Of Jah Prayzah and the simultaneous release of dou...

Of Jah Prayzah and the simultaneous release of double albums

Garikai Mazara

Jah Prayzah is about to release two albums simultaneously, for want of a better word.

One album in Harare and another in Bulawayo. One has to rewind back to Simon Chimbetu, widely acknowledged as the Master of Song, who released two albums in one year - Nguva Yakaoma and Sold Gold in 1990 (according to Wikipedia).

Before that, Leonard Dembo had released two albums in 1987- Sharai and Kuziva Mbuya Huudzwa.

A footnote will be critical here: this was at the height of their rivalry, that is Dembo and Chimbetu. So, on reflection, I think it was a question of "what Dembo can do, I can do better".

Back to Jah Prayzah: him releasing two albums simultaneously. This has led to suggestions that he might be equal to or could fill in the void left by dear departed (and talented) musicians. Oliver Mtukudzi has been mentioned in some instances.

For one to understand my line of argument, we have to travel back some three or so weeks back, when Alick Macheso is said to have brought down Johannesburg.

And you have to look at this view as well against the argument that was proffered by Thomas Mapfumo, in an interview with Forward Nyanyiwa (of which Mapfumo was widely misquoted).

Mapfumo's point, which is my point as well today, is that our musicians' main weakest is playing to Zimbabwean audiences when they play abroad. Macheso playing before Zimbabweans in Johannesburg, Jah Prayzah playing for Zimbabweans in Australia, etc.

But with Oliver Mtukudzi, he played for white audiences. Or if you want to put it more correctly, for cosmopolitan audiences. Live in San Francisco easily comes to mind. Either he was performing in Sweden, Norway or Canada, Mtukudzi wouldn't perform exclusively for Zimbabwean audiences.

And he sang in our tongues, our languages. Ditto for Mapfumo when he was still based in Zimbabwe, when he went to play overseas, he played for cosmopolitan audiences as well. It mostly changed when he relocated to America.

Macheso, Jah Prayzah and Winky D (as much as they are talented) will have to convince most of us, the fence sitters that is, when they start to perform before cosmopolitan audiences.

When Davido, P-Square or Burna Boy come to Harare, they don't perform for Nigerians.

Personally, I really don't know where to place Jah Prayzah and his talents, musically that is. His videography and choreography are great, which somehow might cloud the lack of talent in his music.

(I pretty know this will not sit comfortably with most of his fans).

Take for instance, Sarungano, recently released. It is a great piece of artistic work (though I feel it borrowed heavily from 12 Years A Slave) but when I listened to the vocals without the video, I was not convinced.

When I listen to Mtukudzi, I am somehow reminded of Brenda Fassie. It was during a Miss Malaika pre-event at the Sheraton (at least that's what it was called then). Performing a solo act, she had the whole room standing up and singing to Vulindela. That's her alone, without any backing vocalist, nor any band.

Mtukudzi could also do that. And much more. As we speak (or write) Neria is a folk song across the world, not so much for the film but the song. Whether they think it's a love story or not is something else.

Until Macheso, Jah and Winky attain that level, of having Mwari Wenyasha being sung in Brazil by Brazilians; Tsviriyo being sung in Thailand by Thais or Kasong Kejecha being sung by Cameroonians, I will not even attempt to compare them to Mtukudzi.

Even if they release three albums in one year.

As for the upcoming double albums, we can only sit and wait and hope that we are not going to be fed well-choreographed videos but sentimental songs that will cut across the cultural barriers.