What Jimmy Cliff Meant to Zambians on the Great Work Volume II, He Says the Album Is Aimed at N What Way Does One Tell the US and Number 83 in the UK

II. Weekend Mail Friday, November 1, 2019

SHIKANDA KAWANGA Lusaka

N the words of Zambian Mumba Breweries’ brewery operations director Franz Schepping, they Yachi have “been looking outside for everything hip, cool and world-class”. continues IIt seems they have found what they have been looking for. On Independence Eve, with ‘Great they had a star-studded line-up of the nation’s hippest talent, including boxer Catherine Phiri, Works’ pilot Besa Mumba, artistes Jay ZIO MWALE Rox, Yo Maps, Wezi and Mutale Lusaka Kabaso and brand ambassadors Luyando Haangala Wood in SAY whatever you want to, but the company of a host of other there is no denying that in Mumba personalities at Radisson Blu Yachi there is some unique talent Hotel in Lusaka. out there. The event was dubbed We When folk musician Mumba Are Zed. Yachi was deported to the The campaign was fuelled Democratic Republic of Congo by Jay Rox, who at the risk (DRC) on November 15, 2017, of being alienated by some of PART of the guests at the We Are Zed, a Zambian Breweries initiative to celebrate the most happening talent in the country. there was an outpouring of these multinational companies PICTURES: SHIKANDA KAWANGA sympathy from a lot of music fans. that tend to celebrate everything Mumba Yachi’s music foreign at the expense of what represents Zambian music. Even is Zambian, questioned why the local hip hop artistes find his country does not look within. music appealing. Why else do they Jay Rox believes the country do collaborations with him? has an abundance of everything. “I have always been a fan of “I feel like we’ve been Mumba Yachi’s music. I loved looking outside the country his music the first time I got for a long time. Funny thing introduced to him,” Chef, who on is everything we are looking current form can be considered the for, we have plenty right here. Party after party best hip hop artiste in the country, It’s high time we all learnt to told the Weekend Mail in June. appreciate our own talent. So “I am glad he’s back because his many artistes doing the most Mosi Lager celebrates Zambian talent music is supposed to be guided, his and representing Zed. I speak music is very authentic. Me loving not just for music but other his music is how I got to know him crafts and skills,” Jay Rox, as a person and later on I learnt a who is active on social media, lot from him.” including Twitter and Instagram, Since his return, Mumba Yachi posted online. spent the best part of six months Zambian Breweries saw ‘indoors’ working on his music. something unique in that. But in June, he made his first Indeed Zambian Breweries major public performance at Plc is almost unrecognisable the Zamfest, which was held at nowadays from the state-owned Nkwashi Estates in Chongwe. company started in 1968 that It was, as they say, a breath of was synonymous with Mosi fresh air. He felt it as well. Lager. “When I stepped on stage, it felt Now as part of the Anheuser- like I was starting afresh, I could Busch InBev (AB InBev), the feel the love I thought I had lost. It world’s largest brewer, it has was my first time performing since grown its range of products to my return and the support was just include not only Mosi, but also so overwhelming,” Mumba Yachi Carling Black Label, Budweiser told the Weekend Mail. and Stella Artois, among others. “It was a nice experience; Still, it recognises that it has been six months since I Mosi is just that – Mosi; it came back. I have been working represents Zambia. The name in the background, making and is presumably plucked from the producing music for my fans. My Mosi-oa-Tunya Falls, popularly first performance at Zamfest really known to the outside world as showed me how much my fans Victoria Falls. love me and how much Zambia For the launch of the We Are FORMER television presenter Luyando Wood (middle) was one of the guests at the We Are Zed event meant to celebrate Zambian loves me. I’m grateful am home Zed campaign, it also used the talent which was held by Zambian Breweries at Radisson Blu Hotel in Lusaka on Independence Eve. again.” occasion to unveil the new- Since the Zamfest, he has made limited Mosi bottle. some cameo appearances here and “As the national beer that there. represents the true spirit of But tomorrow will see him authentic quality, Mosi can continue what he had earlier embark on this journey because started before his deportation – he we are leading the conversation will be launching his sixth album when it comes to showcasing titled The Great Work Volume II at the very best of Zed,” the American International School Schepping added. of Lusaka. At the event, you could see The Great Work Volume II is an the likes of Brian Shakarongo, album with songs like Squeeze My National Arts Council (NAC) Lemon, Jua and Ameno Mafupa. director Maanka Chipindi and But apart from launching his his director Patrick Samwimbila album, Mumba Yachi, with his in the audience. supporting acts -- Wezi, James It shows that Zambian Sakala, Theresa Ng’ambi and Breweries recognises that its Mbototo from Ama Blacks -- will business cannot be entirely use the platform to promote folk divorced from music. Who music. enjoys a beer