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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent 

KALAWA Jazmee supremo Oskido yesterday revealed how he cried when he saw comedian Babongile Sikhonjwa lying banged up at Bulawayo’s Mpilo Central Hospital after his near fatal accident in 2014.

In the wee hours of the morning of December 22 after a DJ Zinhle All White Party at Horizon nightclub, Sikhonjwa, who was in the company of another comedian, Clive Chigubhu and Leeward Charamba, crashed his car after the Nguboyenja flyover in the city. He sustained broken ribs and punctured lungs and was taken to the Intensive Care Unit at Mpilo Central Hospital.

Days after the incident, Oskido visited Sikhonjwa in hospital as he was supposed to be an MC at the Kalawa Homecoming party that year. 

Oskido, who is in Bulawayo on business and to visit his family, yesterday recounted how he got to the hospital and shed tears upon seeing Sikhonjwa. He said this while being interviewed by Sikhonjwa on Skyz Metro FM during the comedian’s Ingqunquthela Breakfast show. 

“I went to Mpilo Hospital and I asked the doctor to put in a word of prayer for Sikhonjwa but we have to thank God because He was the one who said to him ‘come back’,” said Oskido. 

Sikhonjwa said it was his first time to see Oskido cry. 

“Only once in my life have I seen Oskido crying, which is when he visited me in hospital. I was now the one consoling him,” laughed Sikhonjwa on air.

In the lengthy interview, Oskido was asked by Sikhonjwa if there would be a Kalawa Homecoming party after last year’s downsized one. 

“Well, we’re still thinking and the idea is to bring the 25th anniversary of Kalawa Jazmee to Zimbabwe. But due to the economic situation, we’re still trying to evaluate. 

“There’s a misconception that when we come here, we take the money and leave with it. However, we’re spending a lot of money in doing this gig and are not making a lot of money. I grew up here and the feeling is to give back to the community,” explained Oskido.

 The musician also used the interview to promote his forthcoming album and Bongo Maffin’s new works. He said the album has tracks in kwaito and the new wave of house music, Amapiano, that has taken over the country and Mzansi.

He said Amapiano is nothing new as it is a reinvention of Kwaito music.

“I always tell people that everything rotates. If you listen to Amapiano, you’ll see that it’s kwaito with the kwaito baseline and lyrics.”

The music producer went on to chronicle how similar the music is although it looks diverse. 

“I’m one of the creators of Kwaito with Arthur and Mdu. We used to sing only one word and it would become a song, for example if Mdu says Tsiki Tsiki yoo or we say Uyibize moyeni. 

“Then there came people like Mandoza and TKZee who would put verses to the music. Before Amapiano, there was Gqom. What was the biggest song from Gqom? Omunye Phez’komunye it’s a Kwaito lyric,” said Oskido.

He also shared how he started Kalawa Jazmee, signed Black Coffee and had a tiff with Arthur Mafokate.