Clash of Titans: The Musical Rivalry Between Jah Prayzah And Winky D in Zimbabwe's Contemporary Music Scene.

Abstract: This study explores the long-standing and multifaceted musical rivalry between two of Zimbabwe’s most prominent artists, Jah Prayzah and Winky D, from 2010 to 2024. It investigates how this feud has evolved from early collaborations to pronounced ideological and cultural opposition, analysing its lyrical content, media portrayal, and public reception. Central to the study is the question of how this rivalry reflects deeper socio-political, generational, and class-based tensions within Zimbabwean society. The research is guided by Antonio Gramsci’s Cultural Hegemony Theory, which provides a powerful framework for understanding how dominant ideologies are reinforced or resisted through popular culture. Using a qualitative, desk-based methodology, the study relies on secondary data from newspapers, online entertainment portals, social media platforms (e.g., YouTube, Twitter, Facebook), music videos, and podcast interviews. Thematic content analysis was employed to extract patterns around state affiliation, fan division, lyrical symbolism, and political expression. Findings reveal that the rivalry is not merely artistic but represents opposing visions of Zimbabwean identity. Jah Prayzah symbolizes institutional respectability and pan-African modernity, while Winky D has become a mouthpiece for marginalized youth and urban struggles. Audience reactions and media coverage show polarized fandoms aligned with class, age, and political sentiment. The study concludes that musical rivalries, particularly in politically sensitive contexts like Zimbabwe, are rich texts of societal values and conflicts. Recommendations include protecting artistic freedom, fostering dialogue between artists and the state, and recognizing the sociopolitical power of music in shaping national consciousness. This research contributes to cultural sociology, popular music studies, and Zimbabwean media discourse by decoding how rivalry in music becomes a mirror of national tension and transformation.

Musical Rivalry, Cultural Hegemony, Zimdancehall Fan Culture Symbolic Representation Media Polarization

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