Interview with DJ Romeofoxy | Harare, Zimbabwe
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| DJ Romeofoxy in his Usandibate music video! Photograph: Romeo Mudimu. |
Romeo
Mudimu, or DJ Romeofoxy – as he’s known by fans and listeners alike – has the
mind of an entrepreneur and a creative spirit that’s charting new territory in
the Zimbabwean music industry. Born in Tshotsholo, a small community in the
Matebeleland region of Zimbabwe,
he later spent his childhood in Bulawayo – the
second largest city in Zimbabwe.
As a high-schooler, Romeo settled in Kwekwe – a town in the Midlance province.
Now based in Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe, he continues to
inspire confidence in other young Africans with his positive funky vibes through
his radio and television program. Romeo plans to travel the world, collaborate
with like-minded artists, and share his afro-beats through new platforms!
It’s
been a few months since we first met in December while I was in Harare. I remember having some awesome
conversations with Romeo that were both funny and meaningful. Being a musician
myself, I understand the challenges that one has to overcome in the artistic
sphere. I absolutely loved Romeo’s zest for life and his desire to influence
and be a part of developing the emerging music industry in Zim. I remember
listening with intrigue as he told me about the kind of music he fuses with his
DJ-ing skills – what he calls “Afro-house”. Before going to Zim, I’d never
heard of that combination in my life! I’m sure it exists in the world, but just
probably not in Australia!
(Laughs.) It’s basically an eclectic fusion of Afro-beats and House music. His
brother – Kenneth Mudimu – played me some tunes from the genre, and I was
pretty fascinated by its atmospheric nature and the crazy rhythms running
through! If you never heard of this quirky sub-genre, be sure to check it out.
In the meantime, let’s hear from DJ Romeofoxy…
Romeo
| I have always loved music and spent a lot of time listening to cassettes when
I was younger and sharing the music with my friends. Though DJ-ing was not
something that I ever thought of for a long time, in 2003, I thought I’d share
the music that I loved with people on a much bigger platform – so naturally, I thought
of becoming a DJ. I put together what I call ‘Afro-house’, which has strong
elements of African instruments, with emphasis on drums, wind instruments, mbira (a thumb-piano originating in
Zimbabwe), and all these cultural samples which date back centuries ago – but I
bring them back to life to suit the contemporary club context.
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| That's an mbira! It makes the coolest-sounding tones, I loved playing it! |
Romeo | The
coolest gig that I have ever done was recently this year, when I played music
for a five year-old’s birthday celebration for free :) It was really special
and challenging at the same time, but at the end of the party I felt really
good seeing all the smiles on their little faces, and I was glad I did the gig!
Janielle
| I love how it always begins with something you love doing. I think that’s
what our first conversation was about! So, who inspired you to pursue the
sphere of music – which I believe can be a lot tougher than settling for an
ordinary job in Zim?
Romeo
| My faith in God. Through His word, I am challenged to live a purpose-driven
life and to serve him through the gifts that he has given me in the arts.
Janielle
| That’s so cool! I think it’s extremely rare to find guys like you who can see
yourself using music and DJ-ing for God! At the moment, what’s a challenge
facing upcoming musicians in Zimbabwe
or Africa in general?
Romeo
| In Zimbabwe, the biggest challenge that artists face is economic hardship –
it is difficult and expensive to produce quality music and to make a living out
of the industry. It’s also tough to gather enough support from the general
public since the arts is thought of to be a ‘non-essential’ for people.
Janielle
| That’s the reason why I believe in what you do. It may be ‘non-essential’,
but I think every culture, and every society needs its own style of expression.
Although it’s tough to get there, I think music is definitely something that
can be used for a greater purpose! Amidst all the things in the media industry
that could weigh you down, what’s the one thing that keeps you anchored?
Romeo | I am deeply in love with what I do.
Janielle
| How simple and true! It’s that passion that keeps us going. So what’s next
for you and where do you plan to travel in the future?
Romeo
| Right now, I’m working on advancing as a DJ. While most other DJ’s focus on
mixing music, I am going beyond that to focus on live video mixing – something
that is not being done on the market, and especially in Zimbabwe.
As
we speak, I have completed a pilot project in the form of a television program called
InDaMix that’s being aired on
national television. It is already receiving positive responses from the public
and I intend to promote this by delving further into the area of video mixing.
So far, I have ventured into producing Christian music and videos. I’ve
also been involved on Zimbabwean radio where I’ve begun doing Christian dance
mixes for the purpose of uplifting those who listen to my show.
In
my plans to travel, I’d love to go to France,
Australia, and the USA, and bring
some Afro-vibes in those parts!
Janielle
| Yes, we definitely need more of that down under! It’s been awesome talking to
you, Romeo. Thanks for sharing your experiences and your music with the world.
I think you made a pretty awesome choice to get out into the fray, try
something different – like being a DJ! – and putting your heart to it. It’s
amazing that as soon as we’ve begun, we realize with excitement that we can never
know where the journey might lead us!
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