THE PLIGHT OF BULAWAYO ARTS

THE PLIGHT OF BULAWAYO ARTS
The iconic intersection in Bulawayo

If you are enraged, irritated or angered by us mentioning Harare whenever we complain or agitate for fair coverage and airplay then you are part of the problem.

When we say Harare, we don't mean you and your friends from Muzarabani, Chivu, Gwanda, Mutare, Bulawayo and Masvingo who grouped together and created or affiliated to an "Industry".

Harare in our context is our supposedly national broadcasters and everything perceived national but geographically and practically located in Harare, we are talking about the system called Harare not you and your favourite artists, we don't have anything personal against you, if we had we will directly address you not coin it under the term Harare (Asesabi lutho). 

Bulawayo Arts industry doesn't operate in a vacuum, it works in tandem with the economy of the City of Bulawayo, the consumer power comes from employement ratio of the City, it comes from people a working economic hub of Bulawayo which is the industry.... Currently operating below 5%(My guess) of its full force. I have no intention of tackling the political implications to that and the deliberate decemination of industry in Bulawayo, i can leave you with a bone to chew on the matter, What happened to the 40 million Bulawayo industry stimulus package sourced by the then Minister of Industry Prof Welshman Ncube

Then where do Bulawayo Artists get endorsement deals and co-operate support from? With the few operating big companies which report to their headquarters in Harare? 

All our artists are asking for is a fair fighting chance, not handouts. 

There is no major or politically sponsored record label in Bulawayo, Our artists record in independent youth managed studios scattered across the city, some located in the City center other in the backyards Ekasi. 

They have never asked anything from anyone, they have created their craft, polished it and  met every required standard needed it is within ourselves as consumers, promoters, selectors to give them the Airplay 

They don't sound South African, they sound like every other Nguni musician scattered across the SADC region, they can't be anything more but themselves, Why are we forcing them to change their identity so they can please a centralised system in Harare? 

Mandie Mae Africa  for example has seen featured in two of the biggest Raggae publications in the world with the very same songs  recorded and mastered in the Indie back yard studios, yet we have people claiming that Bulawayo Artists are less talented, bayabhowa etc.

Mandie Mae Africa 

Isn't Nceku and Oliver Keith  equally entertaining and both have numbers which you claimed advertisers are looking for??

Let's not tribalise and trivialise the plight of Bulawayo Artist. 

We don't want Artists coming to Bulawayo to prove themselves because we have centralized resources in Bulawayo.

We want them to shine wherever they are in Zimbabwe and come to Bulawayo to entertain us not because they have to but because they want to and are interested in performing for us. 

We want to celebrate Winky D in Bulawayo, enjoy Jah Prayzer in Bulawayo, revere Sandra Ndebele in her home turf without their presence being a constant reminder that Econet, Netone, Nyaradzo and other major companies picked them ahead of Bulawayo Artists because they have never heard or seen them and their Art. 

Don't worry about Harare your City and be worry of Harare the system that has crippled the Arts industry, we want to buy Zimbabwean music because we afford to not because we sympathise with their struggles 

 We have no desire to impose ourselves in your music shows, organized by Harare residents and companies. 

Give us our piece of the national cake. If claim to be national at least act like it. 

To the "GATE KEEPERS" thank you for holding the fort, you are always ridiculed and often times misunderstood but that comes with the game. 

Stop pitting us against our brothers and sisters in Harare because of the authorities' resistance to change.