It’s only been a few days since Winky D’s latest album Eureka! Eureka! was launched but already it’s muddled in controvesy. Barely half the album has been uploaded to streaming platforms but Winky D’s name is on the tips of everyone’s fingers, as discourse rages across social media. Key to most discussions right now being his collaboration with Holy Ten, Ibotso.
Botso referred to in the title of the song, is a curse in Shona culture characterised by never ending misfortune and a loss of mental wellbeing. The curse is often associated with disrespecting your mother. In the song however the curse seems to refer to the continuous cycle of suffering in Zimbabwe.
From talking about how people steal from the weak to fund their indulgences which perpetuates this cycle, the chorus goes on talk about how Winky D is only a musician and he doesn’t have any weapons on him so people shouldn’t fight him. It’s a case of don’t shoot the messenger.
Vanotora zvevapfupi nekureba
Sekutamba sekuseka
Ibotso (Holy Ten)
Vanonyepa vanonyepedzera
Vanozeza vanozeza kuseva
Vanospenda vano tenga tenga
Ibotso
Ini ndiri muimbi chete
Handina pfumo handina bakatwa
Musandikanda pasi kunge hakata
Ibotso
Aewa ndiri muimbi chete
No pfumo no bakatwa
Saka ndati musandikakata
Winky D opens his verse with lamentation. He speaks to the desires that most Zimbabweans have. In just the few opening sentences, he captures the desire for decent accommodation, the desire for food, the fear of repercussions for expressing our suffering, the intimidation of those who speak up, the lack of good earning capacity and how politics leaves us fighting amongst ourselves.
Ndoda pekugara ndinoda roof Ndoda chekudya mumba mune upfu
Paghetto tiri kuchema kunge rufuVamwe vari kukwata kuchemera muvhu Vauya netsvimbo hanzi ndiani anditi bufu Vatengesi votengesa vopihwa mafufu Torwisana tega, maHutu nemaTutsi
It’s the rich and meaningful storytelling we’ve come to expect from Winky D and it’s another story he’s told that has instantly landed him in controversy. Early this morning (4:11 am) Holy Ten took to Twitter to seemingly distance himself from their collaboration Ibotso. He spoke about how activists, lawyers and journalists were politicising the music and he said felt regretful about doing the collaboration.
Activists, journalists, lawyers – Split opinions will not do any good for a brand that’s trying to serve & save everyone so help me by not acting like I’ve picked a side. Do not politicize a project that I’ve considered a mere honor to be a part of. I regret it now honestly
The tweet instantly sparked conversation, with a lot of people calling out Holy Ten. It was a tweet extremely different from the self proclaimed Leader of the Youth’s usual viewpoint. Juxtaposed to his breakout hit Ndaremerwa and songs like Amai, Holy Ten hasn’t often been “shy” about expressing himself. But it seems it wasn’t just him as the EEG (Economic Empowerment Group) has since come forward and claimed responsibility for Holy Ten putting up the post.
The group which is affiliated with the ruling party Zanu PF urged authorities to ban Winky D’s latest album for it’s lyrical content and called on promoters to not accommodate him. In their press conference the group cited the lyrics “Torwisana tega, maHutu nemaTutsi” and claimed such statements would whip up people to violence. A colourful way to view the lyrics and rather extreme in every regard.This reignited the discourse over the song again to the point of overshadowing the latest song released today from the album.
I guess since we waited 3 years for Winky to release an album, it was bound to be something to talk about. In my view I would only castigate the artists (Winky D & Holy Ten) for their unfairness on young women in their lyricism. It’s surely enough times that we’ve lectured those who’re being taken advantage off and rather instead we should be talking to those who take advantage.
Mwanasikana buda mumabedroom Mwanasikana rinotomabika botso iri Tone down usafirita photo iri Unoerekana wazotsvagwa Nema gheva anotemera musaga
Nhema nhema hazvikonzere musikanzwa
As a conservative society there’s a way we’ve become accustomed to talking about women that robs them of their autonomy. The value of women also can’t be placed on their bodies alone so maybe let them be free to make certain mistakes because it won’t change who they are.
We’re six songs into Eureka! Eureka! but Ibotso has surely captured the conversation above every other song. Everyone has an opinion on it but Winky D has usually left his art free to interpretation. He is also not new controvesy related to his music, as his last full project Njema faced similar criticisms. After all would it be a Winky album if someone didn’t call for it to be banned.
As an artist he has never been afraid to push the envelope. In 2016 he sang, “Handiite politics but handibude muparty ini… panapa paparty office handireve Mukwati ini” just after then Vice President and 16 ministers had been fired and kicked out of the ruling party. In 2018 he gave us Kasong kejecha a few weeks after elections and all the controvesy that followed them. I can’t wait to listen to more of what this album holds.
