Award-winning journalist and filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono has praised Zimbabwean music icon Winky D, calling him more than just a musician, and likening him to revolutionary legends like Bob Marley and Buju Banton.
In a Facebook post that has since gone viral, Chin’ono drew a clear distinction between Winky D and other popular entertainers like Vybz Kartel and Beenie Man, stating that while the latter are masters of dancehall and lyrical flair, Winky D’s music serves a deeper societal purpose.
“Winky D is different from Kartel and Beenie Man because they are mere musicians,” Chin’ono wrote. “Winky D is like Bob Marley or Buju Banton their music addresses social issues, they speak for the people and are the trumpets for the poor.”
Chin’ono emphasized that Winky D’s body of work reflects the suffering, struggles, and resilience of Zimbabwe’s marginalized, serving as both a “mirror and megaphone” for the people.
“Winky is incomparable to all these guys he is often compared to; his music is a book of his people’s suffering, it gives them hope,” he added. “His catalogue is more than hits it is a living record of economic pain, stolen futures and stubborn hope.”
The journalist also noted that despite state censorship, smear campaigns, and performance bans, Winky D remains a powerful voice in Zimbabwe because his songs resonate with the public’s lived experiences.
“Winky D wraps hard truths in melody so they can slip past censorship and reach the ghetto youth’s soul,” said Chin’ono. “That is why he survives bans; people know his music is their story.”
Chin’ono’s remarks come at a time when Winky D continues to face political pressure for songs that critique corruption, economic mismanagement, and injustice most notably tracks like Ibotso and Eureka, which have sparked heated national debate.
The post concluded with a powerful rebuke to those who attempt to diminish Winky D’s artistic role,“Winky D is not just an artist, he is a mirror and a megaphone, reminding the oppressor that the poor are still watching, still singing, and still hoping. Don’t compare him nezvinhu zvisina basa.”
