Let’s rally behind local musicians 100 percent

“Local is lekker” is what you would call a hackneyed phrase, isn’t it? Only it is often mouthed selectively and inconsistently. On the other hand, there are people out there who really do not believe that local is lekker, after all. When it comes to the arts industry, opinion is starkly divided.

Can local artistes compare with “international” artistes in the fields of music and film?
Can American rapper Jay-Z be placed on the same platform as our own Alishias “Maskiri” Musimbe, Pah Chihera with Beyonce, Winky D with Busy Signal, etc?

Or can “Sabhuku Vharazipi” David Mubayiwa claim the same pedestal with Will Smith; Bhero Mukadota with Mr Bean, etc?
While the answer might seem obvious, a number of things may yet make a strong case for the exclusive play of local artistes on public broadcasting stations.

That is, over and above the current 75 percent local content policy that is not being implemented anyway.
Admittedly, while music has flourished – which is there for everyone to see – film and acting have not been growing as fast due to the nature and demands of the sector.

But local content makes perfect economic, social, psychological and political sense.
The first thing is that Government, and in particular Government that supports affirmative action and patriotism, cannot be seen to be defeating the same.

It just cannot ignore the call for the empowerment of artistes, most of them young, educated and out of formal employment, without telling us that it is hypocritical.

Second, local artistes like Winky D are coming of age and have consistently outclassed visiting artistes that they have shared the stage with some of whom have been huge flops despite vaunted global fame.

Americans Sean Kingston and Brick n Lace; D’Banj, Flavour (both Nigeria), Bebe Cool (Uganda); Elephant Man (Jamaica) among others, have come and seen and gone home conquered.

Some of them ended up doing unsavoury things on stage like stripping and simulating sex when they had been expected to belt it out like we all hear on radio and see on TV.

These are the guys that get paid some big money to the tune of thousands of dollars while local artistes are paid peanuts or are not called up altogether.

Some promoters are said to have died broke, broken and bitter after disappointing foreign acts into whose gigs they had poured huge monies.

While it is the right for promoters to bring whoever they think can make them a return, the public broadcaster cannot be allowed to continue propping up foreign artistes at the expense of locals.
In fact, when ZBC continuously bombards its audiences with foreign content, it will be advertising for its currency here which would lead people to believe that foreign artistes are better and hence go to their flop-shows when they eventually are invited.

In that regard it can be argued that those willing to listen to music exports should do so at their own expense and in their private and commercial ventures.

ZBC cannot and should not be allowed to pay huge monies by way of royalties to foreign artistes at the expense of locals.
It is also bad national economics when a broadcaster loses money that way when it should retain the same within the country.
It is also money that when it is spent and taxed will also help the service provider itself, especially a perennially broke one that may want to do with some Government support.

If Alishias we Maskiri, Dadza D, Shinsoman, Killa T, Trevor Dongo, Knox, Ngoni Kambarami, Freeman and Co are not played enough on local stations, are they seriously expected to be played in the top UK or US charts?

This means that there should be a paradigm shift in the manner in which the broadcaster plays its economics, even at the risk of short-term setbacks.

If artistes get royalties it will also provide succour from such malpractices as piracy as the money will go directly into the pockets of the entertainers.

Exposure will also help the artistes gain recognition and endorsements which have seen the likes of Jah Prayzah, Sulu and Alick Macheso notch over the past year.

Enterprising businessman Spencer Madziya, an ardent music lover, believes in the local music as an industry.
“Local music is not only a full-time industry creating employment, it has helped us reach our intended market for our products, be it Macheso pushing a certain bread brand, Winky D supporting an awareness campaign,” says he.

He added: “Local music for decades has been and continues to be used as a medium of communication to the masses, as it connects and relates directly to us as locals. South Africa is one example were local music dominates and has given just rewards not only to their national fiscus in terms of revenue and employment creation but selling their brand and image as South Africa.”
It is something worth Zimbabwe’s while.

And Madziya believes the onus is on the respective ministry to protect and promote local music, and help keep youth off the streets, make them discover their artistic side.

It is also psychological both on the part of the service provider and the national audience at large.
Given the fact that media shapes public opinion and perception and taste, the same way that Western media create and deify their own – and project them to the rest of us – is the same way local media should promote, protect and project our own entertainers.
And to be honest, our artistes, especially in the music sector, do not even require much hand holding. They are hardworking, creative and raring to go.

This past year, which saw young artistes from the urban contemporary genre rise and tower above the rest, proved that a new culture is afoot.

Wherever one went, the sound of dancehall and rap music was effusive.
Sungura, the traditionally top sound, was dwarfed, a fact not helped by the apparent stagnation of its fine sons like Alick Macheso, Nicholas Zacharia and . . . who else? Sungura is sleepwalking to its grave.
Urban contemporary beats like dancehall and hip-hop are on the rise.

This is not accidental.
The demographics of the country will show that young people who grew up in the 1990s and early 2000s and internalised Western mainly US music, have now localised the same into a new popular culture.
No one should begrudge them that. It is a historical and cultural fact.

Regular airplay does not only guarantee monies flowing to the entertainer, it also gives a psychological boost not only to those that are retained but by upstarts as well that will be inspired to produce something.

The fact that they mostly sing in local languages about local situations means that a new culture is afoot in that dynamic of human existence.
It cannot be wished away.
It should be supported.

There are so many Vharazipis in Zimbabwe – and Vharazipi to all intents and purposes is hardly the best around – but his rise and sympathy will have to spur more creative talent.

It cannot be denied that Zimbabwe is on another level of creative industry buoyed by a young and bulging population.
The real problem to confront may yet be that of old executives that may deny the reality of this day, and tend to hold on to the likes of Oliver Mtukudzi like their lives depended on it.

Let us demonstrate this.
Some older guys out there often complain that young artistes do not use live instruments in this digital age when the net does not have to go fishing!

The music of Maskiri does not necessarily have to appeal to a 62- year-old listener.
There is a generational gap and different lived experiences.
It will be such a bad day when the old executive tries to exclude and foist.

Like everything in the ambit of culture, music is dynamic.
By all means, people cannot live in the Thomas Mapfumo, Leonard Dembo or Oliver Mtukudzi generations forever!
Nor should young artistes sound like them forever. No.

We have to move on and a group of nostalgic people should not be allowed to hold back cultural progress and dynamism.
In any case, those that are young and upcoming will be old, too, only to let the inexorable passage of life be!