How Man Wazimu’s Code Guides His Music Career

Man Wazimu doesn’t get much airplay on mainstream media despite his numerous tracks, videos and being named in All FM’s list of artistes to watch in 2009. One of the most striking qualities about the reggae artiste is his code.

Man Wazimu started researching about music in 2001 and started recording in 2003. Between then and now, he has switched recording studios twice. Mostly because they didn’t fit into his timing schedule. The artiste prefers to record in the morning and doesn’t appreciate tardiness. “If we agree 7:30 and 10 minutes later you haven’t arrived, you won’t find me there,” he said during a recent interview with Ghafla!

The artiste has had to turn down shows, even from abroad, either because they didn’t match his style or because he feared they would erode his street credibility. He turned down a concert in Costa Rica because it was a gospel song and he didn’t want to take the money at the expense of his street credibility. He also doesn’t want people confused into thinking that Emergency Pills is a gospel song, which is the reason he had been asked to perform in the Caribbean country in the first place.

The few non-community shows that he has agreed to take part in, he leaves immediately after his performance. “After I finish performing, five minutes, I’m out there. I don’t hang around.” He’s also had to turn down curtain raising for international artistes who are paid huge sums of money and he’s paid next to nothing. “Why perform for someone who’s ready to pay even half a million for an international artiste when they give you 30,000?” he asks.

He never breaks any of his codes, which have guided him to where he is today. He is currently promoting his first album, My Say, a 15-track effort which he recorded under Waunde Music.