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Kundai Marunya
Arts Correspondent
He has the fully packed City Sports Centre singing and dancing along as he drops hit after hit.
Midway through an electric performance, when revellers thought they had heard and seen it all, he goes up a notch, gets a cigarette from his tour manager, puffs it and blows it into the crowd.
The next song on his playlist is a marijuana praise hit “Ganja”, and the crowd goes wild in excitement.
They reciprocate by lighting their own marijuana cigarettes, blowing the smoke in the air, and in a few minutes, the whole venue is covered by a cloud of smoke.
Some throw small sachets of the drug on stage which the artiste picks up and pockets, presumably for future consumption.
The stench alone is enough to get one high on the drug which is illegal in the country.
This is all in full view of the law enforcement agents who have been engaged by the event organiser to provide security for the high-profile international show headlined by Jamaican reggae musician, Turbulence.
He is one of many of his statesmen to tour the country and smoke during performances, with the law enforcement agents turning a blind eye, not only to his actions that encourages drug abuse, but to the drug abuse that happens at the music shows.
The shows are usually have minors who are present to marvel at their music heroes both local and international.
Though local musicians are not “brave” enough to smoke marijuana on stage, they have their fair share of songs that praise drugs and alcohol abuse.
More than a decade ago, Winky D rose to fame with songs like “Mzi” which he references to dagga with part of the lines, “…mumusoro vakomana ngaugare Mzi, kumapurazi ndoti ngaudyarwe Mzi ndouputa naAmbuya haunyarwe muMzi.”
Winky D later seemed to have changed his stance against drug abuse as evidenced in the song “Mafirakureva” which proved unpopular with many youths.
But Winky D has a song that suggests he smokes marijuana and takes Broncleer, a prescription cough syrup that is used as a drug.
Another musician, Dobba Don, rose to stardom with “Mudendere”, a song that praises every other drug found on the local market.
Ironically, Dobba Don ended up struggling with addiction that took a heavy toll on his career.
Even the yesteryear dancehall star Sniper Storm had his fair share of songs that praised drugs, including his remix of gospel musician Shingisai Siluma’s “Nanhasi” converting it to suit a meaning that he will never stop smoking marijuana.
The list of contemporary musicians who praise drugs is endless, especially in Zimdancehall, while alcohol praise cuts across all genres.
These musicians seem to forget that they are role models of many young people, having risen to stardom against all odds.
Their tales of ‘rugs to riches’ make them demi-gods to many young people, thus many ill-advised youths hanging on to their every word, hoping it would shape a similar future for them.
Some artists in their ignorance have openly denied their role in educating masses referring education to schools and universities.
Psychologist Tashinga Matsika said music influence was one of the causes of a spike in drug abuse.
“Music is one of the major influences of the rise in alcohol and drug abuse,” he said. “The praise of drugs and alcohol in popular songs by celebrated artists makes taking drugs seem attractive.
“Some musicians have gone on to associate being high or drunk to having fun. Many young people currently affected by alcohol and drug abuse listen to contemporary music which is rich in this message.”
Matsika said music was not the only cause of drug and alcohol abuse.
“To fully curb the scourge, we also need to address various socio-economic factors that are leading to addiction,” he said.
Music has also been used to draw crowds to events where drugs are being peddled even to minors.
There are various events and parties, especially in the high-density suburbs, that are funded by drug lords who benefit from high sales.
Street parties popularly known as Passa Passa are ranked top on the list of drug distribution initiatives.
Artistes are paid to perform for a crowd that is allowed free entry, while no discretion is practised on selling of alcohol resulting in minors accessing alcoholic beverages.
The influx of illicit brews with the moniker “twumbwa” on the streets, sold as cheap as US$0,50 cents while containing a high alcohol content, worsens the situation.
Youth Against Alcoholism and Drug Dependency (YADD) founder Tungamirai Zimonte said the alcohol industry was taking advantage of music as a powerful marketing tool to promote their products, often in ways that were harmful to public health.
“This can take the form of product placement in music videos, lyrics that glorify excessive drinking, and sponsorship of music events and festivals,” he said.
“These marketing strategies target young people, who are particularly vulnerable to the messages and influences of popular culture”.
Zimonte, who is also the local coordinator for Southern Africa Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA), an organisation that advocates for progressive alcohol policy said research has shown that exposure to alcohol marketing, including through music, increases the likelihood of youth drinking and binge drinking.
“By linking their products to positive experiences, such as fun, socialising, and sex appeal, the alcohol industry can normalise excessive drinking and create a culture that sees alcohol consumption as acceptable and even desirable,” he said.
“This type of marketing can also have harmful effects on the mental health and well-being of individuals, especially those struggling with addiction”.
It must, however, be noted that there are musicians that, upon realising the rise in drug abuse and addiction are countering the narrative.
Zimonte said it was important for the music industry and governments to take steps to regulate and limit the promotion of harmful products like alcohol in music, to protect the health and well-being of audiences.
“It is important to remember that these lyrics do not reflect the values or beliefs of all musicians, and can have negative consequences on impressionable listeners,” he said.
“It is crucial for artists to use their platform responsibly and consider the impact their lyrics may have on their fans. At the same time, it is up to each individual to make their own decisions and be responsible for their own actions”.
Drug abuse has been under spotlight in the past few weeks after Dominican Convent expelled students for drug possession, while a Mabelreign Girls High student was captured on camera high and taking drugs.
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