As we begin 2026, I invite you to take a moment to reflect on the past year and gently make your own decision on who Zimbabwe’s GOAT (Greatest Of All Times) in music is.
The year 2025, as you know, was packed with incredible new releases and offerings to the charts and we worked our socks off to bring these happenings to you.
What we couldn’t decide on was who was the greatest artist of 2025. The year is gone. We still can’t.
A strong, often heated argument or discussion about who is Zimbabwe’s GOAT in the music arena is continuing intensely and shows no sign of ending soon, with "rage" emphasising the powerful, forceful, and sometimes angry nature of the disagreement, much like a storm or fire.
It highlights that the controversy is active, unresolved, and music fans are still deeply divided, as seen in discussions.
This debate has been resurrected by events which took place on New Year’s Eve when music fans argued about who was a better performer during a joint show between Jah Prayzah and Winky D, two of Zimbabwe’s biggest music stars at the Glamis Arena on December 31.
As far back as 1990, I got myself into trouble with music fans when I wrote an article comparing Oliver Mtukudzi and Thomas Mapfumo after the two music giants had gone head-to-head in a colossal show clash.
Fans wanted to know what criteria I had used to reach the conclusion I had come up with. They said that the two giants should not be compared as both were involved in two distinct genres vis-a-vis Chimurenga and Tuku music respectively distinguished by different rhythms and unique voices.
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They were right. Mtukudzi and Mapfumo played different genres of music, one called Tuku music and the other known as Chimurenga.
The voices and instrumentation on these respective genres were completely different. It was like comparing a banana with an orange. These two musicians had dominated the Zimbabwe music industry for years, with their unique sounds and exceptional talents.
However, the question on everyone's mind was, who among the two giants was dominating the music scene in Zimbabwe? I wrote a book titled Roots Rocking In Zimbabwe. which featured Thomas Mapfumo on its cover and Tuku would not talk to me for a while because of that.
Come 2026, the debate still rages on.
This time the artistes at play are Winky D and Jah Prayzah. I will not dare repeat my 1990 error. Comparing these two artistes is again going back to the issue of a banana and an orange.
The only thing they have in common is the sweetness of their music. Winky D is into Dancehall and Jah Prayzah focuses on Afro Pop/ Traditional sounds. They both have different followers.
Now, before we go into who is the better artist, we need to define the criteria we are using in order to determine this.
Zimbabwe has four main genres of music which the fans love.
First of all there is Chimurenga which is identified with the likes of Thomas Mapfumo, Pio Farai Macheka and Comrade Chinx.
Then there is Sungura or Museve which features names like John Chibadura, Alick Macheso and the late Nicholas Zacharia who recently passed on after a persevering and an assiduous career spanning over 40 years..
We then move on to Jiti, a genre which is often associated with the Bhundu Boys, Paul Mpofu, James Chimombe and The Four Brothers
Lately,.Zimdancehall-—a sub-genre of Jamaican reggae/dancehall which is often associated with artistes like Winky D, Killer T, Freeman HKD, Enzo Ishall, Jah Signal, Shinzoman and Seh Calaz is included as one of Zimbabwe’s most popular music genres. Gospel and Urban Grooves are creations which fit into any of the above four categories.
Until we identify what Zimbabwe’s music genre is, it is difficult to make comparisons of musicians who play different genres of music.
For instance how can we compare Alick Macheso with Winky D.? They both play different genres and have different types of fans.
Until that is resolved, the debate on who the GOAT is should stop. We may ask ourselves questions like:
Who in 2025 sold the largest number on record/CDs?
Who has the largest number of views on YouTube?
How many fans have got internet/WiFi facilities to register their likes?
Whose genre of music is more popular among the people of Zimbabwe?
Whose music has more cultural relevance in Zimbabwe?
Which artiste has made an impact In Zimbabwe by addressing relevant social issues?
How many international concerts has the artist made in 2025?
Which artiste had more fans/groupies following him in 2025?
Which artiste exudes more energy during a live performance or which one has two left feet?
Which artiste has more international collaborations?
Which artiste spends more time and money on making videos? And so forth.
How long has each artiste been on the market as a musician?
The answers to the above questions do not necessarily lead us to the GOAT. There is a need for a research study to come up with figures and statistics. That way, we will have inevitable evidence on who the real GOAT is. That’s the way the cookie crumbles.
Some artistes have made only two albums and cannot be compared with the likes of Oliver Mtukudzi who made 55 albums in terms of longevity. However, there are some who have made a great impact on society with only one single record. Should they be entered in the GOAT debate?
Adding to the buzz is the longstanding perceived rivalry between the two music heavyweights, Winky D and Jah Prayzah. ‘’One Big Party’’ made this possible. We thank Chipaz Promotion for the New Year show which brought about a debate which has gone beyond music. Concert goers left the show with their own perceptions of who they felt was the GOAT .
Recently Jah Prayzah and Winky D have been spotted wearing goat beard. That means they are both GOATS. Forgive me my friends.
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