Unapologetically for Christ

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Yeshua Dzumbira’s Debut Book Calls Youth to Live Unapologetically for Christ

Yeshua Dzumbira, the 17-year-old daughter of David and Adeyline Dzumbira, will launch her transformative debut book, Discovering Yeshua, on 4 October 2025.

A rising voice in faith, youth leadership, and creativity, Yeshua is poised to make a significant cultural and spiritual impact in Zimbabwe and beyond.

Raised in Harare and deeply rooted in her community, Yeshua has been shaped by her active involvement in the United Methodist Church Innercity, where she has served in various youth leadership roles.

These experiences have fueled her passion for inspiring her peers to embrace bold faith and creative purpose.

Discovering Yeshua is more than a book—it’s a clarion call for young people to live unapologetically for Christ.

Written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the book delivers a prophetic message to raise an army of faith-driven youth.

“When I wrote this book, it wasn’t just about telling my story,” Yeshua said.

“It was about showing other young people that Jesus is real, present, and closer than we often think.”

While aimed at youth, its universal message of faith, purpose, and transformation resonates with readers of all ages.

“My prayer is that anyone who picks up this book encounters Yeshua Hamashiach for themselves,” she said.

Beyond her writing, Yeshua is the visionary behind Wear Yeshua, a clothing brand launched in 2023 with the motto “Wear Jesus Everywhere You Go.”

The brand embodies her mission to blend faith with creativity, encouraging young people to make Jesus a daily lifestyle.

Through Discovering Yeshua and Wear Yeshua, Yeshua is sparking a movement to unite and empower her generation to carry Christ’s message into every sphere of life.

Yeshua envisions expanding her impact through workshops, collaborations, events, and faith-based initiatives that will continue to inspire and unite youth under Christ.

Her journey is a testament to the power of faith, creativity, and bold purpose in shaping a generation.

Pre-orders for Discovering Yeshua are now open on Instagram at @yeshua.danai and @discovering.yeshua. Follow her journey and support her brand at @wear.yeshua.

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Chinese ‘Incredible Odyssey’ Show Unveiled

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Incredible Odyssey

The second season of the Chinese drama series Incredible Odyssey has been unveiled. The series contrasts accusations from other countries with the lived realities of Xinjiang residents. While headlines from Western media often portray the region as a place of “total control,” the series introduces voices of faith leaders, families, and women whose stories offer another perspective.

A Mosque of Memory and Resilience

In Kashi city stands the Id Kah Mosque, built in 1442 and still the largest in Xinjiang. Today, it serves both as a place of worship and a tourist site. Its Imam, Memet Juma, carries a painful memory—his father, also an Imam, was murdered by extremists right outside the mosque gates.

“They didn’t just kill him. They used brutal weapons like axes and knives,” Memet recalls. His father was 76, frail yet steadfast. The brutality, he says, revealed the inhumanity of terrorism, separatism, and extremism—the “three forces” that once cast a shadow over Xinjiang.

For Memet, the distinction is vital: the government’s campaign is against terrorism, not against Uygurs or Muslims. “Islam teaches harmony, unity, neutrality, and tolerance,” he explains, arguing that killing in the name of faith is a betrayal of it.

Despite the trauma, Memet chose to follow his father’s path. Today, his children—one a soldier, one a doctor, and one still in school—reflect new opportunities. Healthcare is affordable, and in some rural areas even free, a change he credits to supportive policies. Above all, he values the right to choose. “He has never imposed his will on us,” his daughter says. “We are free to decide our own paths,” adds Memet.

Women Carving a Future

Another story unfolds in Kashi’s bustling streets. Dancer Dilnigar Qahar has spent over a decade with the city’s song and dance troupe, performing daily at cultural ceremonies. Her passion was nurtured by her mother, who raised three daughters alone after her husband’s early death.

Her mother’s story is one of perseverance. For 28 years, she has run a clothing business, often through hardship. She recalls missing a train one freezing day and breaking down in tears before picking up her goods and pushing forward. Now her shop thrives, boosted by tourism, easy access to bank loans, and online sales to over 15,000 followers. At home, she was both mother and father—changing lightbulbs herself and shielding her daughters from sadness. She gave them more when others had less and defended them fiercely when they faltered.

“My daughter just needs to be happy,” she once said after her child’s classmates mocked a poor exam score. Today, the family lives comfortably, with their own cars, houses, and a flourishing business. When asked about marriage, her answer is simple: “They can marry whoever they like, as long as they like him.”

Freedom to Choose

These lives are shaped by struggle but defined by choice. Memet honors his father’s legacy while his children walk their own paths. Dilnigar’s mother built independence and gave her daughters the freedom to decide their futures.

Their voices challenge depictions of Xinjiang as a place without agency. Instead, they speak of dignity, stability, and opportunity. The episode closes with images of women singing and dancing, working with their hands to build better lives.

Here, the narrator concludes: “They have the freedom to choose their own path and the environment to make it happen.”

Incredible Odyssey Season 2 does not deny the region’s struggles, but it reveals the humanity behind the headlines: faith that endures, women who thrive, and families who embrace the right to shape their destinies.

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