{"id":496,"date":"2015-02-25T17:15:00","date_gmt":"2015-02-25T17:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mrmushava.wordpress.com\/2015\/02\/25\/charamba-preaches-to-zimdancehall-artists\/"},"modified":"2026-10-26T08:47:49","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T08:47:49","slug":"charles-charamba-preaches-to-zimdancehall-artists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blockspaceballads.com\/?p=496","title":{"rendered":"Charamba Preaches to Zimdancehall Artists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Charles and Olivia Charamba<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
Zimdancehall has upstaged other genres to become the household phenomenon of the moment.<\/span><\/div>\n
While traditional genres are struggling for survival, dancehall is flinging its mojo into previously closed spaces.<\/span><\/div>\n
Ghetto chanters are staking their claim to the showbiz presidium, and the nation is reverberating along.<\/span><\/div>\n
It is the reinvention of culture \u2013 hence the growing number of debates occasioned by this latest urban movement.<\/span><\/div>\n
Issues of morality and durability have been raised as the downside of the genre, talking points which needs to be addressed for the good of both the artists and the audience.<\/span><\/div>\n
Whose interest, for example, does the propagation of drug abuse, violence and sexual immorality through music serve?<\/span><\/div>\n
What makes Zimdancehall music, in spite of its popular reception, less durable and socially applicable compared to other genres and how can this be corrected?<\/span><\/div>\n
While art is not the site for inhibitive gatekeeping, it remains an influential field of discourse and it is important respond for the greater good.<\/span><\/div>\n
With this imperative in mind, the Zimbabwe College of Music recently convened a Dancehall Indaba where pertinent issues were thrown into the ring.<\/span><\/div>\n
Gospel thoroughbred Pastor Charles Charamba presented a paper entitled: \u201cEffects of Abusive Language, Rowdy Behavior and Violent Conduct by Musicians on Society and Music Industry.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n
Pastor Charamba acknowledged the trailblazing accomplishments of Zimdancehall artists and shed light on how the phenomenon can be made a more authentically Zimbabwean experience.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u201cWe don’t have to turn this event into a witch-hunt exercise. The practitioners of Zimdancehall must be saluted for coming up with a style that is so peculiar.<\/span><\/div>\n
Charamba said the import of his presentation was not to pontificate as someone who knows it all but point out ways of growing the genre from the perspective of a fellow artist.<\/span><\/div>\n
He, however, noted that violence in music destroys nationhood. \u201cIt promotes fragmentation along sectarian, tribal or other divides and undermines the sense of unity and common purpose,\u201d Pastor Charamba said.<\/span><\/div>\n
Charamba also highlighted the threat of cultural bankruptcy. \u201cWe destroy the artistic heritage bequeathed to us by the industry\u2019s fore-runners.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n
He also cautioned against a culture of lawlessness, hostility and hate which has found expression in Zimdancehall.<\/span><\/div>\n
He gave the example of the fall of Goliath which he said started verbal warfare only to degenerate into a national crisis.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0Charamba also pointed out that the current direction of Zimdancehall misleads youths and inundates them with negative memes which are not easy to erase.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0\u201cMoses took them out of Egypt but couldn\u2019t take the Egypt out of them. What we instill in the little children may not be easy to retract,\u201d the \u201cMoses, Moses\u201d hitmaker said.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0\u201cArtists are idols emulated by younger generations. We must be wary of negatively impacting them,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0\u201cWe need our conscience to regulate us, but if we stretch the authorities too far, we may find ourselves being unnecessarily asked to account for every song we sing.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
Charamba also pointed out that rowdy behaviour diminishes local musicians\u2019 chances of being invited elsewhere, as few wayward artists can cause everyone else to be tainted with the same brush.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u201cAs the Shona proverb asserts, \u2018Mangachena inoparira parere nhema.\u2019 Every player will be incriminated. This closes the door for other people\u2019s opportunities,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u201cThis diminishes the breath of our territory; some music dealers and air proprietors may shun our music. Wal Mart, for example, seriously regulates all music products brought on its shelves.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u201cThe same conduct is spreading to all genres including church music. We may adopt the same language when conversing with dignitaries, parents and even God,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0Pastor Charamba urged artists to be creative in a positive way: \u201cArtists are inventors; if you can\u2019t find a word that suits your story, create one, a clean one.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n
