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This week, dancehall chanter Soul Jah Love has been in the headlines, as his battle with illness played out in public.
First, the chanter got praise for his bravery as he lived up to his name and showed that like a true soldier, he would live and die on his battlefield, the stage.
Seemingly marooned on a wheelchair, he performed at the Zark Cigarette launch party at Alexandria in the capital last Friday, as diabetes mellitus threatened to totally incapacitate him.
It was a remarkable show of bravery and mettle from the star, who showed that the bravado and menace in his dancehall chants is not an act as only a hard-boiled performer would show face on stage when he is clearly nearly down and out.
The second image that made the headlines however, was more alarming and brought home the gravity of Jah Lovea��s life and death struggle with his chronic illness.
In this second image, Jah Love is captured stepping with what appears to be a tentative step towards renowned local prophet Walter Magaya who, holding his new devoteea��s right hand, seems to be inspecting the chantera��s afflicted left foot.
While images from Fridaya��s performance had convinced fans of the invincibility of Jah Love, the encounter with Magaya brought him down to earth, showing that even the lion-hearted chantera��s roar can be muted by such a ruthless illness.
Jah Lovea��s struggles are reminiscent of another Zimbabwean musiciana��s battle with diabetes.
The chanter was only 17 years old when Cephas Mashakadaa��s was diagnosed with the same illness in 2006.
While Jah, if Magayaa��s appeal to the divine comes to nothing, he stands to lose his left leg, Mashakada lost his right limb during his fight with the illness.
Mashakadaa��s chosen genre was sungura instead of the boastful commentary of Jah Lovea��s dancehall, but both dreadlocked artistes have struggled to come to terms with an illness that seeks to cut short their lives on stage.
Although many praised Jah Lovea��s bravery for performing despite his affliction, his decision perhaps shows the dire situation that modern era artistes face especially when confronted with illness.
Some would have expected that an artiste like Jah Love, who has been active in the music scene until very recently, would still have financial reserves enough to carry him over as his fight against diabetes intensifies.
What exactly is in the Zimdancehall stara��s bank account is open to speculation, but what is clear is that in the current era of music, any performer who is idle will starve.
In the age of piracy where royalty payments are almost non-existent, artistes can no longer afford the luxury of relying on their past work.
Music industry experts have repeatedly told artistes that anything that comes from album sales is a bonus, as the trick is to release enough hit songs to attract paying fans to live shows. . .
Online Reporter