Rutendo Chirume
MASVINGO — If music were a football match, Masvingo would be preparing for a two-legged tie.
On September 11 and 12, the ancient city will witness two nights of Zimbabwean musical royalty when Alick Macheso and Winky D take turns entertaining fans during the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo celebrations.
For years, Winky D and Macheso have represented two powerful sides of Zimbabwe’s musical identity.
Winky D, whose real name is Wallace Chirumiko, is the voice of Zimdancehall’s urban generation, with a following that stretches across age groups but has particularly strong resonance among young Zimbabweans.
Macheso, meanwhile, remains one of Sungura’s most enduring figures, carrying with him a catalogue that has travelled from generation to generation.
Now the two will arrive in Masvingo just 24 hours apart.
And for fans, the timing has created an irresistible comparison.
On September 11, attention turns to Macheso.
Extra Basso’s performances are known for their musicianship, infectious Sungura rhythms and songs that have become part of Zimbabwe’s musical heritage.
His fans are unlikely to simply stand and watch.
For them, a Macheso concert is as much about participation as it is about listening singing along, dancing and identifying with the music.
Then comes September 12.
The spotlight shifts to Winky D.
Where Macheso brings the unmistakable sound of Sungura, Winky D speaks to the urban dancehall generation through his energy, rhythms and songs that have kept him at the centre of Zimbabwe’s contemporary cultural conversation.
For his supporters, there is something electrifying about a Winky D show.
The songs are familiar.
The lyrics are known.
And when the Gaffa starts performing a favourite, the audience often becomes part of the performance.
That is where the argument begins.
Ask a Winky D fan and the answer is obvious.
The Gaffa represents the present and the future an artist who has managed to turn Zimdancehall into a powerful cultural force.
Ask a Macheso loyalist and the argument changes.
Extra Basso has something that cannot be manufactured: longevity.
His music has survived changing tastes, new genres and a constantly evolving entertainment industry.
But perhaps the most interesting group will be those who refuse to choose.
For them, there is no contradiction in dancing to Macheso on September 11 and returning the following night for Winky D.
After all, why should music have to choose between generations?
The real test will come when the crowds gather.
Which night will attract more people?
Which artist will generate the loudest singing?
Which performance will dominate conversations across Masvingo the following morning?
And which songs will continue playing long after the artists have left the stage?
There is also another question.
If a fan had enough money for only one ticket, which artist would get the money?
That may be the closest thing to a verdict.
For the organisers, bringing two of Zimbabwe’s biggest names to Masvingo is an opportunity to add entertainment value to an event designed to showcase Zimbabwe’s tourism industry.
For the fans, however, it is something much more personal.
It is a choice between musical identities.
Between generations.
Between Sungura and Zimdancehall.
Between the familiar guitar-driven sound of Extra Basso and the pulsating rhythms of the Gaffa.
Meanwhile, Caravan Park proprietor Garikai Garande said preparations at the venue had been completed.
“Everything is in order. It will simply be a show where people can enjoy the Jah experience, with nothing much beyond that,” Garande said.
He assured fans that all types of beer would be available in abundance and served very cold. Garande added that maximum security would be provided for both vehicles and people, while arrangements were also being made for those who might require bonfires.
By the end of September 12, Masvingo may still not have an official answer to the question of who is the better artist.
But the city will have something arguably more interesting:
its own verdict.
So, Masvingo, who gets your ticket?
Winky D or Macheso?