He encouraged tolerant co-existence and refrain from malice and \u201cbeef.\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t take pride in controversy and criminal behavior. Controversy is not a virtue, it\u2019s not a good attribute,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s better to seek arbitration where there are irreconcilable differences. Don\u2019t reciprocate insults. A gentle answer turns away wrath. Forgive and stay focused.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0\u201cLet\u2019s be guided by both tenets of Christian faith and ubuntu. We don\u2019t have to take pride in being disgraceful,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/div>\n
He urged artists to shun selfishness and self-glorification and to be accountable not just to their immediate acquaintances but to the community.<\/span><\/div>\n
He urged society to show love to the young artists, mindful of their backgrounds as some of them have never had the benefit of good counsel.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s taste what we prepare. Can your mother, son, father-in-law attest to the goodness of your song? Can they listen to it without skipping some section? Can they watch you perform?\u201d he queried.<\/span><\/div>\n
Charamba also pointed out that it is possible to adopt the essential from the originators of the style while adapting it to a clean Zim perspective.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u201cAlthough soccer, for example, is said to have originated from either England or China, it\u2019s interesting to note that it was bettered by latter adopters it such that England hasn’t taken the World Cup since 1966.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u201cWe can positively develop this music which originated from the Caribbean to levels that can be appreciated worldwide,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Charles and Olivia Charamba Zimdancehall has upstaged other genres to become the household phenomenon of the moment. While traditional genres are struggling for survival, dancehall is flinging its mojo into previously closed spaces. Ghetto chanters are staking their claim to the showbiz presidium, and the nation is reverberating along. It is the reinvention of culture \u2013 hence the growing number of debates occasioned by this latest urban movement. Issues of morality and durability have been raised as the downside of the genre, talking points which needs to be addressed for the good of both the artists and the audience. Whose interest, for example, does the propagation of drug abuse, violence and sexual immorality through music serve? What makes Zimdancehall music, in spite of its popular reception, less durable and socially applicable compared to other genres and how can this be corrected? While art is not the site for inhibitive gatekeeping, it remains an influential field of discourse and it is important respond for the greater good. With this imperative in mind, the Zimbabwe College of Music recently convened a Dancehall Indaba where pertinent issues were thrown into the ring. Gospel thoroughbred Pastor Charles Charamba presented a paper entitled: \u201cEffects of Abusive Language, Rowdy Behavior and Violent Conduct by Musicians on Society and Music Industry.\u201d Pastor Charamba acknowledged the trailblazing accomplishments of Zimdancehall artists and shed light on how the phenomenon can be made a more authentically Zimbabwean experience. \u201cWe don’t have to turn this event into a witch-hunt exercise. The practitioners of Zimdancehall must be saluted for coming up with a style that is so peculiar. Charamba said the import of his presentation was not to pontificate as someone who knows it all but point out ways of growing the genre from the perspective of a fellow artist. He, however, noted that violence in music destroys nationhood. \u201cIt promotes fragmentation along sectarian, tribal or other divides and undermines the sense of unity and common purpose,\u201d Pastor Charamba said. Charamba also highlighted the threat of cultural bankruptcy. \u201cWe destroy the artistic heritage bequeathed to us by the industry\u2019s fore-runners.\u201d He also cautioned against a culture of lawlessness, hostility and hate which has found expression in Zimdancehall. He gave the example of the fall of Goliath which he said started verbal warfare only to degenerate into a national crisis. \u00a0Charamba also pointed out that the current direction of Zimdancehall misleads youths and inundates them with negative memes which are not easy to erase. \u00a0\u201cMoses took them out of Egypt but couldn\u2019t take the Egypt out of them. What we instill in the little children may not be easy to retract,\u201d the \u201cMoses, Moses\u201d hitmaker said. \u00a0\u201cArtists are idols emulated by younger generations. We must be wary of negatively impacting them,\u201d he said. \u00a0\u201cWe need our conscience to regulate us, but if we stretch the authorities too far, we may find ourselves being unnecessarily asked to account for every song we sing.