Music production duo Kslab & SeanDj 
Instagram @slusiveofficial

OSKID PRODUCTIONS is a Multi Award Winning Record label located at No.2/30 Avenue Mabelreign, Harare, Zimbabwe.
For Bookings & Info Contact: +263777285359
Website: www.oskidproductions.com

	
TehN Diamond, the stage-name that the young singer/songwriter/rapper says is a combination of his ﬁrst name "Tendai" and the nickname "Diamond" which he takes to mean, "Be grateful, but shine."

"I picked up my nickname from the friends I had over in Brisbane, who heard me sing for the ﬁrst time after a night out where I found myself trying to woo one unexpecting young lady with a little Sinatra in the streets...the impromptu performance impressed my friends and from then on I became known as the diamond in the rough..."

Having grown up in middle-clas suburban Harare and raised by hardworking parents, TehN had the blessing of being able to attend some of the city's best private schools. Throwing himself into all the extra-curricular activities on offer, he soon found his calling in the choir and drama departments. This hunger and passion to perform grew with him right up until upper 6. However after completing his A' Levels in 2003, he found himself in Brisbane,Australia studying a Commerce degree.

"I knew it really wasn't for me because honestly my heart was never in it, but I guess as the case would be with most parents a career in singing & acting just seemed too much of a gamble...I opted for the realistic option as it were."

Despite his misgivings about the course, the young man persevered but kept singing and writing on the sidelines in an effort to keep his passion alive, the turning point came in mid-2006. Having worked with a high-school friend on various projects as a singer, TehN decided to try his hand at rapping.

"I'd been writing a lot of R'n'B just outside of my university commitments and one day decided to try writing hip-hop verses as a way to hone and ﬁne tune my songwriting skills....I really didn't expect to become any good at it but after a few months I'd fallen in love with the art form"

For the next two years the aspiring musician put in work for a reputable entertainment & promotions company in Brisbane and found himself building up contacts and rubbing shoulders with a number of local urban artists in the club scene, and writing hooks and guest verses that left many impressed.

"The more I learnt about the music business the more I knew I was doing the wrong thing by studying and not pursuing music full-time. I kept getting good reviews for my features on other people's songs.....while at the same time getting a lot of bad reviews from my university lecturers, needless to say one of the two had to go"

So after struggling through the expectations of his degree whilst battling the growing desire to follow his dream, in 2007 he wrote home and told his parents he'd dropped out of his course and would take a shot at his true passion.

"Needless to say mum and dad weren't too pleased, so I was on my own but really excited about the challenges ahead....I had to learn a lot about life and myself in that year but I feel it all made me a more complete artist and person...it was worth it because now I have something that is mine that I can share"

After a year of performing, recording and writing in the Australian scene TehN made the decision to return home and try to replicate the success he'd tasted overseas.

"Most people who've heard my stuff think I'm silly to want to try and make something of myself where everyone thinks there's no hope....but I see the world a little different and besides its home and I'm just happy to be back"

Zimdancehall which is dancehall music from Zimbabwe which was started in the late 80's with the rising up of local sound systems like A1 Sound, Startime sound which exposed mic chanters like Culture T, Allan Ranks, and Dudz who rode on riddims imitating their Jamaican icons at the same time creating their own style. In the 90s as dancehall took over with artists like Tiger, Shabba Supercat, Ninja, Papa San and a new crop of MCs began to emerge with the likes of Major E,Rassie Ai,Booker T,Smylie, Potato,Yappie Banton,Daddy Distress,Kuda Culture(brother to Culture T) dominating the sound systems. Startime Supa Power were the first sound system to push most of these artists to record their songs, starting first with dub plates the most popular being 'Sounds of the 90's by Major E & Booker T on Hypocrite Riddim instrumental side of Daddy Freddie & Micheal Prophet song with the same title and Rassie Ai ft Booker T 'Svinurai/Vanofarira Startime' on the Pepperseed Riddim. The popularity of these recordings led to more studio recordings with Major E & Booker T releasing a 7" vinyl single of 'Sound of the 90's', Yappie Banton releasing 'Memories' and 'Water ina mi room'. The biggest achievement was by Culture T with the band Transit Crew releasing top selling albums and toured Europe. By the end of the 90s, a number of local youths were recording singles and albums independently and reggae bands like Cruxial Mix (Trevor Hall) & Black Roots holding regular weekly shows to showcase various artists like Potato, Daddy Ray, Ijah son, Jnr Banton, Slaggy Yout, Bobo Markos, Desert Eagle, Sanchez and more.The genre was always casted as a copy cat of Jamaican culture and way of life so it was never taken seriously and recording studios shunned it saying it does not appeal or sell. It was not until the emergence of independent studios and the arrival of urban grooves in 2001 that opened up the doors for many artists with the release of many various artists albums like 'the future' 'Chamhembe','Chigutiro' which paved the way for artists like Trinta and Sniper Storm. Sniper Storm went on to release the album 'Ndakabata Mic' in 2004 a hardcore dancehall album. What really separated this album from its predessors was the fact that all its lyrics were in Shona and not English/Patios which proved really popular with the people creating a new direction for the genre.

2005 saw the rise of Winky D -arguably the most decorated artist in the genre- who released hit track after track under the label Black Lab Records who were most probably the first dancehall influenced label in Zimbabwe. The label also went on to release the first riddim compilation albums in Zimbabwe with the Luckspin and Awareness riddims. These riddims introduced artists like King Labash and also put Daddy Distress back in the fold but all this time it was trading under various names like Urban Grooves and Dancehall. It was not until 2006 that another artist Slaggy Yout who was now based in the UK renamed it to Zimdancehall after creating the first website dedicated to promoting the genre.[2] This was the start of the movement and it was a period when Zimbabwe was going through a rough time with political and economic sanctions and most artists could not afford or gain access to the internet.[3] In light of this, another artist based in Zimbabwe Mad Fisher had to personally collect tracks from artists and post them to the UK or upload in internet cafes with funding from the website. The website popularized the Zimdancehall genre as at that time none of the artists were getting any airplay whatsoever and promoters did not even bother to book and market the artists. It was individual promoters like Godfatha Templeman, Simmad and Silverstone Sound who arranged shows in the Ghetto. At the present moment, it has taken over the country and the region to a certain level with present chanters like Sniper Storm, Winky D, LXG, Di Topololo, Quonfused, Seh Calaz, Soul Jahlove and others.


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