Ma9nine Unites Bulawayo Dancehall Talent on Uluju Riddim
Bulawayo dancehall artiste Ma9nine has brought together a strong line-up of local talent on Uluju Riddim, a new project designed to showcase the depth of dancehall music coming out of the city. The project is the first riddim released by Wazin Family Studios and features several Bulawayo artistes recording their own songs over the same dancehall instrumental. A 13-artiste medley from the project is already available on YouTube and has started attracting attention from listeners. By bringing different performers onto one beat, the project creates a platform where established and emerging voices can be heard side by side. It also highlights the collaborative nature of the dancehall genre while giving Bulawayo artistes another way to reach audiences.
Ma9nine, born Hansel Ndlovu in Victoria Falls on September 9, 1995, is behind the project and sees it as an opportunity to put Bulawayo’s dancehall talent in the spotlight. The artiste explained that Uluju Riddim is the first riddim to come from Wazin Family Studios and was created with the intention of featuring some of the city’s leading dancehall performers. He said the medley released on YouTube was already doing well, giving the project an encouraging start. Rather than building the release around a single artiste, the concept gives multiple performers space to demonstrate their individual styles. That approach makes the project both a collaborative release and a showcase of the variety within Bulawayo’s dancehall scene.
The medley brings together NK Platinum, Mr Gogo, Ndustoz, Ghetto Boi, Ndoxman, T One, Bhuru Abaity, Young King, Tinoster, Deevox, Bestoz, Hick Mbatata and Miller. Each artiste contributes to the same overall musical framework while bringing a personal approach to the performance. This format allows listeners to compare different voices, flows and lyrical styles without the production becoming disconnected. The medley also gives fans a single entry point into the wider project, making it easier to discover artistes they may not have heard before. For Bulawayo’s music community, such a release can create a stronger sense of connection among performers working within the same genre.
Other artistes involved in the wider Uluju Riddim project include Stuntfamer, Wachano, Tripple G, Uncle Slim and Ras Tekken. Their involvement expands the reach of the project beyond the 13 artistes featured in the medley already released on YouTube. The broader line-up demonstrates the number of performers who can contribute to a single dancehall concept in Bulawayo. It also suggests that the project is intended to be more than a one-off collaboration between a small group of musicians. By creating a shared instrumental platform, Wazin Family Studios is giving several artistes an opportunity to present their music as part of a connected release.
The riddim format has long been associated with dancehall music, where multiple artistes record different songs using the same instrumental. The approach allows producers and artistes to create a collection of songs that share a musical foundation while still giving each performer room to develop a distinct interpretation. Ma9nine said Uluju Riddim follows this traditional format, with every participating artiste riding the same beat. The result is a musical challenge because each performer must find a way to stand out without changing the fundamental identity of the instrumental. For listeners, the appeal comes from hearing how different artistes respond to the same production.
That competitive element is also reflected in an incentive attached to the Uluju Riddim project. The artiste whose contribution attracts the most views is set to receive a prize from Golden Easy Delivery. The initiative gives participating performers another reason to promote their contributions and encourage their individual audiences to watch and share the music. It also turns audience engagement into part of the project, with online views becoming a measure of which contribution connects most strongly with listeners. Such incentives can encourage artistes to take an active role in promoting their music rather than relying solely on the studio or organisers to generate attention.
Ma9nine’s relationship with Golden Easy Delivery adds another dimension to the initiative. He is a brand ambassador for the company and said the project forms part of efforts to encourage support for local artistes. The involvement of a business in a music project can provide additional opportunities for artists who may otherwise struggle to secure promotional support. In this case, the prize attached to the riddim gives the participating musicians a direct incentive while also drawing attention to the importance of supporting local creative work. It shows how partnerships between businesses and artistes can contribute to music promotion when they are connected to a clear creative project.
For Bulawayo’s dancehall scene, the Uluju Riddim project comes at a time when local musicians continue to seek ways to build audiences and increase the visibility of their work. Digital platforms such as YouTube have made it easier for artistes to release music and reach listeners without depending entirely on traditional media or physical distribution. A collaborative project can strengthen that opportunity because each participating artiste brings an existing audience and network to the release. When those audiences converge around one project, the music can potentially reach listeners who might not have encountered every artiste individually. The success of the medley will therefore depend not only on the quality of the performances but also on how effectively the participating artistes engage their supporters.
The project also gives younger or less established performers an opportunity to appear alongside artistes with existing profiles. Sharing a riddim can introduce different musicians to the audiences of their fellow contributors, creating possibilities for new listeners and future collaborations. This can be particularly valuable in a local music scene where artists often compete for limited attention and performance opportunities. A collective project creates a setting where competition and cooperation can exist at the same time. Each performer wants their contribution to stand out, but the overall success of the riddim can benefit everyone involved.
Ma9nine’s role in bringing the project together also reflects an effort to build a stronger identity around Bulawayo dancehall. The city has a diverse music community, with artistes working across several genres and styles. A dedicated riddim featuring local dancehall performers gives the genre a focused platform and allows the city’s dancehall talent to be presented as part of a broader movement. The project can also help listeners identify different voices within the local scene while encouraging performers to engage with one another creatively. If the initiative gains sustained attention, it could create room for similar collaborations in the future.
The Uluju Riddim concept is ultimately built around a simple idea, giving several artistes the same beat and allowing them to show what they can do with it. Its significance comes from what that format creates around the music, including collaboration, healthy competition, audience engagement and greater visibility for local performers. The participation of numerous Bulawayo dancehall artistes gives the project a broad musical identity while keeping the focus on the city’s talent. The YouTube medley provides the first major showcase of that collective effort, while the wider riddim brings even more performers into the project. With Ma9nine driving the initiative, Uluju Riddim has the potential to become an important collaborative release for Bulawayo’s dancehall community.
For Ma9nine, the project is not simply about releasing another dancehall track. It is about creating a platform where Bulawayo artistes can share the same space, compete through their performances and introduce their music to wider audiences. The prize from Golden Easy Delivery adds an extra layer of competition, while the involvement of numerous performers strengthens the collaborative spirit behind the release. As the Uluju Riddim medley continues to reach listeners on YouTube, its reception will provide an indication of how strongly audiences respond to the collective effort. More importantly, the project reinforces the value of supporting local artistes and demonstrates how collaboration can give Bulawayo’s dancehall talent a stronger and more visible voice.
