Prophetic drama
SINCE this platform is mainly intended at showcasing the arts, one tries to stay away from any fractious social commentary.
Notwithstanding, I just can’t let go of the drama surrounding our country’s prophets precisely because it seems to have become a cultural thing for men of the cloth to set up churches and win converts quite possibly via all manner of gimmickry eg targeting celebrities. It does generate a helluva lot of hoopla doesn’t it? I also won’t rule out the possibility that some are witting or unwittingly using psychological techniques such as neuro-linguistic programming (NLP)to recruit members.
- Raising the dead
Imagine this, last week one prophet made headlines after threatening to raise the dead! It got me really started. Prophet, I just can’t wait to drive you all the way East to the Sithole family graveyard. I have a long list of izihlobo zami (relatives) whom I consider worthy to be resurrected!
- Dance queens, catfights, church and music
Former exotic dancer Bev and her mentor Zoey have been embroiled in a public spate emanating from Zoey reportedly calling Bev’s dramatic conversion to Christianity a hoax.
Oscar Pambuka, the public relations guy at Bev’s church appeared to put the blame on Zoey for starting the fight. Incidentally, Zoey Sifelani is set to release an album this week. Both girls may have realised that one can’t gyrate forever and that dancers have a very short shelf life! But Bev released a six-track album last year which sadly bombed. The “prophetic” call was therefore certainly fortuitous.
- Two handlers
What I also found amusing is how her handler one “Mr Harpers” has followed Bev to Prophetic Healing and Deliverance ministries. But the “prophetic vision and call” was for Bev alone.
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Maybe the promoter also had a damascene moment. I do want to know how she will handle her two handlers — ie the prophet and the former promoter.
- Cash drama and threats on media
The ongoing “salarygate” tsunami reveals a sickening cultural phenomenon. If we are not careful, we may become seriously bankrupt in one very important thing: public shame. Public shame should have led the looters to perform hara-kiri ie fall on their own sword and resign before being fired.
But you know their story: I did nothing wrong, I just took the money. Seriously? Bob Marley sang it: Them belly full, we hungry! These jackals are eating on our behalf.
Thankfully, the powers that rule appear determined to stop the gravy from flowing freely. So don’t even try to muzzle the Press with threats of litigation. It’s just the wrong tree to bark up.
- Debunking the myth: Local artistes begin to soar
Far and wide music fans are tuning in as ZiFM streams live on the Internet. Gibson Ncube aka Soul Swing is the anchor of ZiFM’s wildly successful Link Up to Bulawayo platform every Saturday night from 8pm to 11pm.
The show has fast become the crucible for the hottest new music by local artistes who have since been rising to the challenge popping out of nowhere (to the rest of this country and the world!).
Bulawayo acts are getting their proverbial fifteen minutes of fame and current big news on the music scene is that about a local upstart house music act called the House Rebels breaking into world market.
- Plot thickens
Out of the much derided studios eLokshini and straight to the world Mecca of house music! The House Rebels are going to attend the Winter House Music Festival in Miami, US, next month by invitation. That is a huge thing considering that the multi-billion dollar music industry leaders attend that annual summit to procure new talent and seal deals!
So there it is again: myth exploded, Bulawayo has quality talent and local artistes are out to prove that point. But how did House Rebels break through?
“It was on Gibson’s show that someone in the UK heard the song and requested to licence and release the song internationally. While still waiting for documentation, a call from Miami came through and the guy said he had just received a sample of Godobori and that he had a proposal. He asked if we would be interested in performing at this year’s Miami Conference. We honestly couldn’t believe it and we don’t know if the UK-based contact had something to do with this or not, but what we know is that if Gibson had not played Godobori on ZiFM, we would not be going to Miami,” says DJ Skaiva of their well-deserved break.
“In terms of quality and international appeal I can’t fault Skaiva,” says Ncube about Mqondisi Sibanda aka Skaiva who is the producer of the fast-rising House Rebels.
The house music producer has also been quietly doing “damage” in South Africa via his production on Rakeem’s (born Brian Bangura) Daydreamer single which sat on Radio Metro FM’s Hot 99 for three months reportedly last year! Bangura is also a member of the House Rebels as it happens.
Best case scenario is for these boys to ink legitimate music distribution and licencing deals into the larger lucrative overseas markets with whoever is currently showing interest in their works.
Hopefully the boys will know well enough not to accept open drinks from anyone over there in Miami. Too many perverts in Miami Vice! Culture Beat wishes these local boys success.
- Tomorrow night at the Namas with Dorothy Masuka and others!
Some folks wrote to me and said man surely Pata Pata that famous song was done by Miriam Makeba! True, but its Dorothy Masuka who wrote and recorded that song first!
Along with Khawuleza, Iqika and Nontsokolo and many others such as Gona RaMachingura. Some of these songs now integral to the corpus of South African folk songs and yet they were written by a Zimbabwean!
Tomorrow night, I will meet Dorothy Masuka and it is just my luck. Auntie Dot was widely known in the showbiz arena of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s in Africa and beyond for her work as a protest singer championing the cause of African peoples’ struggle against colonialism.
- Freedom of the city
Hopefully, the city fathers will consider this public proposal: award Dorothy Masuka the freedom of the city award as a tribute to her genius and pioneering work as an artist who used her art to raise the profile of her people and nation.
Moreover, just like the two Bobs: Marley and Dylan, Auntie Dot gave voice to the oppressed masses through her music. I know council has its processes and it may not be done in time for her visit. But do kindly consider this; our queen of African music must have that proposed honour.
Why not?
