Online Reporter
Robson Sharuko
H-Metro Editor
IT was supposed to be a casual post on Facebook about music.
It was about Jah Prayzah and his latest album and songs.
“I think Jah Prayzah’s Ruzhowa is the best local song since Chitekete.”
But, it touched a raw nerve and triggered a tsunami of responses, including a hail of insults, from a deeply-divided local music family.
I was told that I was out of touch with local music and, even though I had clearly made it clear that tthese were just my thoughts, and there was nothing authoritative about it, the backlash was massive.
On Saturday night, after watching the blockbuster PSL tie between Simba Bhora and Scottland in Shamva, I walked into a night club in Harare.
I didn’t realise the DJ had recognised my presence but, boom, he played Ruzhowa and heard him say “this gem is creating a big deal on FB right now, I see the man who has caused the row is here with us.”
Wow!
Just as well he didn’t mention my name.
Well, on the social media streets, there were some who provided support, agreeing with me that they believed Ruzhowa was a great song, and that provided an island of relief in a storm of criticism, including some which bordered on abuse.
But that’s social media, isn’t it?
There are no limits on those fields and once you plunge into it, with posts which can attract a fair share of controversy, then you should be prepared for the backlash.
Predictably, as I had anticipated, there were many people who ordered me to stick to football issues.
It’s an area they believe I have mastered the experience of providing commentary and that I have been a music fan, all my life, and they didn’t teach me to just comment about football at the journalism school, didn’t matter to them.
That I have spent the last three years providing leadership to a tabloid newspaper which covers musicians and their music also didn’t matter to them.
There were some who even claimed I was deranged and suggested that the challenges facing my favourite football club, Manchester United, had now clouded my judgment in just about everything.
Others even suggested that I should check into rehab simply because I had dared suggest that Ruzhowa was a masterpiece.
There were some who said they had never heard about this song but they still felt they could dismiss it as a song which didn’t deserve the prominence I was giving it.
What became clear to me, from the conversations, is that there is an army of fans who just don’t like Jah Prayzah, for one reason or another, and this group will try by all means not to see any beauty in anything he produces.
So, when someone comes along to praise something which Jah Prayzah would have done, especially his music, this army will fire back on all cylinders to try and try to discredit that.
Luckily, I am used to criticism.
Decades in these trenches have taught me that you have to respect those who criticise you.
After all, the mere fact that they have taken time to read your stuff is something that you should respect. The real concern should come when no one reads your stuff anymore and such posts are met by silence.
The Facebook post on Jah Prayzah attracted more than a thousand comments but, crucially, was viewed 141,672 times at the time of writing.
The majority of those who responded were men.
Those between the ages of 35-44 formed the core of the respondents and contributed 34,9 percent of the comments.
They were followed by those between the ages of 25-34 who provided 27,5 percent of the comments.
Those between the ages of 45-64 provided 16,5 percent of the comments.
Those above the age of 65 provided 12,7 percent of the comments.
Those between the ages of 18-24 provided 5,1 percent of the comments.
There is also something important that I also picked from the comments − Leonard Zhakata’s masterpiece ‘Mugove’ ranks very highly and there are many who feel it is the best local song since Chitekete.
Others even feel it is better than Chitekete.
Alick Macheso’s songs have made a massive impact and, when it comes to a search for the greatest local songs, the sungura king’s hits rank highly too.
Then, there is Simon Chimbetu − he has a big army of admirers and his songs, like Samatenga, feature prominently.
I also picked out that tthere is a lot of respect for the old Warriors like the late Oliver Mtukudzi and Chimurenga legend Thomas Mapfumo and the classics they gave us along the way.
Others even question whether Chitekete is the benchmark of greatness when it comes to local music chart-busters.
That’s the beauty of debate, isn’t it?
Here are some of the comments:
Naye by Dhewa, Madhau by Macheso, Samatenga by Chopper, they are way better. – Tah Nyikah
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Chitekete isn’t even the best local song ever. Simon Chimbetu can easily have three songs in the top 5. – Robert Baba Malala Masvaure.
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Chitekete is popular than Messi, Ronaldo. – Dominic Muraiwa
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Underrate Mukanya’s songs at your own risk. − Causemore Madzimbo
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There’s no song that will surpass Tenda by Chopper in the near future. Only if the dead can sing. − Anderson Chanex Chinyado
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Not even in that league of Chitekete. I don’t even think it’s his best song to be honest. It’s a good song but not anywhere close to Mugove by Leonard Zhakata. Might not even make top 20. – Tinashe Constantine Mutemi.
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But Chitekete was outclassed by Macheso’s Simbaradzo. In fact, all of Macheso’s first five albums are the best-selling to date and it’s hard to compare different eras. The end of fans actually buying cassettes and the era of social media hype. – Regis Gumunyu Matambanadzo
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On another note, the post is insulting to the elders of Zimbabwe music, first by comparing your Jah with the great Dembo and secondly insinuating that your Jah has surpassed all local elders of music, the likes of Chimbetu, James Chimombe, Mukanya, Munhumumwe, Chibadura, Madzibaba, Matavire, Zhakata, Macheso, Biggie Tembo, Tuku, Majaivana, Chioniso, Andy Brown, Paul Mpofu etc. How insulting. In fact, Tocky Vibes can easily rival your Jah. – Robert Kugara
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It’s a good song but to put it next to Chitekete munenge ma deepisa. Dembo, Tuku and yesteryear musicians had hits which break generations. This one it’s topping now but before year end, it will not be a hit. – Kudakwashe Ruwizhi
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Mundikumbuke and Macheso is the greatest of all of them. – Allister Isaac Mable.
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To say Chitekete was the best song ever is rather disputable. Zim has had big hits, we still have Macheso in the mix, John Chibadura, James Chimombe, Harare Mambos, Mukadota, Khiama Boys, ana Jah vaita vatete – Zviko Chipangura
Mathew Masinge