Opinion :Winky D has potential to upset Vybez Kartel when they share stage @ World Reggae Land Fest 2026

Celebs & EntertainmentNewsWorldOpinion by Nigel PfundeAll eyes and ears will be on the World Reggae Land 2026 festival to be held in Milton Keynes in the UK and the global music community is waiting.This writer(I mean myself) has covered entertainment news at the level of assistant news editor for Zimbabwe’s first State owned tabloid and besides that, I have a great appreciation of dancehall music since the days of Yellow Man.So this is my story or rather my opinion… an opinion is like the back orifice of a human being where the faeces pass through, and everyone has it!While the return of the “World Boss” aka Vybz Kartel to the UK stage is undoubtedly the headline story, I decided to take a deeper look at the shifting tides of global culture.Game rachinja!(the game has changed).In my humble opinion, though readers might consider it far-fetched or think Im crazy, the night may belong to a different king: Zimbabwe’s Winky D!I’ve followed his God-given music career from the days he presented Rockers Vibes on ZBC, he was a DJ at Tropicana to the days he was a chanter with Black Lab Records with my elder Bonslag(may be biggop himself anywhere he deh) , and through to the Midas Touch of Elder Jonathan Banda an intellect, social scientist and a perfect example of an artiste manager .I digress.This stage in the UK is not merely a clash of titans, it is a manifestation of the evolving geopolitics and cultural integration between Africa and Jamaica.As we move toward a multipolar world, the old hierarchies of musical influence are being dismantled and Winky D stands at the forefront of this “Global African” revolution.Gentle reader, remember that the AU now recognizes the diaspora as its “Sixth Region.” The UK(which is hosting the festival) is home to a massive and politically active Zimbabwean diaspora and is the perfect stage for this geopolitical shift to play out.So my thinking is when Winky D steps onto that stage, he isn’t just a guest artist, he is a representative of a continent that is reclaiming its cultural sovereignty. Zimbho!Vybz Kartel remains a legend without doubt, I’ve listened to him since the days of his early hits like “School Bus,” and my friend Tavonga Sikwila(now based in Aussie) did a Shona rendition of that song back in 2004… World Boss ndimukoma wedu yes! (he is a legend)His influence is rooted in the traditional Caribbean-to-World pipeline.Winky D, however, represents the “reverse flow” of cultural influence.

(digital music).Vybz Kartel’s 2025 comeback tour was a masterclass in hype, but by 2026 but the novelty and dzungu (euphoria) of his return will have settled.In contrast, Winky is fresh off his record breaking 10th People’s Choice Award at the 2026 NAMAs and his recent International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) nominations, and is in the prime of his performance life.The “Gafa” is known for a live set that is more than just music; it is a theatrical, high-energy sermon.In a UK festival setting, where the crowd is a melting pot of African, Caribbean, and European fans, Winky D’s ability to bridge these worlds through Zimdancehall gives him a distinct advantage.He carries the heartbeat of the Nyabinghi drums, which is the very African roots of Reggae, back to a global audience.My view, gentle reader, is the “upset” won’t be a matter of record sales, but of soft power.As Africa and the Caribbean (CARICOM) move toward closer diplomatic and economic ties, the music is leading the way.Music transcends everything, including geopolitics.Remember when Thomas Mapfumo and Chinx Chingaira took it to the guerilla warfare.. Winky D’s potential to outshine Kartel lies in his embodiment of this new South-South alignment.While Kartel represents the peak of a singular genre, Winky D represents the integration of a global movement.He is the voice of the “Africa Unite” sentiment that Bob Marley championed in 1980 when he visited Rufaro Stadium. In 2026, at the National Bowl, the audience may come to see the “World Boss,” but they might just leave as citizens of the “Gafa” nation.Music is no longer a one-way street from the West to the rest; it is a rhythmic dialogue where the student has become the master, like what Chiko and Frisco Kid sang on the Sail Way riddim when I was in Form Four.Don’t be surprised if by the end of August 1st, the headlines shift from Kartel’s return to Winky D’s global coronation.

Zimbho… Dada nerwudzi rwako!That’s my story and Im sticking to it! All eyes and ears will be on the World Reggae Land 2026 festival to be held in Milton Keynes in the UK and the global music community is waiting. This writer(I mean myself) has covered entertainment news at the level of assistant news editor for Zimbabwe’s first State owned tabloid and besides that, I have a great appreciation of dancehall music since the days of Yellow Man.

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So this is my story or rather my opinion… an opinion is like the back orifice of a human being where the faeces pass through, and everyone has it! While the return of the “World Boss” aka Vybz Kartel to the UK stage is undoubtedly the headline story, I decided to take a deeper look at the shifting tides of global culture.Game rachinja!(the game has changed). In my humble opinion, though readers might consider it far-fetched or think Im crazy, the night may belong to a different king: Zimbabwe’s Winky D!

I’ve followed his God-given music career from the days he presented Rockers Vibes on ZBC, he was a DJ at Tropicana to the days he was a chanter with Black Lab Records with my elder Bonslag(may be biggop himself anywhere he deh) , and through to the Midas Touch of Elder Jonathan Banda an intellect, social scientist and a perfect example of an artiste manager . This stage in the UK is not merely a clash of titans, it is a manifestation of the evolving geopolitics and cultural integration between Africa and Jamaica.

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