Sometime
last year in November I got through one of the most influential man on social media in support of #SolidarityMarch
and to me I thought that he was just those other social media influencers
without a purpose but little did I know that behind that baritone voice, lay
great wisdom and words that inspired and could change me. Fast tracking to the
20th of November 2017, he released a song with the help of his
father Moses M Gibbons aka RASMoe feature and friend Dean Mark
Holloway aka Dollaway and Somila Mejani aka Seed_Under helped him with the
production. Waiting for the perfect political environment to pitch the track
titled ‘HOUSE of STONE’ bonus track
‘ZIMBABWE Kubatana’. Don Dada goes on to explain that HOUSE of STONE
is the English translation of ZIMBABWE and Kubatana a Shona word translated
means unity, join in, collective, joining, join, unification’ these are
words of encouragement and exactly what is needed for now and generations
for come.
Menelik Nesta Gibbons born in
Avenues Clinic Harare Zimbabwe in1987 was named Nesta after Bob Marley who
his mother met on the street, ironically, the night before Zimbabwe 1980
Independence celebrations. Bob Marley wrote the 1st Zimbabwe Freedom
Independence celebration track titled Zimbabwe. 30 years later ………………. South
Africa based Menelik Nesta Gibbons aka Don Dada felt compelled to honour the
country of his birth with a song of freedom celebration to mark a new era, a
song that will lift spirits and inspire Zimbabweans. Brought up by a
Rastafarian father and Christian mother, he was born in Harare, Zimbabwe,
migrated to South Africa at the age of 5 and grew up in Turffontein south of
Johannesburg. He has never cut his hair and his long dreadlocks run over a
metre and some centimetres. He’s found his musical home in rap and not reggae.
However, inevitably, reggae seeps into his musical arsenal as he makes hip hop.
One
thing I like about this man is that he has continued to be identified with Zimbabwe
though for many years he has been way from the country but he is still and will
truly be Proudly Zimbabwean which is really an eye-opener to many people out
there in the diaspora that “Home is Best” and the problems back here are also your problems and we need
your love, inspiration, help and encouragement though you may be far away in
the foreign lands, but we still need
each other and as I repeatedly say that ,”Identity is the key to greatness” and
no doubt Don Dada has made it this far.
Dada’s Albums
After
performing at the MTN Mandela Day Tribute in 2016 he felt he could do more and
working with SuperProducerRapz he completed the full AVANT GARDE Album is less
than 1 week! It leaves a radio friendly pop laced tune, crosses over genres, 3
languages and music tastes, but its base remains African. This album was
produced at home and true to his interpretation of UBUNTU [There is
space for all] Don Dada pulled in talented people, the likes of Devon Dp,
F.A.R.O, La’Key feature and SuperProducerRapz features on his album. “Black
music is born out of the struggle and I use that element,” he offers.
Don
Dada had very little studio equipment, working from his bedroom with a friend
to product such a high quality product that lead to performing among the
biggest African artists on a prestige platform, 13 tracks in 1 month I guess he
does have the right to his claim 'Game Changer' A brilliant, inspirational
story…………………… the intrigue comes out of it being an unfolding story as it is
still in its making.
Recently
he has prepared something for us again and it’s still the best from him as he
released another album House of Stone Ep which carried the bonus track,
“Zimbabwe kubatana”. I was wondering why this album is sending waves and I got
to know and understand that when talents meets talents, it’s gonna be fireworks
and you can’t stand but to ask for more from the breeze. The greatest baritone
voice met the greatest producers and undoubtedly the best of creativity had the
best features and this is what places this House of Stone to be the best album
for my soul in 2017, as it features some of the best in the dancehall and
reggae circles,
1.
30% of the EP produced by multiple award winning producer –Tweezy[
http://www.dreamteamsa.co.za/talent/index.php/2013-01-13-00-35-20/performer-and-dj-s-vj-s/tweezy]
2.Produced
and Features on a track Herbert QwelaSchwambornaka Metaphysics who has
global recognition through his tracks getting into the top 10 lists in the US
and Germany. Metaphysics has worked with
established internationally renowned artists such as Jamaican heavy weights
BujuBanton and MrVegas.
3. Features
Herby Dangerous a radio host on Zimbabwe national ZiFMstation
that could be likened to SA MetroFM.
Herby gives a unique reggae flavor that led to his selection for
collaborations with established artists such as SizzlaKalonji from Jamaica
4. Features Somila
Mejaniaka Seed_Under a young feisty UMQWITO artist that Don Dada is
nurturing and supporting her career growth. Fred aka Mike produced 20% he is
living in a shanty town Dada wants to raise visibility of Mikes talent Our people matter.
His Journey
Though he hasn’t been in the
game of music for long, I liked what he had to say about his journey, “I’ve
been studying the game for a while and now I’m ready to make my move,
this is my year!!! “.Don Dada feels that he is standing on his own as a
people’s champ. “I care about the soul of the next person and I want to make
everyone comfortable with my talent,” says Dada. In April 2016, Dada released
his first registered single titled, WANT THAT and whilst working on promoting
it, he applied to perform on the MTN Mandala Day Tribute Concert. He was
approved and allocated a 6min, even though he only had a 3min song he agreed
then got into action to complete a 2nd song to fill that time slot. In 2 weeks
a 2nd song
was registered with RICA / SAMRO and available for download on MTN Network Don
Dada made his debut on the MTN Mandala Day Tribute Concert, dropped the new
song PHESHE PHAYA on stage and received a positive response from
the crowd. This is indeed the power of utilizing opportunities and working to
do your best on every platform you get to market yourself or brand. Dada
undoubtedly left the crowd begging for more as they had never heard him before.
Dada is surely a man on a
mission, aligning to the African
millennium goals targeting education and Job Creation with the aim of changing
life's on our continent
Contribute to positive actions focused
on African unity and advancement
Game Ganger is about
identifying and acting on opportunities, Don Dada’s journey is testimony to
that. In his quest to change the statuesque for himself and others. The lack of finances affects
talented artist’s ability to sustain themselves and by linking entrepreneurship
to youth education he is determined to be
part of a solution. In support to that he has set up RuFF CuTT studio and he
has been trending on Social media with hashtags #UBUNTU #GAMECHANGER #TeamDada with the Twitter handle
@dondadamusic and
his website www.dondadamusic.com . He has a strong passion for education and is on
record of interacting with a lot of schools, and he has a well proven success
record, and I have decide to include some works and appraisals on this great
man, A MAN ON A MISSION.
Ø
Has an official , “VIVA Mandela” song that the SA communities
identify with and sing along
Opened stage for JamacianArtist ‘DeMarco aka King Kong’. It was
considered a historic event in Zimbabwe as the 1sttime two
major Jamaican artist performed on different stages at the exact same date and
time 26/08/2017 http://allafrica.com/stories/201708250097.html
Launching and hosting weekly HipHop4Life #DadaFriday segment on
1912Radio from 1/9/2017 http://northcliffmelvilletimes.co.za/259124/donof-the-airwaves/ providing
a platform to mention sponsors products and services
Don Dada releases EP ‘HOUSE
of STONE’ https://northcliffmelvilletimes.co.za/263127/northcliffs
Ø Don Dada
releases ZimbabweKubatanaless than 1 week after releasing his EP https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2017/11/28/artistes-sing-for-new-zimbabwe
Get in Touch with Dada
Follow Him on Twitter : @dondadamusic
Follow Him on Instagram @dondadamusic
Like his Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/DonDaDaMusic01
Visit
His Website www.dondadamusic.com
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