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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
The only way to make it in the music industry is through hard work and patience, said Australia based dancehall artiste Slicker 1 who has bagged collaborations with reggae superstar Anthony B and Mavin Priest (son to Maxi Priest).

Sicker 1 real name Larry Makombe, left Zimbabwe at the age of 18 and has opened the stage in Australia for the likes of Jamaican Beenie Man, Elephant Man, Dermaco, Cecil, Winky D and Jah Prayzah.

This year Slicker 1 shared the stage with renowned hip hop act Migos through a virtual concert held during the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.

The entertainer and Antony B worked on a song titled Jail Bird which addresses people’s welfare under lockdown. Slicker I was also featured by Marvin Priest on a collaboration titled Tequila. Marvin Priest is a British-Jamaican artist and is the son of legendary reggae singer Maxi Priest, who Slicker 1 met during a tour of Australia in 2016.

Asked how he has managed to position himself in all this, Slicker 1 said it boils down to hard work.

“I guess my work ethic helps me a lot and I am someone who is well connected. There is no secret there but all that is required is hard work to reach that level to be associated with big names like Migos,” said Slicker 1.

He said artistes should always be hungry for success.

“The hunger to succeed or to do better than yesterday is what drives me. I want to inspire a whole generation of the youth through music and also to give back to society as an artist by assisting the less privileged,” said Slicker 1.

After doing the collaborations and sharing the stage with world brands, Slicker 1 said he would want to work with fellow Zimbabwean musicians.

“I admire the works of my friends for example Freeman, Pumacol, Poptain and Nutty O. These musicians have that sound that I like and Iam looking forward to working with them some day,” said Slicker 1.

The singer who grew up in Highfield in Harare before moving to Australia, recorded his first reggae song in 2014 called Shingirira and the song shaped his reggae-dancehall career.

He has since collaborated and worked with Dizzy Dee, Amac Don as well as artists from South Africa, Jamaica, Australia, US, Canada, UK, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Sudan.