DAVIDO BLOW FOR JAH PRAYZAH
Fails to make it for album launch Winky D and Tuku to the rescue
AFRICAN hip hop star Davido yesterday failed to make it for Jah Prayzah’s Kutonga Kwaro album launch in Harare as he is embroiled in a mu r d e r c a s e concerning his close friend Tagbo Umeike in Nigeria with police there questioning him over his involvement. Davido, who was reportedly paid $90 000, was supposed to support Jah Prayzah who he did a collaboration with on the song My Lilly at the album launch pencilled for the Harare International Conference Centre. Organisers of the show, 2 Kings Entertainment, issued a statement on Thursday night announcing that Davido would not be part of the album launch because of “circumstances beyond their control”.
Winky D and Oliver Mtukudzi were roped in to rescue the situation.
Events that happened on October 3 in Nigeria where Davido’s close confidant Umeike died in what police said was suffocation, have come back to haunt him. Umeike died on his birthday at a bar in Nigeria after allegedly taking 40 shots of Tequila. Two other close pals of the Nigerian muso, DJ Olu and Chime, died four days after the passing of Umeike with the hip hop superstar breaking the news on his Instagram handle last Saturday night.
DJ Olu, son to Nigerian billionaire Dapo Abiodun, and Chime, were reportedly found dead in the former’s car in unclear circumstances.
It seems Davido gave statements to the police that were laced with untruths.
According to The Vanguard newspaper, the police in Nigeria have concluded arrangements to transfer the case over the death of Davido’s friends to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID for further investigations.
Police sources revealed that Davido was allowed to go home after the interrogation, which lasted for some hours.
However, other suspects in the case were said to still be in police custody pending the completion of the process of transfer and other requirements that will aid detectives in their investigations.
It was also learned that Davido was advised to make himself available any time his attention was needed, a request he freely consented to.
So as of Thursday police were questioning Davido about the whole issue and this affected his appearance yesterday.
Meanwhile, Davido has broken his silence over the whole situation saying he was not responsible for his friends’ deaths.
Through Davido’s legal adviser, Norrison Quakers (SAN) published on The Punch Nigeria, the If hit-maker said he was never arrested by the police; rather he made himself available for questioning.
“Our client maintains that he has not in any way lied about what he knows about the unfortunate incident, neither has his statement to the police been incoherent as unfortunately being presented in the media”.
Davido also released CCTV footage from the Shisha lounge where he last saw the deceased before the tragic incident. — @ bonganinkunzi SKYZ Metro FM, Bulawayo’s first commercial radio station, will in December hold its inaugural Music Awards to honour artistes who have excelled during the year with their music.
Speaking at a Press conference at The Vista yesterday, Skyz Metro FM station manager Godwin Phiri said the awards would be held on December 21 and this will see 18 musicians honoured in their respective categories at a red carpet event at a yet to be named venue in the city.
“On the awards night it’ll be a red carpet event where we want to honour and celebrate the musicians from the city who’ve worked hard throughout the year. The awards will have 18 categories that will be announced at a nominees’ party on November 24,” said Phiri.
The categories that will be contested will be Song of the Year, Best Male Artiste, Best Female Artiste, Best Gospel Song, Best Dance Song, Best Tshibilika Song, Best Imbube Song, Best Metro-Urban Song, Best Urban fire Song, Best Afro Soul Song, Best Maskandi/Mbaqanga Song, Best House/Gqom! Song, Best Collaborated Song, Best Song by a Group/Duo, Best Music Sound Production, Best Music Journalist (All Media), Best Break-Out Star and Most Outstanding Contribution to Music.
Phiri said the selection criteria would be for songs that were produced and released from September 11, 2016, the day the radio station started broadcasting and September 11, 2017, but they would consider those which were produced earlier.
“Music that first emerged through the Skyz Metro FM airwaves before September 11, 2016 will also be considered for nomination. In other words music released prior to September 11, 2016 but only evidently popularised by the advent of Skyz Metro FM will be considered,” he said.
e nomination process has begun with Phiri saying: “The general public will nominate nominees for all awards. They can get nomination papers filled physically from the Skyz Metro FM office or via call in on designated radio programme segments, nomination via online platforms afforded by the station.
He said a nomination committee of Skyz Metro FM presenters, producers and managers will sit and select nominees to contest each award.
The public will be able to vote in three categories namely Song of the Year, Best Male and Best Female Artiste.
“This will be done through a sealed ballot box located at Skyz Metro FM offices, Call-In voting on designated radio programme segments during shows, online voting via Skyz Metro website and social media platforms and SMS voting via prescribed voting lines,” said Phiri.”