VETERAN ragga, dancehall deejay and multi-award winning artiste Masauko Chafukidza, aka Jackie Bango, has urged Zim dancehall artistes not to be taken for granted by promoters.
LIZZY KUTYAURIPO
The warning comes after several artistes appeared to have made a mark on the scene yet they have nothing to show for it with promoters pocketing big bucks.
Bango said Zim dancehall artistes have gained popularity and set an identity, but they need to be wary of their financial gain. He said musicians must not be taken for granted by promoters who line up hordes of artistes for one show when they can hold shows separately and make more money.
“Promoters line up even more than 10 artistes on posters just for a single gig so imagine how much they get in the end considering that the promoter would need to pay for the venue and also cover other expenses,” Bango said.
“Artistes like Seh Calaz, Killer T and Soul Jah Luv have already become household names and are able to pull up a big crowd and at the end they will have something pretty to take home.”
Bango also emphasised that the artistes must be creative enough to have their own riddims that cannot be identified with other artistes so as to safeguard their works jealously and be able to create their own fan base.
During his heyday at Silverstone, Bango always had strong competition from other rival sound groups such as Alkebulani, Stereo One, which was fronted by the late Jah B, and African Exodus among others.
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Most promoters have been accused by artistes of paying them peanuts while making a killing with the feud between Soul Jah Luv and estranged handler Courage Zikhali being one of the most prominent cases.
Zikhali stripped the chanter of the Hummer that he used to drive and other benefits when they parted ways, prompting Soul Jah Luv to pen a song titled Handimbomira lambasting him.
Several diss-tracks have begun circulating on various platforms with dancehall musicians airing their grievances.
Other musicians that have castigated promoters in song are Dadza D (Dairai Dairai) and Crystall (Ndichapfumawo Here) among others.
