“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“You will never be able to escape from your heart. So it's better to listen to what it has to say.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“Why do we have to listen to our hearts?" the boy asked. "Because, wherever your heart is, that is where you will find your treasure.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“I don’t live in either my past or my future. I’m interested only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man. Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living now.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist “When each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

The Voices Behind Music Part 2

'Sometimes pain renders you speechless' (unknown)



Our birth right, our culture, has been stolen and molded by our unrighteous need to fit in, to please, to conform. Our voices that once stood for truth, spoke of the struggle, the love and the hate now only speak of chains and bottles. Meaningless artifacts made up of broken homes and tarnished hearts. Mumble rap! Once were music was the heart, our pride, our joy and even our struggle, Now with every tune, new words, we've truly grown immune to the crippling damage our silence and more than that our pretense of normality has on a society that has brought death upon itself, since the beginning of time. Switch on the news and you see that the battle is ongoing, there's no sign of peace, and there's truly no sign of hope, With bullet holes bought from social media and social fame bought with soul freedom, we are young people fighting wars with our words born within the thin veiled need to follow trends and become the next great artist, made famous simply by being alive, we've forgotten that music is our voice, our culture and if we do not speak to the next generation about the truth, the hard work required to stay alive then we are being silent killers of the culture that raised us.

Hip-Hop isn't just music; it is also a spiritual movement of the blacks! You can't just call Hip-Hop a trend! (Lauren Hill)

Hip-hop is the streets. Hip-hop is a couple of elements that it comes from back in the days... that feel of music with urgency that speaks to you. It speaks to your livelihood and it's not compromised. It's blunt. It's raw, straight off the street - from the beat to the voice to the words. (Nas)

Hip-hop reflects the truth, and the problem is that hip-hop exposes a lot of the negative truth that society tries to conceal. It's a platform where we could offer information, but it's also an escape. (Busta Rhymes)

I don't dislike rappers or hip-hop or people who like it. I went to the Def Jam tour in Manchester in the '80s when rap was inspirational. Public Enemy were awesome. But it's all about status and bling now, and it doesn't say anything to me. (Noel Gallagher)

Music has always been an integral part of human culture and youth consume more music that any other modern age category. Thus music may be considered a primary cultural influence in the lives of youth. Hip Hop/Rap music is amongst the most popular genres of music consumed by adolescents in Africa and throughout the world. So my challenge to you as an artist is this, what is your music teaching our future generations? What voice or spirit are you putting out into the world?



Mushando by Kaotic ft Mussa Effect is a great example of a song that still speaks to our voice as people, as Zimbabwe and as a culture.

This is said in the intro of the song, ‘It's something that is so close to my heart, seeing my people fly. So I feel like, if, I wanna see you fly, I gotta give you a reason to fly’

He goes on to talk about ‘Victory from oppression was always the pushing factor
When they push you to the limit don't you let them push you further
They were sleeping on your intellectual ability to influence this mass meeting
Coz you never stopped believing in this generation
Black and proud I embrace it with greatness’

This is definitely one song I would recommend that you have a listen to at least once.

If you missed the voices behind music part 1 find it here

What are some of the other songs that you know that speak of this struggle?

And what’s your take on the new generation, struggling or lazy? And what do you think can be done to build our nation and make the dream a reality?

Send your music links via email if you believe that you have a unique voice that deserves to be heard and stand a chance to be featured: a.marufu52@gmail.com

“This is what we call love. When you are loved, you can do anything in creation. When you are loved, there's no need at all to understand what's happening, because everything happens within you.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist “So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

My Top 3 Creative Picks

My Top 3 Creative Picks

So if you’re like me you might be over all the hip-hop videos that only feature some house party, drinking and more often than not a couple of girls twerking. So here is my list of favorite videos from 2017 that not only disregarded the status quo but had some creativity thrown into the script.

1. Feel Right, Mik ft Yung Zee

As not only my favorite jam of 2017, being that one song you have to play more than once and a couple hundred times after that. Feel Right is that feel good, hip hop/ rnb song that might just have you calling your ex. The song off the A Book About Girls by Mik Manjengwa album uses the concept of social media throughout the video. Although still featuring a number of very beautiful ladies, from the lyrics to the execution of the video itself, this is a true testament that hip hop in itself is not dead but is instead on the up and up.



2. Turn Me Up, Mussa Effect ft Calvin

Okay so if you believe in voodoo and maybe just maybe going a little crazy this song is for you. Turn Me Up as self-proclaimed by the artist as something he worked on whilst trying to find his voice, shows you a simple glimpse into what it means to be Effected. This video featuring a number of artists from Buhle, Mik and many more shows what you can come up with when you let your mind wander and let your creativity be your guide. Mussa believes in letting music be your truth and this is one of those videos that leave you questioning just what exactly the truth is.



3. Beautiful Ndozvandiri - Tamy Feat. Takura & Dobba Don
If you’ve watched Black Panther, this song that seems to be taken right out of the movie's script not only talks about embracing natural beauty which is message the world is fighting to spread but shows us an Africa that many of us have long since forgotten. Tamy who looks as ravishing as Danai Gurira in the super heroe movie in this video, shows us that Africa truly is beauty and music isn’t all about selling more drinks and firing up the party but also showing us an expression of beauty and creativity.



What are some of your favourite local videos that have been released in the past year?

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” “The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.” “The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist “When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“At some point, you just pull off the Band-Aid, and it hurts, but then it's over and you're relieved.” ― John Green, Looking for Alaska

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” Money Mayweather

How To Make Money From The Music Industry In Zimbabwe



So you think you’ve got talent and you want to become an artist?


