MUTARE - Black market operators who illegally mass reproduce CDs have now stopped reproducing Tongai Moyos latest release, Toita Basa (doing the job,) for resale, preferring Alick Machesos Zvinoda Kutendwa (thanksgiving) after the former album proved unpopular. The battle for supremacy between Dehwa and Macheso led the two albums, which were released simultaneously, to be closely scrutinised by music fans and analysts. Illegal CD merchandisers operating in the city at Moto Moto, Crown Mall, Cecil Chambers, Belmont and Murrays Buildings are fully stocked with pirated copies of Zvinoda Kutendwa, but have few copies of Toita Basa.
Illegal CD merchandisers said they were forced to stop mass reproducing the album as very few customers were showing interest, despite it being sold for as little as US$1. Toita Basa is just not selling. The (pirate) copy is going for as little as US$1 but very few people are buying it. The album is just bad for our business and we have since stopped (illegally) mass reproducing it, said an unscrupulous CD dealer who operates at Cecil Chambers.
Another illegal CD dealer, who owns a shabby shop at Moto Moto, said, I burnt (illegally copied) 20 albums of Dehwas latest release (Toita Basa) but only two were bought. Album raMacheso ndiro riri kudya basa riri kubhadhara big time (Machesos new album is on high demand, its selling like hot cakes).
Music analysts said though the two musicians would garner mileage for being at the centre of the sungura battle once again, it was unfortunate that they were failing to reap financial rewards due to rampant music piracy. Zvinoda Kutendwa was leaked prior to its official release, and despite being encrypted, pirated copies of Toita Basa still find their way onto the parallel market.
The Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura), which is supposed to curb music piracy in the country, has failed to stop the cancer that continues to affect the local music industry.
Post published in: Uncategorized