Lessons from Ishall’s musical journey

By The Standard | Jan. 26, 2020

Following the nominatons for the Zimbabwe Music Awards (Zima) 2020, the category for Best Male Artiste of the Year had five nominees, namely Takura, Asaph, Ti Gonzi, Isham and Freeman. I wondered what happened to Enzo Ishall who seemed to ride on the crest of success last year. He was only nominated under the Best Genre category alongside Nutty O, Bazooka, Freeman and Ndunge Yut.

in the groove:with Fred Zindi

Last year was undoubtedly a very good year for Zimdancehall chanter Enzo Ishall. It is the year in which he won the outstanding song gong at the National Arts Merit Awards ceremony for his 2018 hit titled Kanjiva. In the same year, he came up with numerous tunes which all became hits. These include Smart Inotangira Kutsoka, 50 Magate, Matsimba, Chiita Kwacho, Ndarasa Mbanje, Bhiza Rinoda Mutasvi, Hausi Muroyi and Muchiround. This was followed by overseas tours of Australia and the United Kingdom.

As we look at the highlights from his life and career so far, Enzo closed 2019 on a very high note.

However, as often happens in the music business, with the success he had achieved in 2018 and 2019, the young artiste started to spoil it by riding roughshod over the advice he was getting from experienced artistes and others. He moved from one management to another. He left Chillspot for controversial cleric Passion Panganayi Java and has since moved from him to Teemak Management. Java has resorted to suing Enzo for breach of contract. As Seh Calaz put it: “Enzo must create his own brand and stop being signed season after season everywhere as if he is a soccer player.”

It looks like Enzo needs serious counselling. First of all, there was talk about him and his wife splitting up as a result of the video he produced on 50 Magate. Then there was the incident in Sunningdale where he was attacked by a gang of five men who posed as his fans, but were eventually exposed as his rivals. Then it is also alleged that the songs Kumisa Ngoro and Highest Score recorded after his deal with Java were banned from airplay by the Censorship Entertainment and Control Unit because they had vulgar and satanic lyrics. What message is he sending when he writes songs like Bhiza Rinoda Mutasvi? Marshall Shonhai, who is well-known in social circles, an event planner, speaker and author of several books including The Evolution of African Marriages, puts it succintly and publicly on his WhatsApp and Facebook platforms to Enzo Ishall, and I quote: Open letter to The Stallion Enzo Ishall

Dear Enzo I hope I find you well and trust you have started this year of our Lord 2020 very well. You have been on my mind for a while now and I have decided to pen this letter to you. I could have put it in your inbox, but decided to write it openly so that all of us can draw some useful lessons from how I have personally interpreted some of the key events in your musical journey in the just-ended year.

The year 2019 will go down as one difficult year for us Zimbabweans but I would like to believe for you as Enzo Ishall, the artiste, 2019 has to have been a very forgettable year.

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Having closed 2018 on a very high note with your hit song Kanjiva becoming the ZBC TV Coca-Cola video of the year, coupled with the same song winning you a Nama for song of the year at the beginning of 2019, a year that started so well for you coupled with the potential you have, a lot was expected of the Stallion.

Then the wheels started coming off! First, it was the news that you had been “bought” by self-styled controversial prophet, one Panganayi Java, known as Passion Java, for R200 000 from Chillspot Records. A lot of people cried foul because it was obviously not a music business move. The news trended for all the wrong reasons and for all that noise, the arrangement culminated in the release of the very weird song and video Highest Score. It spooked many because it was way outside what you have become known for. The song divided opinion, with some loving the “dark art” with many others dismissing it as Satanic.

You were forced to apologise for the song and I remember you posting on your social media “sorry kwacho”. A huge climbdown I thought at the time.

The second case is the most recent Ngoro debacle, a song which has courted the ire of many Zimbabweans with the censorship board having to step in and write to all radio stations censoring the song.

Ngoro, to be honest, is for me your lowest and should serve as a warning sign.

These two events are a good learning place for all of us. Any new artiste that wants to learn, pay attention.

I will give an example, In my short involvement with our country’s politics, I have learnt a few valuable lessons. One of them is on political currency: If you don’t know it’s worth or value someone else is going to spend it for you.

The currency I’m talking about here is simply your marketability or your influence. If you don’t know how to use it, someone will gladly use it for you. There are people out there who I call currency vultures, they are always on the lookout for who is trending so that they can ride on their back. It usually happens with those that are on their way out, they try to ride on the back of the new rising talent to give them relevance. I pray that I find the courage to tell about this one young comedian I love so much to watch how his currency is being spent for him to revive a dying brand.

So, you need to be wise. At the end of 2018, you were the most happening artiste same way Ti Gonz was trending in 2019. One thing you must know is that, because you’re trending, everyone wants a piece of you.

That is what happened with Panganayi, he came and bought your currency and used it to push his own brand. Out of that arrangement, he benefited more than you did. Yes, you might have earned a few more dollars, but value-wise you lost out.

It is the same with collaborating with anyone on a song; What value is the collaboration giving for your own brand? The main reason for partnering with anyone is so that their following crosses over to you, without the collabo that following might have never given you a chance.

Then there is Rachel J who declared that music is her hobby. Is music a hobby for you or it’s serious business? Again, you let her spend your currency whilst you alienated yourself from us your fans.

Those lessons are not for you alone to learn, but for us all.

We should never allow others to spend our currency for us. There has to be something for us, always.

Is your situation redeemable? Yes! Very much so. I believe so because you did reach the top before and it’s something I think you can still achieve again only if you start making musical decisions. One of those decisions is getting out of whatever arrangement you have with Passion, it’s not good for you.

In 2020 I am hoping that you have a better year and rediscover yourself. We want our stallion back! Turoooooo! Ndakanda changu chirauro.”

Indeed in the year 2019, Enzo’s fan base had grown substantially. Some people were beginning to compare him with the likes of Winky D, but in my view he has still got a lot to learn from the Gaffa. The Gaffa has been in the business longer than Enzo and has remained stoic, ethical and scandal-free over the years.

Because Winky D remains mysterious, social media is found making up stories on him. People try to create scandals about him. False stories such as Winky D being accused of rape were circulating on social media and they were not substantiated just like the unsubstantiated story that Ijipita is a political song which will incite the masses to rise against the government.

For Enzo, I wish there was no truth to some of the stories about him as these tend to tarnish his image and subsequently ruin his career.

My advice to Enzo is that he should be aware that nothing lasts forever and he should start planning for the future now. I am told he has seven A’ Level points in three subject areas. Perhaps he should enrol for a university degree which may lead him to a different career.

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