Online Reporter
Bruce Ndlovu
Society Reporter
WHEN people discuss the reason Lovemore Majaivana quit music at the turn of the century and never looked back, the finger of blame is usually pointed at music fans in Bulawayo.
After over two decades trying to convince the City of Kings to give him the respect and rewards his music clearly deserved, Majaivana walked away from White City Stadium in November 2001 and decided he would never pick up the microphone again.
The young man who had dazzled crowds with his slick moves, earning himself the moniker Majaivana — a name that would stick with him for life — decided to hang up his dancing shoes once and for all.
“I was there at the show, which turned out to be his last,” recalled fellow musician and one-time promoter Jeys Marabini.
“He was just so defeated because he felt people had taken him for granted for too long. What made it really painful for him was that about six months prior to that show, he had come to Bulawayo with Oliver Mtukudzi.
“During that show, people had turned out in their thousands. So, he felt he had the support of the people of Bulawayo, but when he came for his own show, there were only a handful of people. That is what pained him. He felt that those people who had come six months earlier had only been there to see Oliver Mtukudzi.”
Bulawayo had seemingly lived up to the stereotype that it does not support its own artistes and, with that, lost one of its most revered sons.
However, because it has always been fashionable to lay the blame on fans, many have ignored the uneasy relationship Majaivana had with the city’s promoters.
In his prime, Majaivana felt he was taken for granted by local promoters, who took advantage of his prowess and popularity to line their own pockets.
By the time he left Zimbabwe, he had not only fallen out of love with fans but also with the people who were supposed to entice them to shows on his behalf.
“I spent 15 years of my life lining other people’s pockets,” Majaivana said in an interview well before he departed from Zimbabwe.
“Sure, they did not force me to and now I want to get out. Playing at a nightclub is never satisfactory because people come firstly to drink and to talk to their friends, whereas on the road, they come for the show.”
Almost a decade and a half after Majaivana left Zimbabwe, musicians in Bulawayo are once again up in arms with promoters over issues that are not too dissimilar to the ones he used to raise.
Last Friday, two of the city’s hottest artistes — Fab G and Noluntu J — lifted the lid on simmering tensions between local promoters, club owners and artistes.
According to Noluntu J, she and Fab G were treated like “trash” and were made to beg for services that were agreed upon in their contracts as performers before a show at Nexus.
That show, headlined by South African songbird Mawhoo, has led to a civil war in showbiz circles, with both parties throwing accusations at each other.
The main sticking point seemed to be the impression that Bulawayo musicians were demanding far more than their worth, as some do not pull enough numbers to deserve the VVIP treatment they desire.
“We cannot allow arrogant artistes to dictate how we do things in our establishment,” said Nexus boss Qhubani Moyo.
“We are in business and not charity. We will not allow anyone to try to hold us to ransom over nothing. Akulanto esiyixolisayo to anyone ngoba asenzanga lutho olubi (There is nothing we are apologising to anyone for because we have done nothing wrong). Some of these artistes making noise cannot even fill their own sitting room for a show. Those who want to boycott Nexus are more than free to do so,” Moyo said emphatically.
The past week has illustrated the gap between artistes who believe they are not being given a fair shake and promoters who do not believe they are worth the investment.
In a twist of irony, a day after the modestly attended gig featuring Mawhoo, a Bulawayo-born and bred musician, DJ Nitefreak, made his return to Bulawayo with perhaps the best-attended gig in the City of Kings this year.
Nitefreak’s HiNDE, organised in collaboration with Bulawayo Exclusive Events, was a striking illustration of the tensions that have driven a wedge between club owners and musicians.
Since he shot to stardom, becoming a powerhouse on the lucrative dance music touring circuit, Nitefreak has stayed away from popular city nightspots, instead showcasing his skills at artiste-driven lifestyle events.
“It is time to boycott these clubs,” he said last week after the Nexus fracas. “And let those being announced all night enjoy by themselves.”
Veteran musician Jeys Marabini believes the relationship between local musicians and promoters needs mending.
“There is a lack of trust and even respect, and this is not recent. This is something that affected artistes even back in the day, and we cannot turn a blind eye to it,” he said.
“Promoters should not feel like they are doing artistes a favour because this is always a two-way relationship that is meant to be beneficial to both parties, but that rarely happens.
“Sometimes you get the feeling that promoters look down upon you and that is the cause of all this tension that you see now.”
Another musician, who spoke to The Sunday Mail Entertainment on condition of anonymity, said there seems to be acrimony between artistes and club owners, with the former sometimes abused by the latter for services rendered.
“It is undeniable that clubs in Bulawayo are making money. We have friends who work in these nightspots and they tell us how much is made every night. When you compare that to what they want to give artistes who perform for their patrons, then you will be amazed,” said the artiste.
“We are not saying they should ignore their staff or not pay for overheads, but the performing talent deserves better.
“Perhaps, as artistes, we need to come together and form unions because our lack of organisation gives these guys all the leeway they need to abuse us.
“Some young artistes are paid with food or just a six-pack of alcohol. That is unhealthy and should be stamped out of the industry. If not, we will always have these periodical fights.”
Bongani Ndlovu