Check out these articles on: The Music Industry Facts Every Musician Needs to Know, Important tips to become a successful-rapper, top 10 keys to success for independent artists.


Okay so now that we have covered the industry basics, how do you actually make money in the music industry especially in the Zimbabwean Music Industry? Well beyond finding a great producer and recording that catchy tune, we all are bound to get tired of hearing; remember Mukoko, anyone?

The first step to making money is forgetting about luck, unless you are willing to wait a few hundred years, luck is not going to get you rich but becoming conscious of how and where you use your money will. If money comes in from one project or aspect of the industry, then keep it and invest it into another aspect. There are a lot of moving parts in music so creating a budget is essential especially to cover marketing and promotional needs but I will cover that in another post. For now let’s talk about where money actually comes from for an Artist.

Here are some of the ways to make money in the music industry;


1) Live Performance
This is usually the most immediate and easiest way to start earning money through the music industry. Why? People will always love to go out and have a good time, no matter how bad the economy. So how do you start performing? The first step can be acquiring a booking agent (if you are still starting out this is one of those jobs you will have to do yourself) but Zimbabwe at the moment has a number of festivals that will pay performers, from monthly events like Unplugged (Sign Up Here), Festivals like Hifa, Let Them and Shoko and even the Carnival. The most important job here is to keep networking and find out what is happening where and when so you can get those applications in before the deadline.


Another way is to simply do it yourself, get a venue, plan around a theme, market the hell out of it and start earning money through ticket sells, donations, maybe even a percentage from the bar just remember the budget and all the costs involved in running an event.


Also become a session musician, play other peoples music at weddings and corporate events. This is a great way to make money before you can money through your own music.

Because Performing makes up about 68% of all revenue in the industry at the moment, it is important that you fine-tune your performance skills and create a performance that is simply unforgettable so people will come to the next one.


2) Digital and Physical
We all know there are hundreds of streaming sites out there but now the internet has made it easier than ever to distribute through these networks with sites like Songtradr and DittoMusic you are able to earn through the same streaming services being used by international Artists but for those of us who need someone to do it for us a local company Njuzu Music has made online distribution easy for you. Not to forget physical CDs, yes a lot of people still buy these so do not completely overlook them especially when you are heading to all those live performances and keep a few on you when you are networking too, Take a few mixes to the kombies in the city too. Now the most important part of being in this day and age is to get creative, let’s not forget when Jnr Brown made $5 000 dollars in one week through Whatsapp sales.


3) Royalties
So royalties are a nifty little way to say this is your music we are playing and here is your payment for letting us play it. Companies, Cooperates, Radio Stations, and Festivals etc are covered under trade associations and are required to acquire rights to play this music.


a) Performing Rights: the rights to perform music in public and is part of copyright law. The users of the musical works have to, by law, pay the creators of those musical works for the public use of their music.

b) ‘Mechanical Rights’ is a fancy name for the royalties that composers, lyrists and music publishers earn when their music is copied and transformed into things like cassettes, CDs, DVDs, MP3s – even ringtones – for public use. In other words when it is reproduced by a device or machine.

c) Needletime Rights royalties make sure performers and recording artists get paid when their music is played in public or on the radio.


How do you begin to receive royalties for your music sign up to one of these music associations, Zimura, Samro, Risa


4) Endorsements and Sponsorship

Ever wondered how Lil Wayne gets to wear a brand new label in each video or displaying a new car and pouring that Hennessey all without actually getting broke. Well here is an industry secret; they don’t actually buy all those things. IT’S CALLED ACTING. The amazing thing about being an artist is you become an influencer, you wear Vans and suddenly people need to wear Vans, you sing mumble rap and suddenly every eloquent English speaker in the world stops speaking plain English.


So let’s come a bit closer to home how do you get local companies to endorse you, first become a marketable brand, which I will cover in the next blog post and second knock on every door but go knocking with a proposal. Don’t go over there with a problem you need them to fix, go there with a solution. Hi, my name is (Insert name that isn’t thuggy, booty or titty, 2 chains learned that lesson the hard way) and I have a following of about 5 000 youths who are engaged In what I do and I am a fan of your brand would like to help market it. This sounds a lot better than, “Hi, I am an artist and I need clothes to wear for a video or an event.” This pitch sounds even better coming from a manager or a brand representative


Also, keep in mind the bigger your brand, the more endorsements you will get as companies and Cooperates will pay to have your name associated with theirs and eventually you will even get paid for appearances. Jah Prayzah and Winky D are a great example of this.


5) Merchandising

Whilst companies will pay you to sell their brands, you could go the root of paying yourself to sell your own clothes. With hundreds of designers in and around the industry now there are more opportunities than ever to sell your own Merch. These are some of the stuff you can sell at concerts or during events like Harare Market Place.
Merch can include t-shirts, caps, hoodies, cups, pens, pencils, shoes. Go a step further and create your own brand of perfume or maybe a cool new haircut. Merchandising can not only make you loads of money but it will also act as its own marketing tool.

6) Fan/Crowd funding
Never underestimate how much a fan is willing to do for their favourite artists. So always remember to come up with new and creative ways to get your fans involved in the process and turn those 1 000 likes into $1 000. Like selling your song for a dollar through eco cahs, or getting you fans to fund that live concert you are live streaming straight from your living room.

Nothing is possible without a lot of hard work but that said making money in the industry is possible as long as you formulate the write plan. Click here to download a sample artist business plan.