where there is no “I’m inspired by the way music, anyway? these other genre musicians [do In the past, it has attempted things], they support each other. to have a closer association I want us also to have a night of with music by sponsoring the our own as folk musicians, and Zambian Music Awards (ZMA), FROM left: National Arts Council (NAC) director Maanka Chipindi, chairman Patrick Samwimbila and veteran musician Brian people can come and experience in which, interestingly, Jay Shakarongo at the We Are Zed event. us and celebrate with us together,” Rox was one of the dominant Mumba Yachi told the Weekend winners when it was running. Awards, maybe Zambian Breweries performance. wider public. At the We Are Zed event, Jay Rox was actually vindicated – just Mail. For various reasons, it pulled can reconsider sponsoring not only the There is value in sponsoring art. you could see guests clamouring for look within, there is almost everything. “The event will be a live the plug on the sponsorship. music category, but the entire awards. As an industry, Zambian music has its photo opportunities with the likes of Jay So, now that the We Are Zed has been performance, it will start from But with the relaunch of After all, even at the theatre club, a own issues, but most of the players are Rox and Wezi. launched together with the new-limited 18:30 hours to 21:00 hours. the NAC-organised Ngoma beer is often enjoyed before and after a still recognized, if not celebrated, by the Oh, and Catherine too. Mosi bottle, the party can go on. I’m safe to say it’s a party, a celebration of live music; a family show in the sense that these musicians I have invited are not only my colleagues but my close friends and we all believe in folk music.” What Jimmy Cliff meant to Zambians On The Great Work Volume II, he says the album is aimed at N what way does one tell the US and number 83 in the UK. Cliff cover of Jimmy Cliff’s Trapped icon by all ages, especially the parents or cannabis, may cause psychosis to promoting awareness on ecology, story of such a diverse and has done much better with singles reached number one in the American in Zambia then. develop sooner in patients already love, peace and unity in the world, convoluted force? There are on the billboard charts, a fact that Rock charts in 1985. In the same year, These are some of the differences predisposed to developing it, and especially for black people. so many sides to Jimmy Cliff. the Jamaican Gleaner newspaper his album Cliff Hanger won the Best between Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley. in other patients the drug may even “Every black person, wherever IHis spiritual beliefs are at best a summarises as follows: “In early 1994, Reggae Album Grammy award. Jimmy’s music is philosophical and cause psychosis. Both articles were they are, must know that I love work in development. His romantic I Can See Clearly Now was number With the stage set, we now switch socially conscious while Bob Marley’s citing study findings in the Archives them and this album is for them. connections are at best undefined. He 18 on the Hot 100 chart where it spent to what Jimmy Cliff meant to Zambia. music is more than philosophical; it is of General Psychiatry. They belong to Africa, and that’s has produced so much music over a 26 weeks and peaked at number seven When did we as Zambians discover spiritual. “This finding is an important why we have songs such as Jua period of over 60 years and has been on the pop charts, got to number 11 him? Bob Marley moved reggae forward breakthrough in our understanding and Queen Bee, which is talking a world figure and yet he is still going on the Radio Songs chart, 98 on the Jimmy Cliff, who was born James with the Rasta religion at the epicentre of the relationship between cannabis about the importance of ecology,” strong. R&B/Hip-hop Songs chart and number Chambers on April 1, 1948, had his of it all. While Jimmy’s image was use and psychosis,” according to he says. I guess one way to make this 9 on the Adult Contemporary charts. first foray into Zambia probably with parentally acceptable in Zambia, Bob the study. “It raises the question “People should be informed and storytelling manageable is to find a Hakuna Matata also reached number the reggae singles Wonderful World Marley’s wasn’t. Bob’s first coverage of whether those substance users know the impact of our actions context in which to tell it. The context 26 on the Adult Contemporary charts. Beautiful People and Vietnam around in a Zambian local newspaper was would still have gone on to develop and activities on our environment this writer has chosen is to see Jimmy January 1970 saw Wonderful World, 1970. that he was the original songwriter psychosis a few years later.” and the ecosystems around us, Cliff through Zambian eyes. This Beautiful People going to number Released on the now defunct Trojan of No Woman No Cry, a song made CNN Health adds: “Patients with individually or collectively, makes sense because Jimmy Cliff was 25 on the Hot 100 charts, while Label, these two songs were major popular in Zambia by Jimmy Cliff psychosis tend to lose touch with locally and globally, let’s act a virtual member of many Zambian Come Into My Life sat at number 89. and that reality and are prone to hallucinations responsibility to