I was listening to the radio the other day. I won’t mention the name of the station or the DJ behind the decks, but I was shocked to hear the song being played on that station.
It was called Ndiri Kumama Ini by Michael Muchemwa. You might call me conservative but I thought to myself: How rude?Is slackness back on our radio stations? I realised later after talking to the DJ and hearing his explanation that the song was titled Ndiri Kuma Mine.
In Zimbabwe, popular music with sexually suggestive or "dirty" lyrics is often referred to locally as "slackness".
This kind of music is most prevalent within the Zimdancehall and Sungura genres. Artistes frequently use heavy metaphors, wordplay, and double meanings to discuss adult themes. This practice is shocking to conservative listeners.
The phrase "Ndiri kuma mine" has become a popular meme and a central phrase in Zimbabwean Zimdancehall and TikTok culture.
It is often used in humorous Shona comedy clips, where it captures a local joke and the lively tone common to Zimbabwean TikTok creators.
The phrase can be used literally or as slang to imply being busy, in a toughspot, or in a situation that explains the speaker's state. The humorous context of the phrase resonates with viewers, making it a relatable and engaging part of the TikTok community.
The double talk implicated here is confusing and can be offensive to some people. I think this is what Michael Muchemwa had in mind He deliberately brought what some people call slackness back to music. It is a marketing strategy
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My attention to such music was brought about by Edmund Mtetwa one of Zimbabwe's leading cricketters and a music critic. He particularly pointed at Baba Harare's song Tsa Tsa Tsa which he views as vile and whose video should not be seen by children due its slackness.
There are several Zimdancehall and sungura songs with dirty lyrics prevalent in today’s music.
In the past, producers at Gramma and ZMC Records such as the late Tymon Mabaleka or Bothwell Nyamhondera would not tolerate such material. That is why we did not hear songs with dirty lyrics on our radio stations.
A few of the most prominent—and historically controversial—Shona songs that feature explicit or highly suggestive lyrics include:
Stonyeni by Jah Signal: This is one of the most famous examples of Zimdancehall "slackness," where the artist uses suggestive metaphors about intimate relations.
Munotidako by Jacob Moyana: A Sungura track that sparked massive debate across the country due to its catchy but heavily double-meaning chorus, which translates to a provocative sexual proposition.
Munodonhedza Musika by Seh Calaz/Boom Beto: This major hit features lyrics explicitly referring to a woman's physique and implicitly describes hip gyration in public domains. .
Magate by Seh Calaz ft. Enzo Ishall: A club and radio staple that focuses heavily on suggestive dances and physical attributes.
Chiita Kwacho by Enzo Ishall: Contains conversational, risqué lyrics and slang that shocked conservative listeners but dominated ghetto dance floors. And many more.
Because of the explicit or suggestive content, many of these tracks have faced pushback from the Censorship and Entertainment Control Unit, with some artistes even being fined.
In May, 2017, I wrote about Dancehall lyrics when I attended Jive Zimbabwe’s online music sales event at the Jameson Hotel.
This was hosted by The Jive Zimbabwe director, Benjamin Nyandoro who brought Soul Jah Love aka Soul Musaka (pictured) with him urging him to join this project.
Jah Love praised this project and stated that whatever money he makes from it, will be his pension. I then pulled Soul Jah Love to one side for a quick interview. He started off by calling me Chibabababa.
I was not surprised at this name-calling as he is the one who had been very innovative in Zimdancehall circles with words such as mboko, mabhanditi, pamamonya ipapo and makuruwani as part of his word file menu. I asked him about the vulgarity in some of his lyrics and he told me that he was merely imitating the everyday words they use in Mbare.
“We don’t even see such words as vulgar. It is normal language to the ghetto youths”.
He said he was not the only one with such lyrics.
Indeed, I later discovered that many Zimdancehall artistes use some lyrics or innuendos which are not easily acceptable to elders in this society.
Examples are in songs such as Kana Ndanyura by Killer T, Hombe by Blot, Pinda Mukati by Jerry B, Pombi by Freeman HKD, Bhurugwa by Poptain, Stonyeni by Jah Signal, Muchiround by Enzo Ishall and Zunza Mazakwatira from Legend Elly.
I asked if he thought Dancehall had brought about 'slackness', 'vulgarity', ‘drug-taking’ and 'obscene behaviour' among Zimbabwe’s youth. He said that all these things happen even if there is no music. ‘Vanongosticker’, he said.
I also asked Soul Jah Love about his musical influences. He told me that he watched a lot of Jamaican performances and tried to incorporate them into Zimdancehall. In 2017, he and his team were into watching and imitating the Jamaican daggering dance style. “It’s got nothing to do with daggers or knives,but it’s a new dance style”, he said.
Jamaica is the country where Dancehall was born. It has since spread its wings to reach countries like Zimbabwe where the Zim-Ghetto youths have labelled it Zimdancehall. In Zimbabwe this genre has almost toppled other genres as evidenced by its popularity on radio stations.
However, despite its popularity, dancehall is often viewed negatively by the society at large mainly due to its negative lyrics, lurid sexual promotion, drug use, violence and misogyny.
According to the Gleaner, a Jamaican newspaper, broadcasting regulators are trying to put a stop to it.
Jamaica's Broadcasting Commission is trying to put an end to ‘daggering’, a fad that is sweeping the country's dancehall and soca clubs. While the term suggests knife attacks, it is actually a sexy dance where fornication is simulated in relatively graphic movements – and, well…… the scene is like boy stands behind a semi-nude girl and pretends they are having sex while moving to the music... that's it.
Though an initial announcement explicitly targeted daggering and daggering-related songs such as Buoy Lick My Pussy and Girl I Want Your Punany, the latest ban is much broader.
Banished from the airwaves in Jamaica is "any recording, live song or music video that promotes and/or glorifies the use of guns or other offensive weapons; any recording, live song or music video which promotes or glorifies any offence against the person such as murder, rape, and mob violence or other offences such as arson.".
Music does influence behaviour, after all. Zimbabwe’s censorship board should take heed as our youths seem to emulate anything that comes from abroad and think that is cool.
Will ‘daggering’ ever reach Zimbabwe? My answer to this question is that it has already arrived.
In 2011, Zimbabweam promoter, Clint Robinson and his partners in C&A Entertainment brought into the country a well- known Jamaican dancehall artiste and ‘daggering’ activist, Mr Vegas, to perform in Zimbabwe. Those who attended the concert say that it was very exciting and that they learnt quite a few dancing tricks from Mr Vegas. Those dancing styles are still being practised here in Zimbabwe today.
“Gee it was so amazing! I learnt to do a few clarks dancing styles and also the Taliban dance from that man,” remarked Jennifer Daniels from Arcadia when I asked her about her experiences at the Mr Vegas show. Another interviewee, John Mabaya said that he did not enjoy the show because it was full of ‘dirty dancing’. “If the culture of throwing cans at the performers on stage was in existence then, I would have knocked Vegas over with beer cans. He was full of nasty dances. They were ghastly and dirty”, he elaborated.
A lot has changed in Jamaica regarding the broadcasting of music. Radio listeners in Jamaica have been forced to say goodbye to many of their favourite songs, thanks to a new ban on tunes that "promote" sex, violence, murder or arson. According to the ban announcement: "There shall not be transmitted through radio or television or cable services any audio recording, song or music video which expresses slackness” . the commission ruled.
Will the same happen in Zimbabwe?
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