Will Koffi propel Roki to regional stardom?

By Winstone Antonio | NewsDay |

Resurrected urban groover Rockford “Roki” Josphats appeared awestruck on Wednesday as he stood with Congolese soukous singer Koffi Olomidé at Passion Java Records studio in Harare.

For Roki, a project with the decorated and internationally-acclaimed rhumba star, who is in the country for a three-day visit, will not only gain him popularity, but also millions of views and followers.

Trends in the world of showbiz across the globe seem to confirm that several musicians across genres are now realising the fruits of collaborations and the flying in of Olomidé leaves little doubt that Roki means business.

The Loi hitmaker touched down at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on Wednesday afternoon for a collaboration titled Gakanje that is expected to have an accompanying video.

Besides giving audiences variety, collaborations also unite artistes despite their different genres.

Without doubt, Roki’s story will now be a complete “from rags to riches”, to “rags and back to riches again”, this time with a huge bang if current trends on the local showbiz scene are anything to go by.

Picture Koffi Olomidé, a natural crowd puller riding high with Tanzanian sensation Diamond Platinumz with their Waah video now on 76 million views, singing in Lingala, while Roki sings in his native Shona?

The combination will certainly be magical.

No one knows what is brewing as Koffi Olomidé and Roki combine their voices at Passion Java Records fronted by controversial prophet, Passion Java, even before that, the excitement is all over.

Producer Oskid is certainly behind the art and knowing his magic that has in the past produced award-winning hits by Jah Prayzah, Leornard Zhakata and Ammara Brown, among others, something that will probably take the showbiz by storm is on cards.

Roki rose to fame at the turn of the new millennium after he and Leonard Mapfumo worked together on the song Seiko before going on the downturn amid scandals.

It is the coming in of Java that has given him a second dance in showbiz and probably a chance of a lifetime.

Java has gone out of his way to use his financial muscle to rejuvenate Roki’s career that was teetering on the brink of collapse.

The Chidzoka singer appears to have once again regained his mojo as evidenced by the trends on the local showbiz scene.

Interestingly, multi-award-winning singer Jah Prayzah who has been a pacesetter in terms of YouTube numbers, had his record broken by Roki’s recent song Uchandifunga that clocked more than
1 523 544 views on YouTube in a few days.

As he makes this return, Roki appears to be getting better with age like wine.