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Blessing Shumba in album dilemma

Life & Style
MUTARE — Music pirates are misleading gospel music lovers by illegally selling an album said to be the latest offering from artist of the moment, Blessing Shumba. The album titled Munamato Wangu which has flooded the streets of Harare and Mutare is a product of Mansa, an arts group comprising inmates and officers from Mutare […]

MUTARE — Music pirates are misleading gospel music lovers by illegally selling an album said to be the latest offering from artist of the moment, Blessing Shumba.

The album titled Munamato Wangu which has flooded the streets of Harare and Mutare is a product of Mansa, an arts group comprising inmates and officers from Mutare Remand Prison.

Shumba was a guest artist on the project. He produced and featured on the album to promote the upcoming group into mainstream music.

The Mufaro hitmaker joined 16 inmates and eight prison officers on several tracks, wrote the seventh song — Murairo Wangu and rearranged the entire album.

Pirates are taking advantage of Shumba’s involvement in the project to sell the album purporting it is the musician’s latest release.

The award-winning musician described the development as a “sad story” and one of the reasons affecting marketing of the original album.

“It’s a sad story. I did this project to assist inmates leapfrog into the music industry. My involvement was meant to push them into the music industry, but now this sad development is one of the things affecting the album penetrate the local market,” Shumba lamented. Shumba did not have kind words either for music lovers whom he said are having a taste of their own medicine for failing to shun pirated music.

“Look here, it is a known fact that most original CDs are now going for $1 in designated music outlets, but you still find some people buying pirated copies. They should shun such acts if they want to support us.

“Consumers are fueling piracy and they are also to blame for its growth.”

The gospel music expert said fans should expect his new album in September or October. Shumba has so far released two hit albums Ishe Wazvose in 2009 and NdiMwari in 2010. Both albums received overwhelming airplay on the national airwaves landing the Holy Psalms frontman several accolades.

He clinched a National Arts Merit Award for Outstanding Album shortly after coming second best in the Radio Zimbabwe Coca-Cola Pimped Up and Ride Top 50.