Sundaymail Editor
Prince Mushawevato and Maria Chiguvari
IN the arts sector, particularly the music industry, artistes often draw inspiration from their predecessors, sometimes even imitating established styles to refine their own techniques.
However, the line between healthy influence and outright imitation can become blurred, raising questions about originality and long-term success.
While the emergence of artistes who closely mimic the sounds and styles of established musicians is not a new phenomenon in the country, it has recently become a notable trend.
Many of these artistes hide behind the phrase “I was inspired” to justify their actions.
Over the years, the Chimurenga music dispute between Dr Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo and fellow singers, the late Farai Pio Macheka and Robbie “Mwachewe” Chagumuka, probably gave many an insight into how contentious the issue of copying can become.
In 1997, when Macheka was at the height of his career, unknown assailants, thought to be linked to Thomas Mapfumo, assaulted him and cut off his dreadlocks, accusing him of being a copycat.
Until Macheka’s death, the case remained a mystery, as nothing was proven beyond the allegations, although he died convinced of his theory.
There was also Chagumuka, who, beyond many arguing that he visibly imitated Mapfumo’s music arrangement and vocals, also went further by counter-naming his songs.
When Mapfumo released “Big in America”, Chagumuka released “Big in Zimbabwe”.
Bryn Taurai Mteki, another Chimurenga singer who borrows heavily from Mukanya, has struggled to make a meaningful breakthrough in music.
Fast forward to the present day.
Inspiration
Kudakwashe Royne Kachehiko, known as Oriyano, has garnered attention for his music, which is strikingly similar to that of Jah Prayzah, particularly in his singing style, dance moves and instrument arrangements.
With songs like “Makarima Mupoto”; “Super Glue”; and “Areka”, featuring Nyasha David, Oriyano has capitalised on these comparisons, gaining a significant following.
Fans have both praised and criticised him for copying the “Chiremerera” singer.
While acknowledging Jah Prayzah’s iconic status, Oriyano maintains that he is simply inspired and not attempting to replicate or replace the artiste.
“Jah Prayzah is an icon and it would be unwise to claim that I am at his level. I respect him and am willing to learn from him,” said Oriyano in an interview with one of our sister papers.
“Fans comparing me to Jah Prayzah are entitled to their opinions, but I am not at his level. What I enjoy most is the support I receive from my fans, who wish me well in my journey.”
Similarly, another artiste, whose real name largely remains a mystery, recently went viral for a near-perfect imitation of Jah Prayzah’s song “Dzamutsana”, even adopting the artiste’s gestures.
This has led fans to playfully dub him “Jah Reza”, “Jah Rukweza” and “Jah Pleza”, among other names, with some suggesting that Jah Prayzah has become a genre in himself.
This follows the 2021 emergence of Baba Troy, whose song “Shungu Dzemoyo Wangu” also drew comparisons to Jah Prayzah’s “Dzamutsana”. But it is important to note that some of the artistes who are said to be copied have also been “inspired” by musicians who came before them.
In one of his interviews, Jah Prayzah said: “It is great to have someone copying your work, and it is okay for an artiste to be inspired by someone. However, I feel you need to establish an identity along the way.”
Longevity
While drawing from established styles is a natural part of artistic development, the challenge for emerging artistes is to find their own unique voice and contribute meaningfully to the industry.
Imitation may provide a shortcut to initial recognition, but the long-term viability of artistes who rely heavily on mimicking is questionable. As it stands, arguably no single artiste in the country enjoys runaway success solely through copying. After a brief breakthrough, most careers eventually fade as the artistes struggle to produce original work that sustains them.
This is particularly evident in the sungura genre, where many singers strive to emulate Alick Macheso’s sound and stage presence. Ultimately, however, they consistently play second fiddle to him.
Andy Muridzo, early in his career, openly acknowledged his admiration for Jah Prayzah and the influence on his music.
However, he gradually shed the “copycat” tag by experimenting with his own unique touch.
“People call me a copycat, but I am not ashamed because I have always admired Jah Prayzah, and he has had a hand in my music career, so it is not a coincidence that our beats are similar,” he remarked a few years ago.
The challenge, however, is that despite being arguably more vocally gifted than Jah Prayzah, he has struggled to eclipse him, perhaps due to the lingering copycat label.
“Music is a journey. If you listen to my early productions, you will notice that there are now some changes, though we maintain a certain touch,” Andy Muridzo recently said.
Refinement and evolution
Some supposed copycats are, however, achieving significant success.