\u201d Charamba also pointed out that rowdy behaviour diminishes local musicians\u2019 chances of being invited elsewhere, as few wayward artists can cause everyone else to be tainted with the same brush. \u201cAs the Shona proverb asserts, \u2018Mangachena inoparira parere nhema.\u2019 Every player will be incriminated. This closes the door for other people\u2019s opportunities,\u201d he said. \u201cThis diminishes the breath of our territory; some music dealers and air proprietors may shun our music. Wal Mart, for example, seriously regulates all music products brought on its shelves. \u201cThe same conduct is spreading to all genres including church music. We may adopt the same language when conversing with dignitaries, parents and even God,\u201d he said. \u00a0Pastor Charamba urged artists to be creative in a positive way: \u201cArtists are inventors; if you can\u2019t find a word that suits your story, create one, a clean one.\u201d He encouraged tolerant co-existence and refrain from malice and \u201cbeef.\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t take pride in controversy and criminal behavior. Controversy is not a virtue, it\u2019s not a good attribute,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s better to seek arbitration where there are irreconcilable differences. Don\u2019t reciprocate insults. A gentle answer turns away wrath. Forgive and stay focused. \u00a0\u201cLet\u2019s be guided by both tenets of Christian faith and ubuntu. We don\u2019t have to take pride in being disgraceful,\u201d he said. He urged artists to shun selfishness and self-glorification and to be accountable not just to their immediate acquaintances but to the community. He urged society to show love to the young artists, mindful of their backgrounds as some of them have never had the benefit of good counsel. \u201cLet\u2019s taste what we prepare. Can your mother, son, father-in-law attest to the goodness of your song? Can they listen to it without skipping some section? Can they watch you perform?\u201d he queried. Charamba also pointed out that it is possible to adopt the essential from the originators of the style while adapting it to a clean Zim perspective. \u201cAlthough soccer, for example, is said to have originated from either England or China, it\u2019s interesting to note that it was bettered by latter adopters it such that England hasn’t taken the World Cup since 1966. \u201cWe can positively develop this music which originated from the Caribbean to levels that can be appreciated worldwide,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-culture","category-music"],"yoast_head":"\nCharamba Preaches to Zimdancehall Artists | Blockspace<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blockspaceballads.com\/?p=496\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Charamba Preaches to Zimdancehall Artists | Blockspace\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Charles and Olivia Charamba Zimdancehall has upstaged other genres to become the household phenomenon of the moment. While traditional genres are struggling for survival, dancehall is flinging its mojo into previously closed spaces. Ghetto chanters are staking their claim to the showbiz presidium, and the nation is reverberating along. It is the reinvention of culture \u2013 hence the growing number of debates occasioned by this latest urban movement. Issues of morality and durability have been raised as the downside of the genre, talking points which needs to be addressed for the good of both the artists and the audience. Whose interest, for example, does the propagation of drug abuse, violence and sexual immorality through music serve? What makes Zimdancehall music, in spite of its popular reception, less durable and socially applicable compared to other genres and how can this be corrected? While art is not the site for inhibitive gatekeeping, it remains an influential field of discourse and it is important respond for the greater good. With this imperative in mind, the Zimbabwe College of Music recently convened a Dancehall Indaba where pertinent issues were thrown into the ring. Gospel thoroughbred Pastor Charles Charamba presented a paper entitled: \u201cEffects of Abusive Language, Rowdy Behavior and Violent Conduct by Musicians on Society and Music Industry.\u201d Pastor Charamba acknowledged the trailblazing accomplishments of Zimdancehall artists and shed light on how the phenomenon can be made a more authentically Zimbabwean experience. \u201cWe don’t have to turn this event into a witch-hunt exercise. The practitioners of Zimdancehall must be saluted for coming up with a style that is so peculiar. Charamba said the import of his presentation was not to pontificate as someone who knows it all but point out ways of growing the genre from the perspective of a fellow artist. He, however, noted that violence in music destroys nationhood. \u201cIt promotes fragmentation along sectarian, tribal or other divides and undermines the sense of unity and common purpose,\u201d Pastor Charamba said. Charamba also highlighted the threat of cultural bankruptcy. \u201cWe destroy the artistic heritage bequeathed to us by the industry\u2019s fore-runners.