Shingirayi Zimanyi is, as you can very well tell, Zimbabwean. What you didn’t know though is that Shingirayi Zimanyi is Shayzar, and judging by your confused reaction, you don’t know who that is either.
Well, worry not. In this WAVE exclusive, hear from the man, the myth, the legend himself on how he tactically played the game and calculated his check moves to the top of the mountain. Learn just how certain Shayzar knew that he’d become one of Africa’s most sought after producers ever since he was fifteen years old.
Shayzar from the mean streets of… more than deserves to have his face carved on the Hokage Face Mountain of Zim hip-hop producers. The man has produced, recorded, mix and mastered several award-winning singles and albums across the African concrete jungle. Having won several accolades across a 10+ year career, it’s forgivable to forget that his first historical W was winning the inaugural Zim Hip-Hop award for Best Producer. This is the same man who also laced the beats on MC Chita’s debut album, ‘263–4: The Struggle, The Hustle, The Life’, which dropped in 2008. He’s come far from those humble days to now being credited as associate producer, co-arranger and mixer on both of Lady Zamar’s debut and sophomore albums, King Zamar and Monarch respectively.
“I have worked with pretty much all the biggest African artists through events and post production for over ten years. My experience far outweighs almost any manager in Zim within my age group,” said the producer.
Before migrating south and setting up his chop shop, Cloud 9ne Entertainment in the Rainbow Nation, Shayzar was a regular fixture in the hip hop game, connecting and collaborating with several artists of the 2010s golden generation. His Mix Masters International sphere of influence vibed with the likes of Karma, Gigi LaMayne, AyTee, Rayo Beats, Guspy Warrior, DJ Trickx, and High Definition Dance Crew as well as DemBoiz to name a few.
The trip down memory lane proved to be the golden brick road with little regrets when asked what would change if he redid the era.
“If I had to redo that era of Zim hip-hop circa 2009 to 2014, it’d be to make sure there was sufficient budget for the projects. Otherwise, everything was done right, just my brain was thinking way ahead of its time and that country was not ready for it. It was inevitable that I was going to either work or be associated with major record labels on the continent.”
When quizzed on what was the game’s greatest moment, he credited circa 2008- 2012 era as being the only time when hip-hop was bigger than Zim dancehall. Having stopped being active in the scene in 2015, he is one of the few industry heavyweights who saw hip-hop through its early developmental phase. He was there on the red carpet of the inaugural Zim Hip Hop Awards ceremony and was part of the creative process of the country’s most-played hip-hop song by Amelia — may she eternally rest in power.
He remembers with smug satisfaction, his contributions to the game that includes co-founding The Circle at Book Café (monthly freestyle battles) with Huck Finn and DJ Trickx and hosting a lot of hip-hop house parties that helped nail in the coffin of Urban Grooves. High schools back then, were the receptacles for the hip-hop energy Shayzar and many others were pushing. Artists would embark on university tours to grow their fan bases with live performances — The Feeling Ain’t Fair tour ring a bell anyone?
Yet half a decade later hip-hop is met with indifference, ridicule and scorn. What happened?
“We lost the plot because of the lack of support and hate from each other. No one wanted to see the other shine too bright. It’s okay to disagree but platforms should have been made for each other. Also, I can’t say the plot was lost, the conditions were still not viable enough for such a movement. Zim is not a musical country nor does it have the infrastructure for it, only a few can survive,” said the producer.
His challenge for the new generation of urban culture artists in the homeland is to create, perfect and own a sound with crossover appeal. The logic being that the point in 2021 going forward is to be a global artist, short of that being a continental artist is acceptable. He plainly puts it,
“The music has to crossover to different countries and continents, as it doesn’t make sense to be popular in just Zimbabwe. Being local will never get you anywhere if you going to sing in any native language which is an African minority like Shona. Be smart about it.”
He points out Yoca and Sha Sha who won a BET Award for Best New International Act 2020 as role model artists to emphasise his point.
Ask Shayzar, and he’ll tell you that an artist worth managing would be one with multiple videos, a lot of online content and social media traction with a sound that is par to international quality standards.
