Winky D fires back at Mukanya attack
By Nigel Pfunde
THE COUNTRY’S most sought-after dancehall musician Winky D has advised legendary Chimurenga music guru Thomas Mukanya Mapfumo to appreciate the movement of time and the evolution of music. He made this statement in response to recent media reports quoting Mukanya blasting the young superstar.
In an interview with Zimbo Jam, Mukanya argued that Winky D was destroying Zimbabwean music and that his music could only be appreciated by his friends and relatives. “I listen a lot to what the likes of Winky D are singing and my heart bleeds. People like Winky D are destroying Zimbabwean music.
“What he sings is not our music. He can enjoy the success now but that kind of music does not last. “Tuku and I would not have made it musically if we had sung stuff like that. Only Winky D’s friends and relatives will buy that kind of music. “He must be original to survive in music,” Mukanya was quoted as saying.
Speaking through his manager Jonathan Major Banda, Winky D first acknowledged his utmost respect for Mukanya as a legendary musician. However, he said that the ‘elder’ must appreciate the dynamics involved in the evolution of music and the difference in music genres. “Mukanya is a legend but he is passing judgement without appreciating the difference in our generations, music genres and the value systems that we subscribe to.
“He is an elder and we apologise that he cannot understand our type of music. “We are basically trying to articulate our voice in the context of our value systems,” said Banda. “Life has become faster and we cannot get stuck in the past, we cannot implement strategies that Mukanya probably implemented say 20 years ago, it won’t work for us just as much we cannot be expected to sing Chimurenga music because our target audiences do not understand it.
“The speed at which the world is changing requires pragmatism and the ‘elder’ seems to be falling short on that,” he added. Banda said that they will not be deterred to soldier on with their music which he believes is relevant to the time as evidenced by the massive support they have received from the fans within their generation.
In fact, he believes that they have managed to transcend all ages as evidenced by the cross section of fans that grace their shows. Winky D’s loyalists pointed out that Mukanya must therefore be one of the few “friends and relatives” who might have bought Winky D’s music by virtue of him acknowledging that he listens to Winky D’s music.
Unless he might have downloaded it on the internet! “The fact that Mukanya conceded that he listens to Winky D’s music means that he made an effort to probably buy it, download it or cared to overhear it from someone who was playing it,” said one of Winky D’s loyalists who identified himself as Kelvin Chinhengo.
Winky D’s music has been receiving rave reviews internationally mostly from young diasporans. However, Banda acknowledged that Mukanya will remain a BIGGER musician. “An elder will always remain an elder but he can’t judge the next man without understanding the dynamics involved,” said Banda.
Interestingly, one of Mukanya’s sons is believed to be an upcoming hip-hop artiste and at one time Mukanya himself was rumoured to have been trying to fuse some rap in his music! Even his dress code seems to be an imitation of the hip hop and dancehall cultures which have permeated the world. H Metro
