I'm still around: Jah Love

ZIMDANCEHALL chanter Soul Jah Love

(pictured) yesterday said he was still in the game despite seemingly having taken a back seat in music.

His sentiments came in the wake of concerns expressed by his fans on social media that since the beginning of the lockdown, he has been conspicuous by his silence.

The musician was, however, part of the line up of artistes that performed during controversial cleric Passion Java’s recent Garamumba Iwe concert broadcast live on various online platforms.

The Zviripandiri Zvihombe hitmaker told NewsDay life & Style that although he faced some personal issues which nearly derailed his career, he was able to overcome them.

He said he would never quit music.

“Yes, I have faced some personal issues which stood as the greatest threat to my career, but I have managed to overcome them,” he said.

“Music is my life, my soul and my everything. I will only stop when I die. I have not taken a back seat because I still have a long way to go.”

Soul Jah Love, however, admitted that the COVID19-induced lockdown had negatively impacted his career.

“It is just that things are slow because of COVID-19,” he said.

“Yes, I did the Garamumba Iwe performance courtesy of Passion Java, but I am missing my fans.”

Soul Jah Love castigated some copycats in the industry whose music he said was sounding more like his and vowed to introduce a new sound.

“Some musicians have been copying our style; that is why we want to bring new sound, new style because everyone sounds like Soul Jah Love, Seh Calaz, Killer T or Enzo so we have a lot of work to do,” he said.

“Dancehall is growing enough fans and the response is good, all we need is mature lyrics.”

The award-winning artiste rose to fame in 2012 with hit tracks including Ndini Uya Uya and Gum-kum.

Often compared to the Jamaican musician Vybz Kartel, Soul Jah Love is popularly known for making the Chibabababa and Hauite Hauite signature chants that feature in all of his songs. Soul Jah Love, who had a tumultuous marriage to fellow chanter Bounty Lisa before going separate ways, suffers from diabetes and has been hospitalised on several occasions.