Zimbabwe: Turntables Master - DJ Candy

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The Herald (Harare)

6 September 2008
Posted to the web 7 September 2008

Richmore Tera
Harare

THE biggest motorway in the United Kingdom, M60, is legendary for both its awesome size as well as its spectacular bird's eye view of the surrounding areas.

In Zimbabwe, the name has recently become synonymous with entertainment, being the name of a club where one of the country's most versatile and gifted emerging disk jockeys, DJ Candy, has turned into his den.

Situated along Samora Machel in the capital, the club is gradually curving a niche for itself as the ultimate haven of old skool music, despite DJ Candy's humble description of the joint as a mere "baby learning to crawl."

"We decided to name it M60 after the biggest motorway in the United Kingdom. We want to take people on a highway of entertainment despite being only a baby pub learning to crawl but with lots of potential to become one of the biggest places in Harare," he said.

DJ Candy, who doubles up as the entertainment manager and resident DJ at the joint, said although they targeted mature audiences during their old skool session dubbed the "Groove" held Friday nights, they however also appealed to a cross-over of other age groups.

"We introduced the concept of old skool redefined during our "Groove" session and that is why our catch phrase is "Welcome to the Groove" because we would be taking revellers down music memory lane.

It's normally for the mature crowd although it has become popular among different age groups," he said.

The 31-year-old DJ -- who credits prolific disk jockeys Kudzi Marudza and Witness Matema as his mentors after joining their Huggies Entertainment two years ago, said he was driven by his passion for music to be where he is today.

"It is my passion for music that drove me into resigning from my profession as a hotelman with front office desk skills to take up Deejaying full time.

"You've got to love the job of spinning wheels first and money comes later. I am very comfortable with this job and I am looking forward to taking it to greater heights," said the DJ, who once had a stint with Sfm.

He said his idols, Marudza and Matema had taught him to redefine old skool as well as appreciate it with new vistas.

"They are redefining old skool and my stint with Huggies helped me understand music to the maximum. They are my mentors, I respect them, I wouldn't be where I am today had it not been for them. But when I eventually left them, it was a great challenge to see for myself if I was actually good enough. But ultimately I learnt how to devise my own strategies, concepts while at the same modifying M60 into what it is today," he said.

Born on September 3, 1977 in Harare, DJ Candy, real name Richard Brown's first love with the turntables started at a tender age.

"I was still in school when I would try my hand on the wheels during parties and audiences just loved it," he recalls. I am the only DJ in Zimbabwe who is not recognised but in South Africa I am like Oskido," he said.

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