Baba Harare has returned to his Jiti roots, abandoning the gospel path he had pursued for the past year.
The musician, who a year ago stunned fans by announcing his decision to leave secular music for gospel, revealed the "disrespect" and exploitation he faced within the gospel industry. He accused some church event organisers of refusing to pay artists after performances.
In a Facebook post, Baba Harare, who had rebranded himself as King David during his gospel stint, said many promoters expect gospel musicians to perform for free, arguing that "payment shouldn't matter because it's for the Kingdom."
"I've been blessed to experience both worlds - the secular stage and the gospel stage. From a ministerial perspective, gospel concerts are powerful. They spread the Word, they win souls, and they glorify God. But from a business perspective, it's a different story.
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"Often, people hide under the idea that because you're ministering for the Kingdom, payment 'shouldn't matter.' But let's be honest: I am not only a Christian, I am also a human being and an artist. This is my work, my livelihood, and I need to survive beyond the stage," wrote Baba Harare.
He warned upcoming musicians not to rely solely on gospel shows, citing widespread exploitation.
"I would not advise any upcoming artist to rely exclusively on gospel shows. Too many times I've been booked to minister at church events and conferences, only to struggle afterwards to recover even my basic expenses.
"Shame on those who exploit others in the name of Christ. Let's do better as a community."
The musician also shared a flyer from a recent gospel event where, after performing, he was "met with rudeness" when he followed up on a promised payment.
"Let me give you a recent example. On Friday, I went to minister at a church (see flyer attached). I didn't charge them a performance fee. All I asked for was a token of $200 to cover my fuel and expenses. Instead of being met with understanding, I was met with rudeness. Suddenly, I was no longer a 'brother in Christ,' but mocked and called a 'comrade' (screenshot attached).
"This is not Kingdom behaviour. This is not how we build each other. And it's one of the reasons the gospel industry struggles to move forward, lack of respect, lack of accountability, and non-payment of artists.
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"I'm not posting this to attack anyone, but to spark a real conversation. We don't talk about this enough. If you're a promoter, a church, or an organiser, please do better. Honour your word. Respect the artist. Support the ministry in every sense," said Baba Harare.
