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Bongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
Attending a church service was made more interesting for most youths last week when Prophetic Healing Deliverance (PHD) Ministries choir – Yadah Voices Choir- led thousands in singing for the Lord on a Zimdancehall tip.The choir fused gospel tracks with popular Zimdancehall tunes to come up with something termed Zim Gospel dancehall.

Performing in front of thousands at the Amazulu Sports Club, the Yadah Voices Choir rounded off the two-day crusade with a dancehall ensemble.

They sang renditions of Shinsoman’s Ndakupenga but fused it with lyrics that suggested that the gospel of God confused the devil. They also occasionally used Souljah Love’s popular Hauite Hauite chant during the performance.

When the dancehall beat was belted out on the speakers, the crowd went wild with loud screams, whistles and cheers. One would have easily mistaken the crusade for a dancehall concert as church goers sang and danced along to the songs, jumping up and down.

The dancehall tentacles seem to have spread to every part of the country’s popular culture with gospel music artistes including Mechanic Manyeruke, Tinashe Magacha, and High Praise Team joining the bandwagon.

Tinashe Magacha, young brother to gospel musician Sebastian, this year released a gospel album that is laced with dancehall beats to spread the word of God to young people.

According to Magacha, he chose dancehall because he loves the genre which has become popular with many young people. “My lyrical content is entirely Christian even though I use the dancehall beat. To win more souls to the kingdom of God I chose to produce music with a beat that the youths like,” he said.

The new Zim Gospel dancehall genre is now being used by some to lure youths to attend their modern day churches.