IS IT really worth it for one to lose his/her dignity simply to become famous?
Shadreck Maririmba
In recent times lifestyle and entertainment followers, both local and international, have witnessed a disturbing development among our “celebrities” all in the name of seeking fame.
Kimberly “Kim” Kardashian, born a few months after Zimbabwe got its independence, was a nobody before 2007 when she created a sex tape with then boyfriend Ray J. This was her career launchpad.
After the sex tape she became a household name and today she is an entrepreneur, TV personality, model, socialite and fashion designer.
It is not only Kardashian who has amassed wealth and fame through what the African culture calls indecency, but the Internet is awash with celebrities who have used sex as a prop up in their careers.
Gullible people, especially the young took her as a role model and for men; they salivate after just setting their eyes on her. She prides herself in showing her big voluptuous bottom to the world. Is it really worth it?
Locally, most people never knew Jacob Moyana until he composed a song Munotidako.
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The song went viral on social network sites like Facebook and WhatsApp. Moyana is now a household name. This writer is reliably informed that music promoters are falling over each other to book for the services of Moyana as he is no doubt the man-of the-moment as far as music is concerned.
From being a nonentity in the music industry, Moyana has shared the stage with Sulumani Chimbetu — arguably one Zimbabwe’s big four.
It is his controversial song that propelled him to fame. However, most radio stations do not play his music due to the controversial lyrics.
He seemed to have found the missing link in his career. Moyana didn’t need his song to be played on air to become famous. People marketed the song for him.
A few years ago Zimbabwe has witnessed several sex tapes created in Zimbabwe.
Former Big Brother housemate Pokello Nare and her former boyfriend Stunner and Studio 263 actress Tinopona Katsande are some of the few who come to mind if the word sextape is mentioned.
Students from institutions of higher learning were not outdone as they joined the unpopular route to fame, though at times without fortune. Most of the perpetrators of such disgraceful acts are now celebrities even participating in charity activities.
Does one have to do this to be famous?
It’s unthinkable for someone to have sex in front of a camera for whatever reasons especially in Zimbabwe where pornography is illegal. Beverly Sibanda, a well-known pole dancer, sprang to fame with her erotic dance routines. Surprisingly, few knew her before she started doing the unthinkable.
She would insert a beer bottle into her privates in full view of showgoers.
Michael Kanoti {19} of Victoria falls described it as “madness” to seek fame the dirty way.
However, Linda Chikati, 24, of Southerton highlighted the reason why most people do it. Among them poverty, and unemployment. “Sometimes one is forced to do it due to hunger and unemployment, the economy is causing many people to do crazy things.”
She went on to refer to the ladies who once got arrested for harvesting sperm from men after kidnapping them.
Astonishingly, Prophet Magaya of PHD Ministries International tried to prove to Bev that one can still be famous and make money by doing good. It seems Bev could not stomach it, she returned to dancing. A news website ZimEye on July 19 2012 published a story describing her as a “controversial and pornographic dancing queen”.
This means we have got kings too in the game of the unthinkable.
In the latest genre of music being called Zimdancehall most of the artistes sing vulgar lyrics. Soul Jah Love is doing well with his song Ndini Uyawuya, his lyrics so touching because he describes a life he somehow lived yet teaching people not to despise each other in life.
However, the lyrics “anosimudza musoro kunge gumkum” left many wondering as to his motives. It seems he finds it difficult to sing morally good songs. Despite achieving popularity with his former song, the latter is not being given airplay on most Zimbabwe radio stations. He too seemed to have found the missing link.
Female artistes seem to find it difficult to perform on public platform covering their bodies.
Watch any video now from Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and Madonna you name them most of them like performing semi-naked. They think that popularity can’t be achieved by being upright.
But, is it really worthy it.
If you happen to watch Koffi Olomide’s videos as an example though there are many other musicians doing the same, one will clearly notice that women dancers will be gyrating and dancing erotically in tight fitting-bikinis and braas only. The rest of their bodies would be uncovered. Kofi knew it that without indecency he would go nowhere. The shocking part is he himself will be wearing expensive suits and costumes covering his body in most of his videos. He finds pride in degrading women only for popularity in the name of art.
Zimbabwean women seem to have copied this trade, dance groups sprouted across the country and today the country prides itself in semi-naked dancing queens. Never had the country seen a dance group where performers will be in decent clothing.
If being famous is catapulted by doing disgraceful things to your body and self then what a decayed society we are in.
Zimbabwe, a country with some citizens steeped in unhu/ubuntu concept finds such behaviour as weird and intolerable.
As individuals, we should ask ourselves if we should throw our ubuntu/hunhu into a bottomless pit in exchange for fame and popularity.
