Winky D
Winky D | |
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Winky D at the Africa Unplugged concert, Wembley Arena 2012, in London | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Wallace Chirumiko |
Born | 1 February 1983 |
Origin | Kambuzuma, Harare, Zimbabwe |
Genres | Dancehall |
Occupation(s) | Musician, recording artist |
Years active | 2004–present |
Labels | Black Lab Records, Vigilance Music, Independent (current) |
Website | http://www.winkydonline.com |
Winky D (born Wallace Chirumiko in Harare, Zimbabwe, 1 February 1983) is a Zimbabwe reggae-dancehall artist, known popularly as "The Big Man" (stylized as "Di Bigman"), and also known as Dancehall Igwe.[1][2] He was born in Zimbabwe in Harare's ghetto, Kambuzuma.
Winky D was among the artists featured in the Southern Africa Music Airwaves (SAMA) Festival 2009.[3][4]
Music career
With the help of Dj Betto Kwekwe of Mbizo Creepers Records, Winky D went into the recording studio. His first songs, like "Rasta" and "Head Inna War", coupled with his ingenious stage performances, set the dance floors very busy. He has since released five albums with many charts hits which have gained him fans across the world, evidenced by successful tours in United Kingdom and South Africa. Winky D has become the new icon for Zimbabwean urban/reggae music with nicknames like "King of Dancehall", "The BigMan", "Messi wereggae", and "Truthsayer" being attached to him in the ghettos.[5]
In a bid to persuade the Zimbabwean male population to get circumcised,[6] Population Services International and the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare initiated a Winky D and Oliver Mtukudzi (Tuku) entitled "If you know you are a champion get circumcised". The song was launched in Harare on 19 January 2012.[7]
In December 2010, Winky D, alongside Guspy Warrior and Terry Fabulous from Chimurenga drive in Zengeza, were scheduled to perform with Capleton on New Year's Eve . However, after failure to reach common ground, the "Musarova bigman" star withdrew and cancelled all his scheduled performance from Capleton's Zimbabwean tour.[8]
Winky D failed to perform at President Robert Mugabe's inauguration gala held in August 2013 at the National Sports Stadium, following contrasting statements about the musician's whereabouts during the event.[9]
In 2011, Winky D made his debut at the Monash Beer fest Carnival in Johannesburg, South Africa performing alongside Black Coffee, Cabo Snoop, Winky D, Dj Betto, Dj Leks, TshepNOZ and Sipho, Dj Luo, and Kay Mack.[10]
Feuds
Winky D had 'beefs' with then popular dancehall artists such as Madcom and Daddy D. They battled back and forth lyrically, from which he emerged as a victor en route to become the most popular zim-dancehall act.
Winky D, alongside The General and Sniper Storm, were scheduled to perform as opening acts for Mavado.[11] Winky D performed first and kept Mavado and Sniper Storm waiting backstage. Efforts were made by the organizing people of the show to get the "Bigman" off stage and make way for a ten-minute Sniper Storm performance, but to no avail. Sniper Storm then took matters into his own hands and snatched the mic from Winky D. Sniper's actions caused a rage as the crowd threw things onto the stage. This also caused heated debates all over the internet and street corners across Zimbabwe, as various musicians and entertainers reacted.[12]
Winky D has seen more artist throw shots at him to gain popularity from him, which he has since ignored. The most popular of these is Seh Calaz, who has had considerable and noteworthy attention for his disses towards the ninja president, to which he has also not replied but only called for peace among the zim-dancehall artists through his songs (Mafeelings, tiki taka, sungura like and PaGhetto which he mentions Seh Calaz) and interviews. [13]
Partial discography
War
- "War"
- "Head Ina War"
- "Nuh Talk"
- "Take a Run"
- "Where you come from"
- Igo Figo
The Devotee
- "Babylon"
- "Battle for the future"
- "Dem No Wrong"
- "Mubobobo
- "The Ghetto"
- "The Night"
- "Down Ina The Ghetto"
- "For the benjamins"
- "Girl dem plenty"
- "Ghetto sufferation"
- "Ina the dark"
- "Make up your mind"
- "No life in bed"
- "Nuh like it"
- "The way you feel"
- "Thiefing pastor"
- "Will you"
- "Green Lyk Mi Garden"
- "Messi wereggea"
PaKitchen
- Pakitchen
- Taitirana (feat. Ninja Lipsy)
- Home Alone
- Mabhazuka
- Type Yezvimoko
- Mukadzi Anogeza
- Bongozozo
- Refuri Parudo
- First Sight
- Ndini Ndakatanga
- Gezera
- Gerai Ndebvu
- Ninja Saturday
See also
References
- ↑ http://allafrica.com/stories/200909210050.html
- ↑ http://www.winkyd.co.zw/
- ↑ http://www.zimdiaspora.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1265:thomas-mapfumo-to-perform-in-uk&catid=42:enteratinment2&Itemid=295
- ↑ http://www.talkzimbabwe.com/news/122/ARTICLE/5259/2009-08-20.html
- ↑ "Winky D DiBigman". Facebook.
- ↑ "ZIM embarks on pilot Male Circumcision exercise" (PDF).
- ↑ "Tuku's phone call to Winky D, "Bigiman Pindai Norton!"".
- ↑ "Winky D withdraws from the Capleton Zim Tour". Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ↑ "Winky D in no-show dilemma".
- ↑ "Winky D to make his MTVBase debut at the Beer Fest Invasion!". Greedysouth, Zimbabwe Online Magazine for Music, Fashion, Design, Art and Culture. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ↑ "Finally Mavado to Perform in Zimbabwe, Charges Reduced".
- ↑ "Both Sides to the Winky Vs Sniper Storm story: Who is bigger? + Some exclusive footage of what really happened that one Friday night. Inside]". Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ↑ "Winky D discuses Dancehall Beef, Royalty and Igo Figo - the new mixtape - Greedysouth - Zimbabwe Online Magazine for Music, Fashion, Design, Culture and The Arts". greedysouth.co.zw.
- ↑ http://www.blacklabrecords.com/winky_war.html
- ↑ http://www.blacklabrecords.com/home/winkyd_album.html
- ↑ "iTunes - Music - Pakitchen by Winky D". iTunes.
- ↑ "Download Pakitchen by Winky D - eMusic". emusic.com.
External links
- Official website
- Greedy South (blogspot)
- Artist's page at BlackLab Records
- Biographical interview with Winky D by Jonathan Banda, Winky's producer
- Winky D video – Winky D's first video
- Winky D on Audiozim
- Interview with Winky D, Sunday News (Zimbabwe)
- "Winky D is indeed here to stay", nehandaradio.com
- itunes.apple
- reverbnation.com