protect our homes. Jimmy Cliff also has biological Breakout (Remix) and Peace had 1992 he smoked and delusions about what is environment.” links to Zambia as will be seen below. showings of 81 and 96 respectively on an average happening around them. Psychosis is The Zamrock-influenced album, In 1981, Jimmy Cliff visited Zambia the R&B/Hip-hop Songs chart. The of 365 frequently reported among patients which he co-produced with Jacob to perform. He performed in Lusaka Breakout album, on which the two grammes of with diagnosed mental illness such as Hoff, comes after The Great Work and Kitwe. At the time he came to songs above are included, peaked at marijuana schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.” Volume I that he released in 2017. Zambia, Bob Marley had exploded 60 on the R&B/Hip-hop Albums chart every day. So although Bob Marley’s music onto the world and Zambia, and and at 11 on the World Albums chart.” A picture was brilliant, his image blocked Jimmy’s star had faded. This is his chart record on the of Bob some people, especially Zambian Austin Kaluba, who then used to biggest market in the world tracked Marley parents then, from appreciating him. write ‘Down Memory Lane’ on the by the chart company Billboard. His spotting Jimmy Cliff, on the other hand, did platform UKZambians, summed influence is much more pervasive than dreadlocks not have that “image barrier”. One Jimmy’s visit as follows: this. was with might wonder why this comparison is “A headline in the National Mirror According to Wikipedia, the this article. relevant to a Jimmy Cliff discussion. entitled The Star Who Came Too Jamaican government under P.J. Dreadlocks By his own admission, on his earlier Late highlighted this fact. Cliff was Patterson honoured Cliff on October in Zambia website, Jimmy admits that only Bob hosted by Kenneth Kaunda at State 20, 2003 by awarding him The were Marley is associated more to reggae House where he played Bongoman. He Order of Merit, the nation’s third- hits in Zambia. Although they were uncommon and associated with than him in the world. Jimmy Cliff, later went to Luapula with some sex highest honour, in recognition of his reggae singles, reggae as a music insanity. Only celebrities such as Paul being a reggae icon, will always be workers.” contributions to the film and music form had not been recognised widely Ngozi and Rikki Ililonga managed seen in the image of Bob Marley. Jimmy Cliff visited Zambia on a industry in Jamaica. He is the only in Zambia and the music world as a to have dreadlocks and be treated as What is Jimmy Cliff’s experience non-musical trip in 1999 and met current living musician to hold this separate and distinct music form. “normal”. with marijuana? Smell the Truth Austin in Kitwe where he has a honour. In September 2009, Cliff was With these two singles Jimmy Bob Marley was a poster child website quotes Rolling Stone daughter by an indigenous Zambian nominated for induction into the Rock Cliff had “arrived” in Zambia. Both for marijuana smoking. It is obvious and reports that the first time he woman. Jimmy has made regular and Roll Hall of Fame, following are socially conscious philosophical that some people started smoking or tried marijuana it was a traumatic private visits to Zambia since then. a campaign on his behalf by the songs. Wonderful World Beautiful were encouraged to smoke marijuana experience. He was so scared he Before we contextualise Jimmy Cliff American Charles Earle. People is about making this world by this image of Bob Marley. Most nearly checked himself into a hospital. in Zambian eyes, we need to set the Jimmy is a world renowned a better place through love and Zambians disapproved and still Later, alcohol and smoking began stage by discussing his international songwriter and some of his songs understanding and Vietnam was disapprove of marijuana smoking, to threaten his voice, so “I cut them influence. are pop classics. Legend has it that a protest song to stop the war in especially parents. Marijuana out”, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer On the international front, Jimmy Bob Dylan called Jimmy Cliff’s Vietnam. smoking is regarded as deviant said. Cliff has maintained a life of Cliff has done it all musically and song Vietnam, which Cliff wrote and Jimmy Cliff, who never spotted behaviour that causes psychosis; moderation since, he says. “I’ll share otherwise. Jimmy Cliff last put out recorded in 1970, the best protest song dreadlocks and was never an open recent scientific studies back that a spliff with certain friends.” reports an album in 2012 when he was 64. he had ever heard. Rastafarian, was noted in Zambia as a notion. Smell the Truth. His 28th album is titled Rebirth. It He wrote the powerful Many Rivers powerful melodic singer who always According to a Science Daily To be continued was among the top on the US reggae to Cross that has been covered by 57 has a socially relevant message. His article published on March 2, 2010 Billboard charts and peaked at number other artistes. The original version was image was then an afro touting black and CNN Health published on Send your comments to 76 in the main album charts in the released in 1970. Bruce Springsteen’s philosopher, a safe and acceptable February 11, 2011, using marijuana, [email protected] YACHI