Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
A TROUBLING wave of lewd lyrics is sweeping across the creative industry, particularly in music.
The disturbing trend is, however, being fuelled by clout-chasing music upstarts eager to make money from likes on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
For many, trending now takes precedence over the longevity that comes with crafting clean and mature content suitable for family audiences.
As a result, the reputation of the creative community has suffered due to “bad apples” that are casting a shadow over the industry.
Unfortunately, there are indications the trend will continue if stakeholders responsible for addressing it do not take action.
The technological revolution, with its unstoppable march forward, has transformed Zimbabwe’s entertainment landscape into a dumping ground for explicit content.
It is believed much of the abhorrent material stifles genuine creativity in the industry.
But regrettably, there seems to be a huge market for such explicit content.
Despite the best efforts of music promoters, the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ), its parent ministry, the Board of Censors, music elders and fellow musicians, the disturbing trend remains pervasive.
Children are increasingly exposed to this content.
An infamous incident occurred in 2018 when Zimdancehall musician Tawanda “Seh Calaz” Mumanyi, then 26, was fined US$100 by a Harare magistrate for violating the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act due to the explicit nature of his song “Kurova Hohwa”.
The court deemed the lyrics indecent, unethical and undesirable.
Despite Seh Calaz’s defence that he created both a raw version for clubs and a clean version for broader audiences, he was still punished for his actions.
After Calaz’s arrest and conviction, such incidences briefly subsided, only to resurface during the Covid-19 pandemic with a new wave of musicians.
Young artistes like Uncle Epaton, who delivered tracks like “Bata”, alongside Ndunge Yut, Lady Squanda, Jah Signal, Hwinza , Malloti and, most recently, Van Choga, have continued to produce explicit content, much to the dismay of their fans.
Experts interviewed by Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub agree that Zimbabwe’s showbiz landscape requires urgent cleansing to combat this troubling trend.
Popular hypeman and radio personality Simbarashe “Godfatha” Templeman Maphosa expressed his disappointment at the new wave of irresponsible musicians.
“I have noticed this shocking trend where young musicians are posting explicit content on social media, especially TikTok, for the sake of likes and monetising their content, which is bad,” Templeman shared.
“In my case as a radio presenter, I will not play it on the radio, but we do not have control over social media where it is being exhibited. As a result, we are now hoping for the enforcement of the law to bring these culprits to book. A few years back, Seh Calaz was arrested and fined for the same conduct, and I hoped that young musicians would learn something from this issue.”
Templeman revealed that explicit content was a recipe for disaster.
“To be honest with you, no brand wants to be associated with such content, and it can affect the artiste’s relevance and growth. I have noticed that people who enjoy that practice are at risk of killing their careers prematurely.”
He vowed to use his influence to address the issue.
“As someone who has been dealing with the youth over the years, we always warn them against the use of vulgarity because no sane promoter will hire you in Europe to come and perform this junk, which needs to be dismissed at all costs.
“Youngsters should have faith and self-belief that they do not need explicit content to be recognised. We have several examples of youngsters who have made it to the top and yet never used vulgarity.”
Talent scout and businessman Tinashe Mutarisi, who has done a lot to empower youngsters in the creative sector, said “the issue is not just a music issue but reflects the direction our culture as a whole is taking”.
“Young artistes often create what they think the market wants, and with strong global influence and competition for attention, many feel pressured to produce more provocative content. Because of this, it will be difficult to control the music alone. Instead, we should look at the broader cultural environment and how we can guide it towards something more respectable,” he said.
“One practical step could be content classification. Explicit music should be clearly labelled and restricted to adult audiences. Even clean versions of explicit songs may not always be suitable for daytime radio or spaces where children are present. At the same time, as Zimbabweans, we should actively promote and support music that is creative, meaningful and uplifting without relying on explicit content.”
The NACZ condemned this new cancer haunting the local showbiz landscape.
“As the National Arts Council, we encourage artistes to uphold their culture and Ubuntu by composing clean music that can be consumed at a family level,” NACZ spokesperson Agga Nyabinde noted.
“We do not encourage explicit content at all because in our culture it is also a big no, and we all know that. There are relevant organisations that have the responsibility to look into such matters and deal with them. For further clarity, the Board of Censors is the one that should address those issues which are killing our industry.”
A seasoned music promoter who preferred anonymity challenged the Board of Censors to up their game and resolve the matter.
“I have seen, watched and heard a lot of hogwash from upcoming musicians singing vulgar lyrics and I still ask myself if the Board of Censors is still doing its job,” queried the promoter.
“All this nonsense is happening because someone is sleeping on duty. The people who are producing, playing and singing those dirty lyrics should be held accountable to ensure that we do not feed our fans with explicit content. I have been calling for normalcy to prevail and that is all that I want. The trend has been ongoing and has reached shocking levels.”
The promoter revealed that Zimbabwe’s creative sector has been tainted by these rogues.
“To be honest, these guys who are doing this are not only harming themselves but tainting the entire creative community at large. It is quite shocking to note that we have reached this stage while we have people whose mandate is to look into the matter.”
Contacted for comment, the Board of Censors referred Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, which is currently handling the issue.
“We are going to look into the matter and hold an all-stakeholders meeting with musicians’ associations to address this issue,” said a representative from the ministry.
“We are looking forward to amending the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act to ensure we have control over creatives who are posting such content on social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok. It is something we have noted, and the culprits should be held accountable.”
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage director for planning, monitoring and evaluation Mr Mike Masaka, who is currently the acting Permanent Secretary, said artistes are expected to exercise the freedom of artistic expression responsibly by ensuring that their content respects national cultural values and public morality.
“We discourage the production and circulation of explicit or vulgar material that may negatively influence society, particularly young audiences,” said Mr Masaka.
“It is also important to note that the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act was enacted in 1967 to address traditional media formats such as physical films, publications and records.”
The current Act, he added, can no longer effectively address contemporary issues, such as social media content and modern music trends.
However, the Government is reviewing the Act to account for technological developments, particularly the rise of digital streaming services, social media platforms and online distribution channels.
“Producers and distributors have a responsibility to ensure their material complies with national laws. Content that violates these standards may face regulatory action,” he warned.
“The ministry encourages all industry players to operate responsibly within the established regulatory framework.”
He further explained that the Board of Censors is mandated to classify and regulate audio-visual content to protect audiences, especially children.
The board also conducts compliance monitoring and public awareness programmes to promote responsible creation.
Tinaye Agere