The main acts for Shoko Festival, the longest-running urban culture festival in Zimbabwe, have been revealed. The festival is set to take place in Harare and Chitungwiza from September 26 to 28, 2024. Tamy Moyo, Master H, and Nadia Nakai are among the headliners announced in the first round of this year’s lineup.
Nadia Nakai
Hip-hop queen Nadia Nakai, an award-winning performer from South Africa, is scheduled to grace the Shoko festival stage. She promises an exciting homecoming performance, so festivalgoers are in for a treat. In South Africa’s hip-hop scene, Nadia Nakai has become a household name.
Zimdancehall’s newest star, Master H, who is currently topping music charts and trending online with his anthems like Dhanzi and many more sing-along songs, will also be performing live, promising exciting performances for music fans.
The Afro-Pop Fusion phenomenon Tamy Moyo is poised to enthrall festival attendees with her extensive repertoire of hit songs, among them her most recent single, Kelly Kelvedhura, featuring Master H, which has amassed nearly a million views on the internet in just three months. She previously performed at the 2016 edition of Shoko Festival alongside other musical heavyweights like Jah Prayzah, AKA, Winky D, and Ammara Brown. This is her second appearance at Shoko Festival.
Master H
The festival’s #BothSidesOfSamora theme for this year draws attention to the road that has traditionally divided various socioeconomic classes. Samora Machel Avenue has frequently served as a barrier between various artistic genres and cultures.
In addition to taking place on both sides of Samora, Shoko 2024 will create a distinctive platform that will highlight the thriving urban cultures found in both the suburbs and the hood and uptown and downtown. The hashtag #BothSidesOfSamora honors the youthful cultural trailblazers who, via their persistent acts of creative resistance, are reshaping Zimbabwe’s future and making dreams come true.
Vera Chisvo, Shoko Festival Coordinator, says this year’s all-star lineup aims to celebrate diversity. “This year, we are so excited to celebrate the diverse backgrounds of young people who are united by their love of music and performing arts. Our star-studded lineup reflects that, and we will announce additional acts in due course.”
The festival promises to bring together a diverse range of hip hop, dancehall, stand-up comedy, and spoken word through its three days of events, including Mashup Night and Shoko Comedy Night in Harare, as well as the main event, the Peace in the Hood Concert in Chitungwiza. Shoko also provides an inspiring program of talks and bootcamps on digital media, technology, and the creative economy at its Hub Unconference event, which will take place at Moto Republik from September 24th to 25th.
Over the years, Shoko has hosted a powerful lineup of African urban culture pioneers, including Casper Nyovest, HHP, AKA, Tehn Diamond, Tumi Morake, Kikky Badass, and Winky D.
Shoko Festival celebrates free expression, cutting-edge urban art, and alternative youth culture. It is a project by Magamba Network, Africa’s pioneering creative and digital media organization.
