Since making his recording debut in 2002 under Galaxy Records, Decibel has undeniably became one of the biggest proponents of Zimbabwean pop music. Greedysouth caught up with the now UK based artist for this exclusive interview.
You were on top of the game and then went awfully silent, what really happened? Was it retirement or what? The peeps want to know!
For you to really get it you have to understand what music means to me. See unknown to all people, (I mean the public) music has always been a constant part of me for as long as I remember. Of course ppl only know the commercial bit I did but to me music is part of how I get by. For example as a lil boy, if mum sent me to the shops to buy say five items, all the way to the shops i would be singing ‘bread, sugar, milk, six eggs and perfection soap’. Somehow (maybe thats the talent bit) i have always had the knack to make a tune out of any combination of words without really thinking about it. And i have used that to make my day to day life easier. If I was running, my footsteps and breathing pattern transpires into a complex drum pattern that distracts me from tiredness, Or if I was being sarcastic, nervous or trying not to listen i would just start humming a random tune. Or if someone I love is sad I can rhyme and pun to make them smile. I could go on but do you catch my drift? This led to me getting noticed and so came the commercial bit and ppl knew Decibel. My point is the music industry chose me. I didn’t choose it. I have never (to this day) thought of music as anything more than just me expressing myself and just getting by.
A lot of people are talking about you being on this JJC We are African Zimbabwe remix, tell us about the movement, what inspired you to jump on the remix?
Well if there is one thing I learnt from the British its pride in your own identity. My homeboyz bk n kazz are friends with Skillz (JJC) and he approached them last year with this idea ... As soon as they told me about it I was on it. I already held the same sentiment that the song confers (See! expression). Which is that there is a desperate need to educate Africans to be proud of their identity. There just isn’t enough people who are proudly African. Maybe its because of inferiority complexes passed down for generations from the times of slavery through to colonialism. We have to root them out and reinstall African pride. So on the 18th, i'm asking everyone to update facebook status's and to tweet the video for this and of course to get the free download of this track.
Africans Ahoo
Does this means you are back in the game or you just showing cats you still got it.
It has never been about ‘the game’.
Do you still freestyle?
Always have, always will. I know no other way. Its part of me.
What else have you been up to?
I want to help talented youths from underprivileged backgrounds to record commercially viable music. I have seen how easily one can earn a living from music so I am doing a course in sound engineering. I intend to setup a studio or hopefully more than one recording studio in Zimbabwe for this purpose.
What can Decibel fans expect in the future I mean "What Kind of World" was a classic we surely need to hear more stuff from you bro.
I’ll definitely be dropping a few tunes at my own pace im not on any form of schedule. See record companies work according to schedules. I just live my life. And I just happen to breathe music.
How can people get in touch with you, promoters, artists, fans, where are u based now?
I'm on facebook. Look at me Zimbabwe's Decibel or you can contact my PR at taponeswa@ndeipi.com
We are Africans REMIX is available to download for free HERE