\u201d He also cautioned against a culture of lawlessness, hostility and hate which has found expression in Zimdancehall. He gave the example of the fall of Goliath which he said started verbal warfare only to degenerate into a national crisis. \u00a0Charamba also pointed out that the current direction of Zimdancehall misleads youths and inundates them with negative memes which are not easy to erase. \u00a0\u201cMoses took them out of Egypt but couldn\u2019t take the Egypt out of them. What we instill in the little children may not be easy to retract,\u201d the \u201cMoses, Moses\u201d hitmaker said. \u00a0\u201cArtists are idols emulated by younger generations. We must be wary of negatively impacting them,\u201d he said. \u00a0\u201cWe need our conscience to regulate us, but if we stretch the authorities too far, we may find ourselves being unnecessarily asked to account for every song we sing.\u201d Charamba also pointed out that rowdy behaviour diminishes local musicians\u2019 chances of being invited elsewhere, as few wayward artists can cause everyone else to be tainted with the same brush. \u201cAs the Shona proverb asserts, \u2018Mangachena inoparira parere nhema.\u2019 Every player will be incriminated. This closes the door for other people\u2019s opportunities,\u201d he said. \u201cThis diminishes the breath of our territory; some music dealers and air proprietors may shun our music. Wal Mart, for example, seriously regulates all music products brought on its shelves. \u201cThe same conduct is spreading to all genres including church music. We may adopt the same language when conversing with dignitaries, parents and even God,\u201d he said. \u00a0Pastor Charamba urged artists to be creative in a positive way: \u201cArtists are inventors; if you can\u2019t find a word that suits your story, create one, a clean one.\u201d He encouraged tolerant co-existence and refrain from malice and \u201cbeef.\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t take pride in controversy and criminal behavior. Controversy is not a virtue, it\u2019s not a good attribute,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s better to seek arbitration where there are irreconcilable differences. Don\u2019t reciprocate insults. A gentle answer turns away wrath. Forgive and stay focused. \u00a0\u201cLet\u2019s be guided by both tenets of Christian faith and ubuntu. We don\u2019t have to take pride in being disgraceful,\u201d he said. He urged artists to shun selfishness and self-glorification and to be accountable not just to their immediate acquaintances but to the community. He urged society to show love to the young artists, mindful of their backgrounds as some of them have never had the benefit of good counsel. \u201cLet\u2019s taste what we prepare. Can your mother, son, father-in-law attest to the goodness of your song? Can they listen to it without skipping some section? Can they watch you perform?\u201d he queried. Charamba also pointed out that it is possible to adopt the essential from the originators of the style while adapting it to a clean Zim perspective. \u201cAlthough soccer, for example, is said to have originated from either England or China, it\u2019s interesting to note that it was bettered by latter adopters it such that England hasn’t taken the World Cup since 1966. \u201cWe can positively develop this music which originated from the Caribbean to levels that can be appreciated worldwide,\u201d he said.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blockspaceballads.com\/?p=496\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Blockspace\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-02-25T17:15:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-26T08:47:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.newzimbabwe.com\/news\/images\/news_b1the-charamba-550.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"hardsouth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"hardsouth\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blockspaceballads.com\\\/?p=496#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blockspaceballads.com\\\/?p=496\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"hardsouth\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blockspaceballads.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a336a678f28eacb341ce63c6b84b17d0\"},\"headline\":\"Charamba Preaches to Zimdancehall 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While traditional genres are struggling for survival, dancehall is flinging its mojo into previously closed spaces. Ghetto chanters are staking their claim to the showbiz presidium, and the nation is reverberating along. It is the reinvention of culture \u2013 hence the growing number of debates occasioned by this latest urban movement. Issues of morality and durability have been raised as the downside of the genre, talking points which needs to be addressed for the good of both the artists and the audience. Whose interest, for example, does the propagation of drug abuse, violence and sexual immorality through music serve? What makes Zimdancehall music, in spite of its popular reception, less durable and socially applicable compared to other genres and how can this be corrected? While art is not the site for inhibitive gatekeeping, it remains an influential field of discourse and it is important respond for the greater good. With this imperative in mind, the Zimbabwe College of Music recently convened a Dancehall Indaba where pertinent issues were thrown into the ring. Gospel thoroughbred Pastor Charles Charamba presented a paper entitled: \u201cEffects of Abusive Language, Rowdy Behavior and Violent Conduct by Musicians on Society and Music Industry.