Chillspot Records and legendary Midlands-based outfit Zig Zag Band are headed for a legal dispute over alleged copyright infringement linked to the recently released Chigiyo Riddim project.
Investigations indicate that Chillspot Records could face at least 21 counts related to the claims raised by Zig Zag Band.
Chillspot Records is one of Zimbabwe’s leading contemporary music labels, while Zig Zag Band is widely regarded as one of the country’s oldest and most influential musical groups, celebrated for its rich catalogue that has enjoyed international airplay.
Speaking in an interview, Chillspot Records senior associate Caleb Tareka, popularly known as Ras Caleb, said the Chigiyo Riddim project was intended to celebrate the band’s contribution to Zimbabwe’s music industry.
“We did Chigiyo Riddim (2026) with the desire to preserve the long-standing legacy established by Zig Zag Band,” said Ras Caleb.
He said the project was inspired by existing research and documentation on Zimbabwean music history, including work done by music scholar and producer Clive Mono Mukundu.
“Mono has done a documentary related to the matter, and during our research we found it important to our project,” he said.
“We always conduct research before undertaking any project. I also had discussions with Gilbert Zvamaida, where I shared our interest in using part of the song in good faith, with the hope of preserving their legacy in our own small way.”
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Despite the explanation, Zig Zag Band alleges that Chillspot Records extracted and used the instrumental from the song Do Not Look Back from the 1992 album Mudzimu Mukuru without consent.
In official statements, Zig Zag Band said Chillspot Records went on to record, produce, and publish the project without the band’s approval.
The controversy has also drawn attention to Mukundu, whose documentary Zig Zag Band and Their Chigiyo Sound is now under scrutiny over claims that it contained unverified information.
In the documentary, Mukundu describes “Chigiyo” as a uniquely Zimbabwean sub-genre that blends mbira guitar elements with Jamaican reggae influences, pioneered by Zig Zag Band.
Mukundu said his information came from Gilbert Zvamaida, the band’s only surviving founding member, who is now based in the United States.
However, earlier accounts described “Chigiyo” as the band’s identity and brand rather than a standalone music genre.
The dispute has reignited debate over copyright protection in Zimbabwe’s music industry, where artists have often complained about unauthorised use of creative works.
Mukundu is also on record in the documentary discussing his Monolio Re-Bik Sessions project launched in 2022, where he used artificial intelligence to isolate vocals from classic Zimbabwean songs before adding new instrumentation and production.
“The name Chigiyo is derived from a dance from Chimanimani,” sources close to the matter said.
The dispute has already influenced other musicians, with Gweru-based group Mighty Hands, led by Phillip Chinembiri, abandoning the “Chigiyo” tag and renaming their sound “Chigande” out of respect for Zig Zag Band’s legacy.
Meanwhile, Zig Zag Band is also reportedly involved in another pending copyright dispute with Joyful Praise Choir over the alleged unauthorised use of part of the song Gomo Ramasare released three decades ago.
