daniel chigunwe
H-Metro Reporters
JAH PRAYZAH’s ‘‘Ndini Mukudzeyi World Tour’’ came to a fitting end on home soil on Saturday night at a musical show which set standards for the local entertainment industry and drew a capacity crowd at the Harare International Conference Centre.
The organisers had dubbed it a grand finale to a tour which took them to South Africa, the United Kingdom and Canada.
The tour was supposed to have also spilled into the United States only for technicalities to force them to skip the Dallas leg of this mega tour.
When Jah Prayzah broke records on his penultimate stop on Johannesburg, there was a buzz that the climax in Harare will be a monster of a show.
And, that is exactly what it turned out to be.
Tickets were sold out, hundreds of fans were turned away and thousands converged inside the HICC for one of the best musical shows of the year in this country.
It soon became very clear that if Jah Prayzah had decided to hold this mega show at Rufaro, it’s very likely that he would probably have attracted about two or three times the number of people who were at the HICC on Saturday night.
The singalong from the crowd, as the fans belted out the hit song ‘‘Ruzhowa’’ was simply amazing. It showed the deep connection which Jah Prayzah has with his huge fan base and that this particular song has had a massive impact on the fans.
At that moment, this evolved from just being a musical show to something else – Jah Prayzah doing the listening while those who had paid to do so having transformed themselves into the artists who were doing the singing.
It was an eruption of a powerful love story, the confirmation of the strong bond between the superstar and those who love him, a public display of a beautiful romance which only the power of music can create.
Now, comes the BIG and controversial question – IS JAH PRAYZAH NOW AS BIG AS THE LEGENDARY OLIVER MTUKUDZI?
It’s controversial because there is an army of fans which will argue that the likes of Jah Prayzah are just boys in a men’s industry where someone like Tuku occupies the hot seat?
They will say that it’s ridiculous to mention Jah Prayzah and Tuku in the same sentence because the legend’s achievements are in a different league.
But, there is no harm in presenting Jah Prayzah as someone who is now BIG and who should now be mentioned in the league where the superstars are found.
The facts present a compelling narrative.
Jah Prayzah is 38.
Tuku gained international recognition in 1998, at the age of 46, in what was a big breakthrough for him in his revival after he had faced years of stagnation.
By that time, Tuku was on the verge of giving up on music, but the timely intervention of his former manager, Debbie Metcalfe, helped him leverage her connections effectively.
Tuku went on to earn numerous accolades and became a prominent figure on the international stage, regularly performing at major global festivals.
Almost six years after his death in January 2019, at the age of 66, he remains a popular figure in Africa and other parts of the world where he performed.
Following Tuku’s death, many wondered who could possibly fill the void he left behind. It appears a bold artist from Uzumba in Mashonaland East has now stepped forward to fill the big shoes that Tuku left behind.
Jah Prayzah’s evolution as a musician has been inspiring, as he continues to blaze a trail of success.
His willingness to explore new musical territories and collaborate with international stars – such as Jah Cure, Davido, Diamond Platnumz, Luciano and three-time Grammy Award-winning band Morgan Heritage—demonstrates his relentless hunger for success and suggests even greater things to come.
His work rate has shocked many, including his handlers.
“Jah Prayzah is hardworking, and we are also surprised at the way he has been doing his things,” said his manager, Keen Mushapaidze.
“We spend a lot of the time with him, but when it comes to work, Jah Prayzah is a beast. I am glad to be part of his evolution and he has demonstrated what he is capable of.
“Jah Prayzah is one guy who is never shy of experimenting, and that has made him distinct.”
On the international scene, he is gradually penetrating the market.
After the “Ndini Mukudzeyi World Tour,” which saw him spending considerable time overseas, it was also a marvel to watch him playing for multiracial crowds.
Only Tuku, Biggie Tembo and the Bhundu Boys, US-based Chimurenga musician, the late Mbuya Stell Chiweshe, Chiwoniso Maraire, Andy Brown, and now Mokoomba have achieved that feat.
With the help of Mushapaidze, Jah Prayzah is slowly getting there.
He has everything it takes to make a massive impression on the global scene.
Reports indicate that he is set to convert his Harare headquarters in Belvedere into a charity home, accommodating a studio and rehearsal room, which demonstrates his hunger to succeed.
His talent and vision have proven that he can succeed, and we can only be grateful to him.
It’s clear that Jah Prayzah can become one of Zimbabwe’s greatest musicians of all-time before he even reaches 50.
In this era of technological revolution, the singer has plenty to offer, and fans can still keep debating.
Let’s make one thing clear – Jah Prayzah has not yet reached the heights which Tuku scaled in his amazing journey.
When you talk of Tuku, you are talking of someone who was not only a Zimbabwean legend but a true African music legend.
This is a man who produced 66 albums during his career, including some of the greatest hits of our time, and his death was considered newsworthy to be covered by the likes of The New York Times and The Guardian newspaper of the UK.
This is a man who won the M-Net best soundtrack award for his hit song ‘‘Neria’’ and a man who was dubbed an ‘‘African legend’’ by many respected news outlets on the continent when he died.
Jah Prayzah has done well for himself but it takes an entire career for one to finally match the golden standards which Tuku set.
But, what we are seeing is that this superstar musician, who used to play before an average of just 15 or so fans during his early days at Jazz 105, is evolving into a real beast.
He is on the right path to greatness, which the likes of Tuku achieved, and he has age on his side to make more hits and cement his status as one of our all-time greats.
He is already BIG right now.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter