Online Reporter
Trust Khosa
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
CONTEMPORARY musician Jah Prayzah has apologised to rising Chimurenga musician Kurai Makore for incorporating a beat from his song into one of the tracks featured on his latest album, “Ndini Mukudzei”.
The apology — conveyed by Chimurenga icon Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo, Makore’s uncle and mentor — emphasised Jah Prayzah’s sincere intentions and acknowledgment of the mistake.
The controversy erupted shortly after Jah Prayzah’s release of “Moto”, which Makore noted carried the same beat as his song “Kanyarugwe”, released in 2022.
The United States-based Mukanya emphasised the importance of peace in the music industry, claiming that he wanted harmony among artistes.
“I have heard about the issue and immediately decided to intervene and put the matter to rest,” he said in a interview from the US.
“Jah Prayzah called me and apologised. We accepted the apology, and I appreciated the show of maturity.
“Jah Prayzah told me that he was given the beat by someone and did not know that the beat had been taken elsewhere.
“In fact, the beat is mine, but we have important things to attend to anyway.”
Mukanya added: “Coming up with similar beats is common in music and I have seen it before.
“However, I have reached a point where I do not need to fight with younger artistes since I have grown to become an elder in the industry. Surely, I cannot be found embroiled in petty fights; I am now an elder . . . We do not need these fights in music because it is not war. I am just glad that the Jah Prayzah issue is resolved.”
The musician said he was focused on producing a 10-track album, which is expected to be released soon.
However, Jah Prayzah’s camp could neither confirm nor deny whether they had apologised for the mix-up.
The singer’s manager, Keen Mushapaidze, told this publication on Thursday that he was in a meeting and promised to return the call.
“I am meeting some people right now. I will get back to you,” he said.
However, he did not return the call afterwards. Further attempts to get in touch with Mushapaidze proved futile.
The manager also did not respond to questions sent to him.
Makore, hailed as the new prince of Chimurenga, maintains his respect for Jah Prayzah despite the latest controversy.
His camp insisted that they were not trying to ride on Jah Prayzah’s name or pursue him for copyright infringement.
The rising singer feels fans need to be impartial when dealing with such issues.
“In this case, we were not trying to capitalise on the issue and we do not want
money.
“What we wanted was for the world to know about some of the things that happen in showbiz,” said Makore.
“I am not someone who seeks conflict or drama; I am merely a musician making a name in the industry.
“I respect Jah as a star, and I am glad that my uncle has reached out to his camp.
“That is a clear sign that we need to have peace in the creative sector, but we need to be thorough and vigilant.”
Online Reporter