Bulldoze your way to the top: Mpofu

Gifted as a disc jockey, music producer, promoter and choreographer, Mpofu is out to make sure Zimbabwean artists get recognition and respect from both their regional and international peers.

“I am worried by the backwardness of our arts industry and I would like to help turn it around,” said Mpofu. “In most parts of Zimbabwe, SA artists are held in awe at the expense of our own, who do not get the same recognition in South Africa. Even our national radio stations play more South African music than our own, and their soap operas dominate our lives. In SA, you hardly ever hear a Zimbabwean song being played on radio.”

In just a few years Shaba has propelled House-Kwasa artist and dancehall queen Vivian Nomakanjani to one of the most sought-after entertainers in both Zimbabwe and South Africa.

“Vivian has been well-received throughout Zimbabwe and some parts of Johannesburg. That to me is a good starting point and if more than 10 of our artists get introduced and welcomed to regional countries every year, I will be even happier,” he said.

Through Bag Entertainment, which he co-owns with two fellow Zimbabweans, Mpofu has launched rhumba ensemble France Moyo and the Lion Stars into entertainment orbit. He is also involved in highly-acclaimed dance group Jestars and Nomakanjani, who have been hired to perform at various shows.

Jestars have already tested the waters against South Africans, featuring in a number of dance competitions in Johannesburg. “I am the main choreographer and manager of the dancers, who have been hired to work with a number of popular rhumba musicians like Madalaboy and Allen Ndoda to spice up their shows. Bringing respectability to shows by including professionally-trained dancers will stimulate interest in their acts and bring more people to watch them,” he said.

The process has not been without challenges. “There are still some Zimbabweans who do not want to be associated with their own and speak ill of our artists. This is so particularly when it comes to rhumba, which most people look down upon. Yet it is our own brand of music, which we must take pride in and help market,” said the Tsholotsho-born star.

“At one of our shows with the Lion Stars, we were robbed at gunpoint by our own in Thembisa, Ekurhuleni and that shows the disrespect we sometimes get from our own people.

“Lack of knowledge on how and where to market oneself has been one of the biggest challenges. Some artists go around claiming that Zimbabwean radio stations do not want to play them, yet they have never sent their music there. There are also others who have not even registered their acts and cannot therefore get royalties and that is what we are trying to correct,” said the 25-year-old, whose broadcasting job at internet-based Radio Mthwakazi FM has also extended airplay to more artists.

“Some of our artists are too greedy to hire professionals to prepare the stage for them, market and even manage them and that has impeded their progress. Artists need to know that they cannot be everything at once. Musicians should concentrate on making music and let those who are business-minded deal with the business side.”

Another drawback has been lack of quality productions, as artists rush to the cheapest studio where quality is usually compromised, while those who spend most of their time dancing on the streets in the name of promotions are diminishing their own dignity and killing their future.

“People will not pay to watch what they have become accustomed to seeing for free and we are trying to educate our musicians that if you sell yourself cheap, you will be bought at an even lower price. People will not take you seriously if you are not taking yourself seriously.

“Life is what you make it and the fact that you were not born with a silver spoon in your mouth does not mean you should die poor. You will get the best through bulldozing your way to the top.”