Pandemic Riddim (2020) – Oskid Productions

Oskid Productions’ Pandemic Riddim arrived in 2020 with the kind of rough-edged Zimdancehall energy that suits a release named for the year’s chaos. Oskid, one of Zimbabwe’s better-known producers and label operators, has long been associated with dancehall and urban hits out of Harare, and this riddim sits naturally in that catalog. The project pulls in a spread of voices from the local scene, with AK 47 on Mwari Muhome, Bazooker on Chi Chakadaro, Boom Beto on Dzatarubva, Boss Pumacol on Manake, D Flex on Buda, Daruler on MaFire Sister, Dashocca on Who Do You Think You Are, Dhadza and Freeman on Mhofela, Dobba Don on Corona, Double Shots on Unozviita Sei, Eazy Vibes on Mwana Wani Uyo, and Elcee Gweja on Ginimbi.

The rhythm itself is punchy and direct, built for juggling rather than long-winded arrangement. It has that clipped, street-ready bounce that leaves space for chant-heavy vocals, quick hooks, and those sharp Shona one-liners that Zimdancehall listeners latch onto fast. The title frames the whole thing in the pandemic moment, and the songs mirror that mood with survival talk, social tension, and dancehall bravado.

Freeman’s presence adds extra weight. As one of Zimbabwe’s most established Zimdancehall figures, he brings a veteran pull to Mhofela, while Elcee Gweja gives the project a slightly broader Afro-pop crossover feel. Dobba Don’s Corona cut lands with timely naming, but it is the collective motion of the riddim that matters most: a local dancehall snapshot made for the streets, the links, and the selectors.