“If I was to sign an artist today I can easily offer them expert production services, from recording, mixing and mastering according to international standards, including music video production and most importantly PR, management and capital access. I have direct access with Universal UMG SA, Sony ATV and Warner, which are the only majors in Africa. All I ask for is; commitment, hard work, self-sufficiency and consistency. I have been a producer since I was fifteen years old, left school, went to college and then fully developed myself for a full-time role. I was sure of whom I was meant to be.”
Having gotten this far, you’re probably thinking you have what it takes to be an artist under Shayzar right? Think again.
“Don’t let alcohol and drugs take over you or I will personally sue you and hold you liable to my money. My contracts are strict AF. Take this as a job, no missteps, no excuses, no drama from outside the business. No hanging out with friends in the clubs late, be home and doing music. For the next three years you’re under my tutelage, I don’t expect wacky performances! Ever! Your phone should always stay on and be on time for any event please! Exercise often and stay healthy, it’s a tough industry,” he asserted.
Might sound harsh and demanding but remember it is truly a tough industry and this man produced Amelia’s hit single ‘Number One’ in this “industry”. As if producing the scorcher wasn’t enough, he also masterminded the song’s blow up into becoming Zimbabwe’s first number one hip-hop hit single in over ten years, making Amelia the first and only female rapper to do so. Oh, and the song had massive radio airplay across Southern and West African major radio stations, and pretty much by default became Power FM’s most played song of 2011. Not to forget that the album ‘Amelion’ that he mixed and mastered for Amelia won Best Album of the Year 2011.
“When you make a product, the end result should be monetization. We were one of the first people to learn monetization when I co-managed High Definition Dance Crew back in 2011. First dance crew to have a big ass billboard in Borrowdale and have their own gigs.”
Shayzar is neck-deep in the music business. The past projects he associated with in Zimbabwe alone are staggering; from philanthropic youth passion projects to DSTV Big Brother eviction parties. The man’s like Big Foot — a rare sighting in public but you can tell his footprint when you see it or hear it more like.
Unearthing the old bodies of work he touched from SoundCloud and ReverbNation, is a gift in itself the mixing and mastering sound so crisp and timeless. He’s without a doubt one of the very best producers slash sound engineers to come out of Zimbabwe and he’s got his own two cents for producers slumming it in the homeland.
“If producers want to get paid, be serious about your craft. Make the music worthwhile, work with as many artists as possible. Even if they are giving you peanuts, make the peanuts count. I use to get paid peanuts too but I moved up the ranks to being one of the most sought after music engineers in Africa. Sacrifice is needed through research and buying original software and gear. Knowledge is power, don’t be afraid to ask if you’re lost. Expand your territory, don’t just produce locally. Partnerships are key, most of these young kids don’t know the power of co-producing. The biggest songs in the world have more than eight producers and artists working on one song! Quality is more guaranteed.”
I asked Shayzar for the five check move guide for the artist who is five moves away from engineering their blow up and here is the best advice you’ll ever hear from an actual success story in the music business.
“Record, record, record until you find the right song. Get it properly mixed, mastered and embedded with ISRC codes. Shoot a great music video. Get management. Someone who is an accountant, brand developer, social media expert or content creator in your neighbourhood. They must also believe in your brand. Submit to all stations, to all DJs and boost your social media game. Perform for free until you have a set value (booking fee) in the game. Repeat this whole procedure 35 times and you will be good by the 36th time. And yes I said 35 times! There is a science to that number.”
Shayzar is, as you can very well tell, a Zimbabwean success story. The hustler’s spirit, tenacity, drive and passion in him reflects the Zimbabwean mind state of secure the bag, which is in every one of us. His good works in and out the studio have been overlooked by history and the game along the way forgot to pay its respects to a living legend.
From masterminding chess moves that secured hit singles, Borrowdale billboards and the demise of Urban Grooves, to timeless production work that bagged him awards and then some, to now stamping his mark in South Africa, the man truly went from the little leagues to playing in the majors. And he’ll tell you he always knew he would.
