Wake-up call or unfair criticism? Prince Kaybee's honest take on Zim music
South African producer Prince Kaybee has just lit a fire under Zimbabwe's music scene.
In a now-viral post, he praised the country's talent but didn't hold back: 'The problem isn't quality… it's the sound.'
Prince Kaybee singled out Zimdancehall, calling it 'too layered, too niche' and said it just doesn't connect beyond Zimbabwe's borders.
Zimdancehall is Zimbabwe's version of dancehall, but it is more than just a copy. It is a homegrown genre that speaks to the realities of ghetto life, with lyrics in Shona, local slang, and themes that range from poverty to love.
Prince Kaybee's comments on Zimbabwean music have divided opinion, some say he's being disrespectful. Others think he's just saying what needs to be said.
It all started on X after user @tabanimcgucci claimed Zimbabwean music had 'no export value' and called it 'mid', especially in comparison to the endless stream of South African musicians cashing in on Zim gigs.
'SA artistes are making money from Zimbabwe,' Tabani posted. 'When Zim artistes go abroad, they only play for Zimbabweans. That's how mid our music is.'
The post sparked a war of words, which saw Prince Kaybee joining the conversation.
'I've been to Zim many times, stayed there for a month while recording The 4th Republic,' he posted. 'You guys have world-class engineers and songwriters, the problem isn't quality.'
He said the issue is Zimdancehall. 'It's a subgenre of a subgenre. It doesn't translate commercially in South Africa,' he explained.
He added that the dancehall flavour is being forced into everything, including Amapiano, which leads to a confusing hybrid that just doesn't stick.
'The writing and lyrical approach still has that dancehall texture. That makes it hard for the music to evolve and grow.'
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