Prince Kaybee Says Zimdancehall Is Holding Back Zimbabwe’s Music Industry
South African music producer and DJ Prince Kaybee has weighed in on the ongoing debate around Zimbabwean music’s struggle to break into international markets. In a candid social media post, the award-winning artist suggested that Zimbabwe’s most popular youth genre, Zimdancehall, lacks the commercial appeal needed to break international barriers.
Kabelo Motsamai, known professionally as Prince Kaybee, made the remarks on X (formerly Twitter), reflecting on his past experiences performing and recording in Zimbabwe. According to the “Charlotte” hitmaker, the limitations of Zimdancehall lie not in quality, but in its structural and stylistic constraints.
“I have been to Zimbabwe a lot, mostly in Bulawayo and Harare, even stayed there for a month while recording The 4th Republic,” he shared. “I’ve noticed that the fabric of Zimbabwean music, its core inability to be exported, isn’t a quality issue. You guys actually have world-class engineers and songwriting.”
Prince Kaybee’s comments come amid increasing discourse about why Zimbabwean artists have lagged behind their South African peers in achieving international recognition. While South Africa’s house, gqom, and amapiano scenes continue to make waves globally, many Zimbabwean acts remain largely localised.
“The issue is the type of sonics that have been consistent throughout the years, which is Zimdancehall,” he explained. “It’s a very small genre that is a subgenre in and of itself, and it’s too layered to be commercially feasible in South Africa.”
Zimdancehall, a Zimbabwean adaptation of Jamaican dancehall, has become the dominant sound in urban Zimbabwe, especially among the youth. While it has produced local stars and an energetic live scene, its niche appeal appears to be a double-edged sword.
According to Prince Kaybee, even when Zimbabwean artists attempt to explore trending global genres like amapiano, they still cling to a Zimdancehall-inspired approach in songwriting and production.
“Even with adopting what’s happening in the world, like Amapiano for instance, the writing and lyrical approach still has that dancehall texture. That makes it hard for the music to evolve and grow.”
His comments have sparked discussions across the region, with some agreeing that Zimbabwean music needs reinvention, while others defend Zimdancehall as an important cultural expression.
As Zimbabwean artists continue to seek ways to gain regional and international traction, Prince Kaybee’s observations may offer a tough but necessary critique — one that challenges musicians to diversify their sound without losing authenticity.
