Winky D

Winky D was born in Kambuzuma, a high density suburb of Zimbabwe’s capital Harare. He liked music at an early stage and started listening to reggae at the age of eight. Winky D has a brother named Trevor Chirumiko, also known as Layan, who is a music producer and singer.

Wallace Chirumiko attended primary and secondary school in Harare. He learnt at Rukudzo Primary School and later on at Kambuzuma High School.

As a young teenager, Winky D began showcasing his musical talents by performing at various small-scale events and concerts. At the age of 16, he participated in the Getto Lane Clashes - a series of DJ battles designed to showcase the most promising up-and-coming artists in the field. It was during these clashes that Winky D's skills as a musician were first recognized. Over time, he earned the nickname 'Wicked DeeJay', which was eventually shortened to Winky D. In more recent years, Winky D has shifted his focus to gospel music, and has also been an advocate in the fight against drug addiction within society.[4]

With the help of Bartholomew Vera of Blacklab Studios, Winky D went into the recording studio. His first songs, like "Rasta" and "Dead Inna War", coupled with his ingenious stage performances, set the dance floors busy. He has since released eleven albums with many chart hits which have gained him fans across the world, evidenced by successful tours in United Kingdom, US, Asia and South Africa. Winky D has become the new icon for Zimbabwean and African urban/reggae music with nicknames like "King of Dancehall", "Gombwe" "Gafa (Gaffer)", Extraterrestrial, "The BigMan", "Messi wereggae", and "Truthsayer", being attached to him in the ghettos.[5]

In a bid to persuade the Zimbabwean male population to get circumcised,[6] Population Services International and the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare initiated a Winky D and Albert Nyoni (Vanyoni Beats) entitled "If you know you are a champion get circumcised". The song was launched in Harare on 19 January 2012.[7]

In December 2010, Winky D, alongside Guspy Warrior and Terry Fabulous from Chimurenga Drive in Zengeza, were scheduled to perform with Capleton on New Year's Eve. However, after failing to reach common ground, the "Musarova bigman" star withdrew and cancelled all his scheduled performances from Capleton's Zimbabwean tour.[8]

Winky D failed to perform at President Robert Mugabe's inauguration gala held in August 2013 at the National Sports Stadium, following contrasting statements about the musician's whereabouts during the event.[9]

In 2011, Winky D made his debut at the Monash Beer Fest Carnival in Johannesburg, South Africa performing alongside Black Coffee, Cabo Snoop, Dj Betto, Dj Leks, TshepNOZ and Sipho, Dj Luo, and Kay Mack.[10]

In 2023, Winky D launched his studio album Eureka Eureka. Some songs from the album, especially "Ibotso" and "Dzimba Dzemabwe", provide a hard-hitting commentary on social ills in Zimbabwean society, in particular corruption and the struggles faced by young people. [11] In response, a pressure group affiliated with the ruling party ZANU–PF called for Winky D's music to be banned in Zimbabwe. [12] [13] In March 2023, the Zimbabwe Republic Police shut down a Winky D concert in Chitungwiza just as he began to sing the song "Ibotso" [14] leading to widespread condemnation. [15]

Winky D had 'beefs' with then popular dancehall artists such as Badman and Daddy D. They battled back and forth lyrically, from which he emerged as a victor en route to become the most popular Zim-dancehall act.

Winky D, alongside The General and Sniper Storm, were scheduled to perform as opening acts for Mavado.[16] Winky D performed first and kept Mavado and Sniper Storm waiting backstage. Efforts were made by the organizing people of the show to get the "Bigman" off stage and make way for a ten-minute Sniper Storm performance, but to no avail. Sniper Storm then took matters into his own hands and snatched the mic from Winky D. Sniper's actions caused a rage as the crowd threw things onto the stage. This also caused heated debates all over the internet and street corners across Zimbabwe, as various musicians and entertainers reacted.[17]

Winky D has seen more artist throw shots at him to gain popularity from him, which he has since ignored. The most popular of these is Seh Calaz, who has had considerable and noteworthy attention for his disses towards the ninja president, to which he has also not replied but only called for peace among the zim-dancehall artists through his songs (Mafeelings, tiki taka, sungura like and PaGhetto which he mentions Seh Calaz) and interviews.[18]

Having been over the years launching his album through low key events. The line up on the day included Buffalo Souljah, Killer T, Jah Signal, Vabati VaJehova and others. However, it was Winky D who took limelight and dished his extraterrestrial-gombwe magic on the fans who sang along and danced throughout the early hours of the morning. Another highlight, was socialite and businessman Genius Kadungure bid for the first copy of the album for $20,000, but he was forced to revise the initial amount after flamboyant Albert Ndabambi ‘outshined’ him, by bidding the CD for $30,000. Ginimbi, as he was affectionately known in the world of socialites, dug deeper into his pockets forking another $20,000 to make it $40,000. In total, Team Winky D walked away with $70,000 for his initial copy of Gombwe: Chiextra. Oskid produced 13 out of the 14 tracks on the album with the exception of "My Woman" (feat. Beenie Man) which was produced by Nicky. The launch made history as the most attended launch and most expensive album in the country. The album itself, the performance on the night and launch proved Winky D is the best artist in Zimbabwe.[19][20][21]

• Best Male Artist (Southern Africa) in 2022 - All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) [32]
• Best album Igofigo and People’s Choice Award - National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) 2010
• Best Live Performer Award - Zimdancehall Awards 2015
• People's Choice Award - National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) 2020[33]
• Winky D won "Best Dancehall Artist" at the 2020 African Entertainment Awards USA.[34]
• Best African Dancehall Entertainer at the International Reggae and World Music Awards.[35]
• Best Album 2020 'Njema' - Zimdancehall Awards[36]

Not much is known about his wife but he in a few songs has mentioned his child's name Tayenda. The Winky D's fans (known as gaffas) have defended him about this issue claiming that it could be because of the respect he has for his family that he seeks to shield them from publicity.[37][38]

• Afropop
• Chimurenga
• Mbira
• Music of Zimbabwe
• Shona music

• Official website
• Artist's page at BlackLab Records
• Biographical interview with Winky D by Jonathan Banda, Winky's producer
• Winky D video – Winky D's first video
• Winky D on Audiozim
• Interview with Winky D , Sunday News (Zimbabwe)
• "Winky D is indeed here to stay", nehandaradio.com
• Winky D fills up HICC. . . as album launch lives up to billing Winky D tames the beast
• Winky D is . . . well . . . different Winky D the best artist in Zimbabwe
• Winky D, Jah Prayzah in game of thrones