Sniper
Plot Mhako
The Jah Cure concert held in Harare at the weekend was yet another successful 2 Kings Entertainment show, but questions have arisen over how much local artists who supported the show were paid after dancehall artist, Sniper Storm, refused to perform for the $50 he was offered.
The $50 was the cost of two VIP tickets for the show which was attended by about 6 000 people.
In a recorded and leaked telephone conversation between the artist and a 2Kings official identified as Vee Jay, Sniper is heard following up on his engagement for the show as one of the supporting acts.
Vee Jay advises Sniper that they do not have enough money to pay him and they can only offer $50 for him and his DJ instead of having his full band. This draws bemused laughter from Sniper who retorts that the amount is a mockery and he can only get onto the stage for $800 or something close to that amount.
Sniper’s manager, Chido Musasiwa did not hide her disappointment saying: “I don’t think that an artist with a track record like Sniper should be offered such an amount, nor should any artiste be offered a performance fee of that nature.”
“When I heard this recording, I was horrified, angry and disgusted that as a people we can make such offers for such a big show. Sniper has invested 15 years into this industry and gives solid performances. He has just released an 8th album and surely, a $50 offer is a complete disregard to his industry contribution,” Musasiwa said.
She said Sniper had passed the stage of performing for peanuts.
“Sniper is beyond wanting to perform for the sake of sharing stages with big names. It’s his livelihood without which he can’t survive.”
Musasiwa said she hoped other promoters would not shun her artiste for speaking out hoping that it can be a lesson for people to respect each other at all times.
“Promoters at times do not have a budget for more artists and they should just tell artists that ‘you’re not part of our plans for this gig, however we’ll consider you possibly for future events’.”
A number of performing artists, who refused to be named for fear of retribution from promoters, castigated such treatment of local artists who are often treated as second rate performers whenever a foreign artist comes into the country.
An attempt to get a comment from 2 Kings Entertainment was futile as Dee Nosh, the CEO of the company, referred questions to Vee Jay who remained mum on the matter.
Tich Muradzi, the proprietor behind 2 Kings also did not respond when we sought his comment.
Sniper, the Love yeMusoja hit-maker, is credited as one of the pioneers of the ZimDancehall movement from the then Urban Grooves era. He has many hit songs and recently released a new album titled ‘Shoot’ whose candid tracks resonate with the recent development and treatment of artists.
In 2010 Winky D refused to perform at the Capleton concert and preferred to perform at another event in Shamva over what was believed to be a dispute over contractual fees with Red Rose entertainment. A year before, the Ninja president had snubbed another show headlined by a Jamaican outfit TOK. Despite being labelled hot headed, the artist’s shrewd business ethics have seen him keep his earnings at a significant level, and his manager – Jonathan Banda winning Manager of the Year award at the ZimDancehall Awards for three consecutive years.
The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) has made it mandatory for promoters bringing in foreign acts to include at least three local artists in the line up as a way of promoting the local arts sector.
2 Kings Entertainment gave Jah Cure fans a chance to pick their preferred supporting acts through online voting. Transit Crew, Winky D, Judgement Yard, Templeman and an additional three surprise acts secured the spots.