A TALENT content show focusing on local hip-hop and dancehall artistes is on the cards.
The contest will have a national coverage appeal and a $1 million cash prize sponsored by Ian P Universal. The contest was launched at the 3KTV first anniversary in Harare on March 3.
The episodes are set to start running from June 2023.
Speaking to Standard Style, executive producer Ian P Venganai said: “Zim has a huge pool of youths interested in arts; music to be specific as a way to escape their social ills. The #EndHunger #RhymeForAmillion campaign will be a good start to appeal to an international audience to seek or procure unearthed Zimbabwe talent, we are excited to reach every corner of Zimbabwe to showcase some hidden gems to the world. We want to create a platform for self-expression accompanied by opportunities of mentorship for business and personnel development.”
The Ian P Cyphers is a series of hip- hop, dancehall and slam poetry battles (competitions) scheduled to take place every first Sunday of the month. Each event is dubbed as a #EndHunger #RhymeForAmillion campaign.
It is a showcase of pre-selected talent that goes toe-to-toe for the big monthly cash prize of $100 000 and morphes into the grand finale whose prize money is $1 million. The show will be hosted by rapper Lenon Gwara, aka DJ Mic Sprinter and a female co-host.
Interested participants are encouraged to like and follow Ian P Cyphers social media pages and send their 60 second freestyle pieces via WhatsApp.
Twenty selected videos will be posted on the contest’s social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok for voting.
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According to organisers, contestants will be announced on the 21st of each month, calls will be closed on the 14th of each month while 12 winning finalists will be announced on the first Sunday of each month. The winner will be determined by views on social media platforms.
The project is designed and developed with intent to search, discover, showcase and promote young talent from across Zimbabwe to the world. Its main message is to end hunger, alleviate poverty and empower youths through their natural talents and skills.
Ian P Universal is a company that has 20 years experience in television content creation with over 30 television show titles, most of them being primetime shows.
The company also founded and built tele-radio stations in Zimbabwe and Botswana. It has a global partnership of collaborators that have contributed to the success of televised academic sports such as the National School Quiz Championship (NSQC), COTUC, SAYWHAT, Quiz Challenge and the SASSI Debate Series. It has franchise shows such as Meet The CEO, Meet The Principal and many more. The company has also served SABC, Dstv Mnet, Channel O, Botswana TV, ZNBC, SWAZI TV, 3KTV, ZBC as well as America-based networks Kweli TV and Amazon Prime.
“As a television franchise show, Ian P Cyphers will package the series of these battle competitions into a series for licensing to local broadcasters and international networks,” said Venganayi.
“The pilot series based in Zimbabwe will kick-start the road to the BET or MTV or Grammy awards for our young local artistes.
“The same will be said for Zambia, Malawi, Angola, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya and Botswana in the near future.”
