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Redemption song: Bob Marley on stage during the Viva Zimbabwe independence celebrations at Rufaro Stadium, Salisbury (later Harare), Zimbabwe, on 18 April 1980. Photo: William Campbell/Getty Images

Songs of freedom in a dancehall in Zimbabwe

Bass culture is as old as Zimbabwe itself

Rebel music: Zimdancehall gets the crowd jumping at a concert in Zimbabwe

The music of the outlaws

It’s no coincidence that decades after liberation Zimdancehall is becoming more acceptable

Sound source: Chimurenga maestro Thomas Mapfumo influenced the style of dancehall performed by the likes of Winky D.

The Rasta roots of Zim dancehall

Since Bob Marley’s independence day appearance, the genre has been steadily evolving

Crowd favourite: Fire lady shows off the dance moves that saw her take the 2013 Dancehall Queen trophy. (Oupa Nkosi, M&G)

Jo’burg’s diggin’ the dancing queensJo’burg’s diggin’ the dancing queens

While the Dancehall Queen contest is perceived as a wanton libido fest, Kwanele Sosibo finds out that it is actually much tamer than it looks.

African Storm Soundsystem hosted the third annual Dancehall Queen contest where the women on stage gave Beyoncé a run for her money.

Queen of the dance hall

African Storm Soundsystem hosted the third annual Dancehall Queen contest where the women on stage gave Beyoncé a run for her money.

(Oupa Nkosi)

Jo’burg’s diggin’ the dancing queens

The third instalment of the wildly popular annual Dancehall Queen contest took place last week.

Capleton: ‘Africa is the place where everything started’.

Capleton stokes the dancehall fire in Jo’burg

Even though this is Capleton’s first visit to South Africa, he is not a stranger to the continent, writes Percy Zvomuya.

Back from a wild and exhilarating tour of the dancehalls of Jamaica

All hands on the decks

The Admiral wows locals in Jamaica and gets the opportunity to sharpen his reflexes in the dancehall.

The chameleon of dancehall

The chameleon of dancehall

Sizzla, who has had to adapt to survive in the cut-throat Jamaican ­reggae ­market, is in South Africa to perform.