\u201d Pastor Charamba acknowledged the trailblazing accomplishments of Zimdancehall artists and shed light on how the phenomenon can be made a more authentically Zimbabwean experience. \u201cWe don’t have to turn this event into a witch-hunt exercise. The practitioners of Zimdancehall must be saluted for coming up with a style that is so peculiar. Charamba said the import of his presentation was not to pontificate as someone who knows it all but point out ways of growing the genre from the perspective of a fellow artist. He, however, noted that violence in music destroys nationhood. \u201cIt promotes fragmentation along sectarian, tribal or other divides and undermines the sense of unity and common purpose,\u201d Pastor Charamba said. Charamba also highlighted the threat of cultural bankruptcy. \u201cWe destroy the artistic heritage bequeathed to us by the industry\u2019s fore-runners.\u201d He also cautioned against a culture of lawlessness, hostility and hate which has found expression in Zimdancehall. He gave the example of the fall of Goliath which he said started verbal warfare only to degenerate into a national crisis. \u00a0Charamba also pointed out that the current direction of Zimdancehall misleads youths and inundates them with negative memes which are not easy to erase. \u00a0\u201cMoses took them out of Egypt but couldn\u2019t take the Egypt out of them. What we instill in the little children may not be easy to retract,\u201d the \u201cMoses, Moses\u201d hitmaker said. \u00a0\u201cArtists are idols emulated by younger generations. We must be wary of negatively impacting them,\u201d he said. \u00a0\u201cWe need our conscience to regulate us, but if we stretch the authorities too far, we may find ourselves being unnecessarily asked to account for every song we sing.\u201d Charamba also pointed out that rowdy behaviour diminishes local musicians\u2019 chances of being invited elsewhere, as few wayward artists can cause everyone else to be tainted with the same brush. \u201cAs the Shona proverb asserts, \u2018Mangachena inoparira parere nhema.\u2019 Every player will be incriminated. This closes the door for other people\u2019s opportunities,\u201d he said. \u201cThis diminishes the breath of our territory; some music dealers and air proprietors may shun our music. Wal Mart, for example, seriously regulates all music products brought on its shelves. \u201cThe same conduct is spreading to all genres including church music. We may adopt the same language when conversing with dignitaries, parents and even God,\u201d he said. \u00a0Pastor Charamba urged artists to be creative in a positive way: \u201cArtists are inventors; if you can\u2019t find a word that suits your story, create one, a clean one.\u201d He encouraged tolerant co-existence and refrain from malice and \u201cbeef.\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t take pride in controversy and criminal behavior. Controversy is not a virtue, it\u2019s not a good attribute,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s better to seek arbitration where there are irreconcilable differences. Don\u2019t reciprocate insults. A gentle answer turns away wrath. Forgive and stay focused. \u00a0\u201cLet\u2019s be guided by both tenets of Christian faith and ubuntu. We don\u2019t have to take pride in being disgraceful,\u201d he said. He urged artists to shun selfishness and self-glorification and to be accountable not just to their immediate acquaintances but to the community. He urged society to show love to the young artists, mindful of their backgrounds as some of them have never had the benefit of good counsel. \u201cLet\u2019s taste what we prepare. Can your mother, son, father-in-law attest to the goodness of your song? Can they listen to it without skipping some section? Can they watch you perform?\u201d he queried. Charamba also pointed out that it is possible to adopt the essential from the originators of the style while adapting it to a clean Zim perspective. \u201cAlthough soccer, for example, is said to have originated from either England or China, it\u2019s interesting to note that it was bettered by latter adopters it such that England hasn’t taken the World Cup since 1966. \u201cWe can positively develop this music which originated from the Caribbean to levels that can be appreciated worldwide,\u201d he said.","og_url":"https:\/\/blockspaceballads.com\/?p=496","og_site_name":"Blockspace","article_published_time":"2015-02-25T17:15:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-10-26T08:47:49+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.newzimbabwe.com\/news\/images\/news_b1the-charamba-550.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"hardsouth","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"hardsouth","Est. reading time":"4 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