Zimbabwean rappers Saintfloew, Voltz JT and Mugaratia are set to headline this year’s Mash Up Night at Shoko Festival, as the long-running urban culture festival turns the spotlight on the evolving face of Zimbabwean hip-hop.
Mash Up Night will be held on September 25 at Harare Gardens and will also feature performances from Xiba and Bulawayo-based artist Bhila.
For Saintfloew, the show will mark his first appearance at Shoko Festival as a headliner. The rapper has continued to strengthen his profile on Zimbabwe’s hip-hop scene with tracks including Uchazondida and Gucci N Dior, while his reputation as a live performer has raised anticipation around his festival debut.
Voltz JT, one of the established voices in Zimbabwean hip-hop, will return to Shoko as a headliner. Known for blending social commentary with his music, his appearance is expected to add an established perspective to a line-up that brings together artists at different stages of their careers.
Mugaratia will also return to Shoko after performing at the 2024 edition during Peace In The Hood in Chitungwiza. His inclusion reflects the festival’s continued focus on artists who have emerged through Zimbabwe’s independent urban music circuit.
Mash Up Night curator Dennis Shoko said the programme was designed to showcase the diversity of Zimbabwean hip-hop while creating space for both established and emerging artists.
“When putting together the Mash Up Nights lineup, the idea was really to celebrate ZimHipHop in all its different forms,” he said.
The artists will perform with a full band, giving them an opportunity to reinterpret their music beyond the conventional DJ-backed hip-hop format.
Xiba will make her Shoko Festival debut, bringing another female voice to the programme, while Bhila will introduce an Afro-soul and Mbaqanga influence from Bulawayo to the Harare stage.
The festival will also see the return of the Mashoko Tapes project for its third edition. The music residency brings together performers from Mash Up Night to collaborate on an original album, creating a platform for artists from different parts of Zimbabwe’s urban music scene to work together.
The third volume of Mashoko Tapes will feature Supermuno, Millz Million, Easy Ice, Luigi Badgenna and Hooksmith alongside Bhila. The album is expected to be released ahead of Mash Up Night.
Now in its 16th edition, Shoko Festival is organised by Magamba Network and has established itself as one of Zimbabwe’s longest-running platforms for alternative youth culture, urban music and creative expression.
