Washington, DC — This charming, vivid poetic and revolutionary CD captures the threats that cut across globe and race. “I Have Got Issues” can be compared to the biblical book of Solomon “Lamentations” where Lucky Moyo decries the political situation in his native country Zimbabwe.
In this CD there are fourteen pieces addressing different issues. The first is a song dedicated to the praise of Zimbabwe. It calls upon Zimbabweans to think of their country whenever issues relating to great people, foreign aid, investment, and development are considered. To make the point clear to their listeners the singers repeated the meaning of the English message in the Shona language. Here the two languages of the colonizer and the colonized are brought together under one independent Zimbabwean musical roof. With a refrain urging listeners not to forget Zimbabwe, these artists kept the message alive throughout the song.
Singing in English, although to some extent similar to the West Indian reggae variety or to the Nigerian Fella Kuti revolutionary music of the 1980’s, these Zimbabwean performers talked about silent diplomacy and the negatively loud voice of the people who hate their country. Breaking into Shona, the musicians reiterated their messages in that language to get the point across. The second song, lamented the pains in the society and the injustices done to so many people. They blamed Pan Africanists who are silent in the face of all these atrocities. Because of this frustration with the reactions of people, they strongly admonished the world not to engage in silent diplomacy. Action is badly needed now.
Repatriation and going home at the essence of this third piece, he is badly disturbed by the state of things in his country and he desperately yearns for a home coming for all those in exile. This why the song will be remembered as evidence of musicians who are willing to use their skills to build the bridges of reconciliation between the exiles abroad and the rulers at home.
In the fourth piece, the singer reflected on the problems of the world. Dealing with the issues he had with the world, he spoke as one in a dream. Seemingly, he traveled to Australia, Asia, Europe and America. In each of these countries, he was interrogated about a variety of things. Because he had issues with things in the world, he felt that, although he held certain views, he did not have answers to all questions.
In the fifth piece he talked about the paroxysm of ethnic agitation, political propaganda, propagandist vituperation, and bigotry. Referencing many of the maladies inflicted upon the human family because of disasters and other crises, he used his musical tune to stress the painful question of immigration and the challenges they posed to peoples and countries especially from Africa. Using his guitar to emphasize here and there the points he sought to highlight, the lead musician in concert with his collaborators spoke about equality and justice and fair-play. Drawing upon his chorus he joined them in a loud voice demanding freedom as the universal quest of all people all over the world.
Changing subjects and centering on ecological consciousness, the singer focused in his sixth piece on the challenges facing us as we now struggled to address the hazards of eco-disaster. He reminded us that we may be able to recycle different things, but there are things that cannot be recycled. In the face of such realities, he urged us to respond creatively to our ecological challenges and make the necessary adjustments. There is only One World and we cannot lose it. It is therefore imperative for all of us to be ecological self-conscious. We must now think Green and act responsibly as beneficiaries of the world of the greens.
The seventh piece sang in Shona, gave a Zimbabwean music form very much patterned after Bob Marley style of presenting words and musical instruments in a self-assertive affirmation of confidence and resistance to what is faced and challenged. In this piece the entertainers sang in Shona and whatever messages went across in Shona was augmented by the English emphasis on “Step Down”
The eighth piece, which is a Zimbabwean echo of the American Rap in their variety of Zimbabwean English, bemoaned how his Rap is different from the stereotypical Rap associated with African American musicians. Here he seemed to be saying that Rap could be cleaner and saner if certain things are expunged from the lyrics. To these musicians their Rap does not have to rhyme, does not have to imitate the degrading excesses of the American Rap. Their Rap is designed to tell the truth and to tell the truth with the message of liberation. It is significant to note here that in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe, such musicians have been able to convey system-challenging messages without falling into the ugly Rap of the so-called Gangster Rap of the U.S. This would make sense if we look at the fact that Mugabe and his supporters would not welcome any such negative Rap.
The granting of absolute powers to political leaders is his ninth piece. They confronted the Zimbabwean condition and bemoaned the excesses as well as the political darkness in the other areas where tyranny rules. They dwelt heavily on the politics of fear in the Zimbabwe and the United States where the Patriotic Act not only gives much power to the President but it makes life fearful and dangerous to musicians and journalists.
The tenth piece deals with the whole question of the black struggle for freedom and justice. They sang about the days when blacks fought to regain their dignity and the self-image in the face of racism, colonialism and imperialism. They lauded those who stood up and met all the difficulties on the path to freedom and justice.
The eleventh elevates the struggle to the mountain metaphor. Arguing that the black struggle for liberation is greater than any mountain, it encourages the listening blacks to confront their challenges in this light. Urging black freedom fighters to recognize that their struggle is deeper than the oceans and therefore must persist and be the best strugglers and swimmers in these difficult waters of life.
The twelfth piece, which is political commentary about the hypocrisy and deception in the politics of the country, spoke of the “Emperor” be naked. He criticized those people who speak about democracy but lead lives that are the mirror opposites of what they claimed to be advocating and defending. He warns his listeners about the dangers awaiting the system challengers. You could be set up here or drag from your safe home into the clutches of the police brutality and security forces. Singing in his local English a la Bob Marley, he called upon the Mugabe government to step them and allow all the Zimbabweans in exile to return home.
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The thirteenth piece called “Reconciliation Time,” tells of the agonies he went through and the urgent need for negotiation and reconciliation. He cried about the negative consequences of war and yearned for better days.
The fourteenth piece which brings the whole CD to a close here again, Mr. Ngwana lambasted the ruling party under Mugabe and asked that he steps down and give back power to the people
This CD is a powerful, political musical product and those who buy it are bound to be moved by the political, ecological and protest songs that add to the growing list of musical art forms of the Zimbabwean and African struggles for freedom. Not only are the artists committed to their country but also recognized the role and place of music in the preservation of life and the entertainment of the human spirit. This Zimbabwean contribution is a treat for the politically minded and a collection of beautiful songs for those feel in music the joys of life.
The CD and information on the artist can be found at http://www.luckymoyo.com
Eucharia Mbachu, originally from Nigeria, was a journalist with The Emirate News in United Arab Emirates. She currently resides in the United States where she teaches and writes feature articles.