Zimdancehall chanter Ngwere Lite quickly comes to mind. The budding musician, who sounds like the original Ngwere, Silent Killer, capitalised on this and won a BMW last year at the National Cup Clash as the Zimdancehall king. It is even argued that he is a refined version of Silent Killer, benefitting from better management, which has resulted in greater rewards than the style originator.
But Ngwere is unmoved by these remarks.
“I did not start being copied today. It started long ago. Even Enzo Ishall copied me. Why didn’t you post or write about it? I even acknowledged his rise when other people were busy mocking me for losing a style to him,” said Silent Killer in one of his social media posts.
“I am not complaining about artistes copying me. I am 100 percent okay with it. I am not pained or bothered by it. If you copy my style, you will win a BMW. Those people complaining on my behalf, please don’t.”
The late Tongai “Dhewa” Moyo is perhaps a reminder that a copycat needs to have a strategy in place to eventually achieve significant success. It is no secret that a major breakthrough is difficult as long as you remain in someone’s shadow.
Dhewa, who eventually developed his own distinctive sound and style, began his career by imitating Leonard Dembo.
In gospel music, Trymore Bande sounds like Charles Charamba, a fact that initially displeased Charamba. The two were at odds at one point, even involving the police in their disputes.
Extremes
Soul Jah Love’s influence continues even after his death. Several established and budding chanters still imitate the late singer’s work. Among them are Blot, the beleaguered Jah Child and Beezman, better known as Chipoko ChaSauro.
They unapologetically duplicate everything about Soul Jah Love, with reports suggesting that one of them has even gone to the extreme extent of having a tooth extracted to resemble the late singer. Soul Jah Love had a missing tooth (vende).
Young Fantan has recently gained traction, rising in the shadow of Chillspot Record’s DJ Fantan. He is also removing his top on stage, proudly displaying his bulky torso.
And there is also the Jiti singer Baba Gweru, a near-identical copy of Baba Harare.
However, the imitation syndrome is not limited to music.
It extends to actors and socialites.
Brian Goshomi, popularly known as Ginimbi Lite, is a prime example. The socialite has tried hard to emulate the late businessman-cum-socialite but resources are dismally failing him. He is yet to achieve even a fraction of the charismatic Ginimbi’s success. To his credit, he has gained some fame, but fortune seems to elude him.
“It all started in 2017 when I was still in high school. Most of my peers said that I looked exactly like Ginimbi. They started calling me Ginimbi and that name has stuck ever since,” Goshomi said in a recent interview.
Initially, he said, he was always annoyed when referred to as Ginimbi.
“It annoyed me at first. I did not know who Ginimbi was, and to me, that was an
insult.”
“As I grew older, I began to appreciate and was inspired by the late businessman. I started to hustle and began acting like him. I also started posting some amazing pictures on different social media platforms.”
Currently, there appears to be a growing “pandemic” of male artistes creating skits or acting while dressed as women.
This trend, popular in the West, particularly the United States, has arguably been popularised in the country by Admire Mushambi, better known as Mama Vee and Theophilus Gabriel Chigumira, known as Mai Kirifodhi.
Tyler Perry and Martin Lawrence have for long been known for cross-dressing.
Perry is famous for his character Madea, an elderly woman he portrays in numerous productions, while Lawrence is well known for his role as Big Momma in the “Big Momma’s House” film series.
Admire “Bhutisi” Kuzhangaira has probably set a practical example on how best to handle copyright issues with his “Mukadota Reloaded” series. The actor reportedly approached the late Safirio “Mukadota” Madzikatire’s family through his son Elijah Madzikatire and got the nod.
Legal and ethical considerations
The Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura) has addressed the issue of mimicry, particularly concerning voice imitation.
“The Copyright Act primarily protects original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works. While the Copyright Act (Chapter 26:05) does not explicitly address sound-alike recordings or voice mimicry, there are some nuances to consider,” said executive director Polisile Ncube-Chimhini.
“If someone is singing like you, they are mimicking your style and voice. It might be considered a sound-alike performance. While this might be flattering, it is not necessarily a copyright infringement.
“Mimicking an artiste’s voice, while not explicitly protected by copyright, could be considered a form of passing off or unfair competition if it misrepresents or damages the original artiste’s goodwill.”
She added that, in some cases, a voice can be protected as a trademark, but this is limited to the specific use of the voice in commerce.
However, Zimura cannot directly intervene in disputes involving laws beyond copyright. Musicians are advised to seek expert legal counsel for such matters.
“It is the right time that our Parliament enacts laws that specifically deal with voice impersonation in the music industry to safeguard innovation and the rights of our talented creators,” said Ncube-Chimhini.
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