ZIMDANCEHALL chanter Freeman has promised fireworks in his forthcoming album, Gango, which is scheduled for release in August.
By Freeman Makopa
The Joina City hit-maker described the album as a mixed bag, with songs touching on a whole range of issues.
From humble beginnings as a butcher boy and trying to make a living out of it, Freeman worked hard before hitting the right cords in the music industry. Luckily in December 2011, doors began opening for him at a slow, but steady pace. The same year, he was invited for his first show in Banket, where he was paid US$100. That marked the genesis of his music journey. He would save whatever he got from shows.
Being new in the industry meant the musician had to work hard in order to earn a living as well as play his cards right. At the time, he had no manager — just him, his backpack and voice. With other artistes like Winky D dominating the genre, Freeman would only dream of reaching the same level, and that was achieved when he released his song, Joina City, which became an instant hit.
The song was like an anthem, receiving extensive airplay and producing more fans for Freeman.
The dancehall scene was a bit quiet then and the unexpected happened — Freeman rose to become the dominant force, giving Zimdancehall a lifeline, with many now fearing for the genre’s worst – its death knell. Like in the days of hit-song Joina City, Freeman’s music is now being played almost everywhere, and it will require very solid projects for other artistes to topple him.
His lyrical content touches on various themes, chief among them ‘love’. One of his recent songs, Wekwedu, urges newlyweds to share love and stay strong in times of hardship. The song has now surpassed the one million mark on YouTube, making it one of the most sought after songs on the internet.
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Another of Freeman’s songs, Hello, talks of the bond between two lovebirds and the need for endurance. After the man left for the city in search of a livelihood the wife, against all the odds, had to await his return.
Most of the musician’s songs are educative. The song Nzenza (featuring ExQ), for instance, explores issues of faithfulness among partners, despite the various interpretations it has attracted in public spaces.
Gango, according to the musician, will continue to explore the various themes that have become synonymous with his music. These include social and love relationships.
“I am currently working on my new album, Gango. It has different messages and that’s why I named it Gango, meaning a mixture of songs, themes and vibes. So, my fans should brace for interesting times,” he said.
The Wekwedu hit-maker has been doing well in terms of videos, most of which match international standards. The visuals on the song, Wekwedu, give the impression of an ever happy thereafter life.
Wekwedu explores through clean, cutting-edge visuals, the family atmosphere and also blends some traditional aspects and borrowed concepts seen at most weddings.
The HKD boss is one of the artistes who has exported his works to other countries like Australia, England as well as Asia. He has also had bookings from his overseas fans.
His star is on the rise, definitely, and his impact on the younger generation is profound.
