Jah Prayzah's Watora Mari video hits 10 million views

By Staff reporter | 05 May 2019 at 17:31hrs
Jah Prayzah
JAH Prayzah has proved his critics wrong. The lanky singer was sharply criticised for collaborating with top-billing foreign artists with one of his earliest duets being with Diamond Platinumz on the song Watora Mari.

His collaboration with the Tanzanian singer has paid off with its views on YouTube having passed 10 million since Watora Mari's release three years ago.

The towering singer received a lot of bashing from some of his die-hard fans who thought collaborations with other African singers were diluting his sound.

Other duets he has done so far with Nigerian and South African singers have also been subjects of much debate.

His videos which now come with some sexuality and a bit of nudity, a thing which had not been seen in local music video productions, are stirring controversy.

Last week, Nigerian dancehall singer Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie aka Patoranking who was in the country for the Ikonic Chronicles gig said he got to know Jah Prayzah because of his collaboration with Diamond Platnumz, hence it was easy to hook up with the Zimbabwean star for yet another duet song.

"I got to know of him after listening to his song with Diamond Platnumz and the other one he later did with Davido. I believe in doing a collaboration I would also be promoting myself because Jah Prayzah has his own fans and I have my own, so both sets of fans will happen to know the two of us," Patoranking said.

Jah Prayzah's manager Keen Mushapaidze said when they took the strategy to focus of regional duets it was confusing to a number of people.

"We decided not to make music only for the Zimbabwean market as our eyes were on the rest of Africa and the world. It has worked well for us. The collaboration with Diamond Platnumz opened several doors," said Mushapaidze.

As a result, Jah Prayzah was considered for continental awards such as the MTV Africa Music Award which he went on to win in 2016.

"After the Diamond collaboration, the Davido collaboration was next and the MTV Africa Music award listener's choice. This was all through the efforts of penetrating the regional market," he said.

Jah Prayzah also worked with South Africa's talented duo Mafikizolo on the song Sendekera after which the pair also engaged him on their song Mazuva Akanaka.

Mazuva Akanaka is currently in the running for a South African SAMA in music video of the year category.

The Zimbabwean music star has since performed in a number of countries and has been invited to festivals in Swaziland, Namibia and Malawi.

"We have so far performed in a number of countries and festivals and are still being approached for several other festivals, all this through those collaborations," said Jah Prayzah's manager.

He has so far done songs with Nigerians Davido (My Lilly), Yemi Alade (Nziyo Yerudo), Patoranking (Follow Me), Kenyan Sauti Sol (Special Somebody), Mafikizolo (Sendekera, Mazuva Akanaka).

Recently, Jah Prayzah was a guest performer at the prestigious Coke Studio Africa where he got the opportunity to meet American star Jason Derulo who was charmed by his artistry.

With Derulo they remixed his 2010 song In My Head for Coke Studio Africa.

"This is an exciting journey because JP can interact and work with some high profile singers in the world and this is good for our local music industry," said Mashapaidze.

The singer is slated for a high profile gig in November with a number of musicians including 2Face, Tekno, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Diamond Platnumz, Tiwa Savage and Harmonize among others.

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