| CHAPTER ONE | | | | However urban grooves is not a Zimbabwean |
| 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND | | | | phenomenon. From Zimbabwe to Zambia, Malawi and |
| In Zimbabwe music has always held a special place | | | | Tanzania, the urban contemporary music is now the |
| among the people. Zimbabwean music is always | | | | in-thing and the most talked about genre with most |
| intertwined with the country’s political history. | | | | of it being played on African radio stations. One can |
| During the war of liberation, Zimbabwe African | | | | now enjoy music sung in isiNdebele, KiSwahili or |
| National Union (ZANU) launched its own private radio | | | | Bemba even if these are foreign languages.(The |
| station called Voice of Zimbabwe, which broadcasted | | | | Herald :7 feb 2004) .In urban grooves music, local |
| from Maputo, Mozambique. The party’s choirs | | | | beats are fused with R&B, soul, soul, reggae and |
| used to sing militant songs, which were, broadcasted | | | | hip-hop to come out with a different blend. This new |
| on the station as a moral-booster for the guerilla | | | | wave seems to have a contagious effect and is still |
| fighters and their peasant supporters. Music became | | | | spreading all over Africa. In Tanzania it is known as |
| part of the liberation war strategy2. Even after | | | | Bongo Flavour. (The Herald 7 Feb 2004). When the |
| independence in 1980 many of the choirs continued | | | | government of Zimbabwe introduced the |
| to sing and record many political songs like | | | | seventy-five percent local content, the aim was to |
| Zvinozibwa ne Zanu and Taireva by the ZANU Choir. | | | | produce something which is African and home-grown. |
| Other musicians of the liberation struggle era include | | | | While urban grooves music is home-grown, yet |
| the likes of Thomas Mapfumo whose fame rose | | | | effects of globalization on their music take center |
| around 1967. Mapfumo blended traditional Shona | | | | stage with some claiming that they lack Zimbabwean |
| mbira music with Western instruments and a political | | | | identity. With the rise of the urban grooves music |
| message with traditional metaphors. During the 1960s | | | | genre, some traditional recording companies were not |
| he used to sing very militant political songs, which | | | | keen to sign them because they lacked experience in |
| were very popular among the people fighting for | | | | music production, hence the poor quality of their |
| independence. According to Turino (2000:174), | | | | music. (The Sunday Mail:8 May 2004) In 2001 Elliot |
| “..Some of the music was used to generate an | | | | Manyika, the then Minister of Youth, Development |
| emotional force which nationalism required”. This | | | | and Employment Creation recorded an album Mwana |
| formed the basis for nationalist discourse. | | | | wevhu (Son of the Soil) with the praise song Nora |
| When a musical fad called urban grooves hit the | | | | that praised President Robert Mugabe. The |
| Zimbabwean market following the introduction of the | | | | government started releasing a series of campaign |
| 75 percent local policy on broadcasting in 2001, a | | | | jingles like, “Chave Chimurenga, Ramba |
| number of critics whined and sentenced them to | | | | Wakashinga, and Sendekera mwana wevhu” |
| death. They were accused of being copycats of | | | | among others, but all meant to promote government |
| American musicians especially hip hop musicians. | | | | policies. |
| Though they use indigenous languages in their music, | | | | In replacing the ‘banned’ songs with its own |
| they are still branded as being unoriginal. Many urban | | | | commissioned music, the government wanted to kill |
| grooves musicians have produced soul-lifting and | | | | two birds with one stone, that is killing protest music |
| enjoyable music which is popular among the youth . | | | | and making sure the rebellious musicians’ music is |
| The youth of today have a burning passion for a | | | | not bought thereby forcing them into submission.This |
| career in music, especially when they see musicians | | | | caused many ordinary people to shun national radio |
| of their age gracing important occasions and | | | | and television with attention swayed to international |
| childhood friends making headlines for their stage | | | | music using satellites especially in urban areas. Some |
| perfomances and celebrity lifestyles. This has led | | | | people felt there was too much propaganda in |
| many to try their luck in the music business when | | | | national broadcasting content5. In 2005, an |
| they realize the attention their peers attract in the | | | | international website promoting the rights of |
| streets and wish they could be the toast of their | | | | musicians had this to say on the broadcasting |
| fans3. However in some cases passion has taken | | | | content policy of the government: |
| precedence over talent because some of them are | | | | “Zimbabwe, suffering under sanctions, shut out |
| pushed by the desire to be heard and seen when | | | | from the international community, responding to its |
| they lack talent and seriousness. In the end, they end | | | | own deep resonance of its own sounds, seeing plots |
| up imitating American musicians in order to gain | | | | and conspiracies all around it…. |
| recognition. (The Herald: 15 feb 2004) | | | | |