I was listening to Tocky Vibes’ latest album titled Munyezunyakata. I was impressed with some of the lyrics on the title track especially on the parts where he sings “My Weekend Special’’ and ‘’My Angel’’. The rest of the tracks on the album include Tamba, Kana Ndodya and Tisiyane Hazvigoni.
My impression of the whole album is that Tocky has now matured from his previous offerings in comparison.
In the past, he has offered us Long Live Chama, Dhongi Newaya, Mabhitiriyana, Chicken and Chama, Toti Toti, Ngoma Kurira and Chamakuvangu but in comparison they do not match his latest offering in Munyezunyakata.
One can tell that a lot of effort went into the development of this album. It also shows maturity on Tocky Vibes’ part. The lyrics have now matured and have rich social messages.
Maturity does not come easily. Some people learn and grow. Maturity is the quality of thinking and behaving in a sensible, adult manner.
It has slowly taken Tocky time to mature. I can trace Tocky Vibes’ progress in the music industry from the time he was a teenager up until now.
As far back as 2016, I remember running to Oliver Mtukudzi complaining about this young man’s behaviour. I told Tuku that Tocky had refused to do an interview with me yet scores of upcoming artistes seeking publicity were calling me, some even trying to bribe me to interview them. Tocky arrogantly told me to interview his manager, one Elvis Bokosha, instead.
Tuku’s response was:
- In the groove: Tocky Vibes- Mature at last!
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“This young man needs to grow up. He is still immature. He sees himself as Michael Jackson, moving around with bouncers, yet he does not have Michael Jackson’s fortune. That is the problem with our youngsters in Zimbabwe. They watch videos from America and want to imitate everything they see in those videos without the financial resources the American superstars have. I was also shocked last week when he pulled out of a show we were scheduled to perform together in Chitungwiza. He behaved like a superstar and told us that the crowd was too small for him to perform as a curtain raiser. He doesn’t know that you are someone we respect in this industry. He must apologise to you. I will talk to him. He comes to Pakare Paye quite often”.
I am not sure whether Tuku talked to him or not but that apology never came.
Tuku was the main act at a show where Tocky Vibes was supposed to curtain-raise at Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex and he had signed a contract with show promoter, Josh Hozheri.
He, however, came at the venue but refused to perform citing that the crowd was “too small” for his calibre.
He left the venue in a huff.
His manager, Bokosha, later told the promoter that they had another show booked in Mutare on the same night.
Tocky who is almost 30 years old now bungled up big time as a youngster.
On another occasion, at the Mafikizolo show held in December, 2015 at the Harare International Conference Centre, where Tocky Vibes was one of the supporting acts, he also showed immature behaviour by disrespecting other musicians present.
During the artistes’ performance, I was sitting on the backstage high chair until Tocky Vybes came on the stage with a whole heap of people accompanying him.
One of his bouncers asked me to move from my chair so that Tocky Vybes could sit on it as an introduction to his grand stage entrance. I obliged and moved to a smaller chair. Before that, I had watched Alexio Kawara and Oliver Mtukudzi perform while seated on this high chair and nobody had hassled me. Oliver even came and shook my hand before going on stage, and said to me: “Thank you for coming.”
At that point in time, I was joined backstage by Jah Prayzah. The two of us were busy chatting when suddenly, one of Tocky Vybes’ bouncers named Baba aNgoni confronted us and said: “Hey you two, remove yourselves from the stage, because Tocky doesn’t want anyone backstage!” I stood my ground and then Elvis Bokosha, Tocky’s manager, who had witnessed the confrontation came and apologised. He let us stay.
The whole scene sounded like the movies. I wondered if these guys knew that in the past I had interacted and even took pictures with the likes of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Bob Marley, artistes whom I think are bigger than Tocky Vibes with a lot of ease. Now what is this?
I kept wondering what Tocky Vybes needed bouncers for. Jah Prayzah, ( (who was also kicked out of the backstage later) or Dr Oliver Mtukudzi who in my opinion were bigger artistes than him, did not move around with bouncers. Besides, what money was he making to afford bouncers?
After the confrontation with his bouncers, the 21-year-old came on stage clad in a black suit, glass shoes and a magician’s top hat. He was received with thunderous applause.
If he had walked off the stage then, the ‘Mai’ singer would have been able to tell his mother that people cheered loudly for him, but he didn’t and it was downhill from there onwards. When it was time to sing, there was trouble in paradise for Tocky. His voice failed. The P.A. system did not work for him. This was basically due to inexperience on the part of his technical team.
Tocky felt that he was being sabotaged by jealous musicians who did not want to see him rise to the top, amid claims by his camp that a certain top musician (name withheld) is using juju to thwart his rise.
I have heard so many stories about juju being used in football, but in my many years of experience with music, this was the first time I had come across such a situation.
If this is true, it is rather unfortunate that Tocky believes in supernatural powers that should make him rise to the top of his game.
Unfortunately, Tocky is not alone in such alleged beliefs.
Africa has long standing history of deep superstition composed in the beliefs of many uncertainties. Strong beliefs in witchcraft, juju, gods, ancestors, black magic, miracles, sorcery, necromancy, ghosts, etc. Witchcraft and wizardly prevail across the continent and are employed largely to haul people down and even end their lives. Some people use juju to procure fast riches and trigger their businesses and fight others in the contest of life. People put faith in juju in solving life problems on this part of the continent. Strong beliefs in prophets, the gods and ancestors are found in almost all the countries in Africa.
Tocky Vybes is no exception if he harbours these beliefs.
I am sure now that Tocky has learned a lot from the music business. He is now displaying a more mature attitude in his songwriting and interaction with people. He knows that it is the people who make him into a superstar instead of he declaring that role upon himself.
Tocky Vibes (real name: Obey Makamure born November 29, 1993.) is a Zimbabwean award-winning Zimdancehall artist, songwriter and lyricist.
He was born in Rugare suburb, Harare. He was first spotted by top Zimdancehall artist Winky D, which led to recordings of his earlier music. His parents wanted him to focus on his studies and thought the music scene would affect his studies. They moved him back to their rural home in Chivi, Masvingo Province, and later he moved to their farm in Rusape outside of Mutare . Later local reggae and dancehall artist, "Guspy Warrior ‘’ aka Emmanuel Manyeruke took him in and helped reignite his career. He made frequent visits to Harare to record until he decided to reside in the capital permanently.
Tocky Vibes released an album Toti Toti in 2015.
At the Zimdancehall awards in 2015 he won prizes for the songs Tocky Aenda Nenyika and Mhai.
In 2020 a man named John Vashico, a Tocky Vibes look-alike made rounds in Glendale claiming to be the musician's father. Vashico claimed to have fathered Tocky Vibes and 10 other children and deserted them. The claims were dismissed by Tocky Vibes who showed pictures with his biological father who is based in South Africa.
In January 2015, Tocky signed a lucrative endorsement deal with local cigarette manufacturer Savannah Tobacco. Tongai Zvaravanhu, the chief operating officer of Savannah Tobacco, noted that although public opinion was initially skeptical whether Zimbabwe Dancehall would last, Tocky Vibes had been a revelation. He also heaped praise on the dancehall sensation pointing out that Tocky was a great poet of great maturity and strength, his vision and social commentary make him a voice of Zimbabwe's youth. “We are proud to have him as our brand Ambassador. All I can say is ah ah ah ah ah hi hi hi... aenda ne nyika ,” he said.
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