Macheso, Sulu: No kind words for each other

Sulu Vs Macheso

Developments in the music industry, specifically in sungura, are proving wrong the adage that time is a healer. It’s now over a month since the trio of Francis “Slomo” Dhaka, Noel Nyazanda and Elton Muropa crossed the floor to Orchestra Dendera Kings from Orchestra Mberikwazvo while three dancers from the former group trooped to Tryson’s Chimbetu’s group, the Marxist Brothers.

But instead of time healing the wounds wrought by the movements, the injuries seem to be worsening. This reporter, since the beginning of the year, has had the privilege of attending sungura maestro Alick Macheso and dendera musician Suluman Chimbetu’s shows, and in all the gigs, the two musicians are delivering jabs against the other, the kind that would make Dereck Chisora envious. Attending the shows of the two, one cannot help but be reminded of the feud between hip-hop legends Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, better known as the Notorious B.I.G.

At a recently held family show in the capital, Macheso, before delivering stuff that brings food on his table, openly declared that no musician had the capacity to destroy his group. The sungura wizard made it clear that there was no “weapon” that could down him. “If you want to destroy my group, you have to come and get me, and anything short of that will have no effect on me,” boldly declared the sungura king. On the other end, Suluman is proving equal to the “verbal war”. His recent acquisitions have definitely inflated his ego.

Joining upcoming musician and bass guitarist Romeo Gasa on stage and as they jointly performed and on realising how the young muso was dazzling fans, he cheerfully shouted: “Timutengere Benz here uyu? (Can we buy him a Benz?),” much to the applause of the crowd, interpreted by some as a display of confidence and a message of his power. The jabs have definitely become a common feature at the two artistes’ shows. 

Since the departure of his band members, Macheso, it appears, cannot help but always make reference to the issue of cars.

“Mota inopinda mutsaona yoparara, chawagona hapana. Wangu mupfana Peter uyu ndiri kumutsvagira imba first then ndozomutengera kaSpacio kake kekupaka muyard make,” said Macheso. Translated, he was saying: “A car can be involved in an accident anytime and get damaged beyond repair, I’m going to first look for a house for my boy Peter then later on I will purchase a Spacio for him, which he will park in his own yard.” 

At one point, Macheso also called his ailing lead guitarist Lucky Miriki on stage and said: “You all know him, he is recovering and will be back at work soon. We are working on completing his house. That is what we should do, not just purchase cars. These guys don’t stay in cars; they need houses that they can peacefully rest in.” Where others might want to think that the simmering feud between Macheso and Suluman is “a storm in a teacup” or a media creation, truth on the ground is that all is not well between the two.

One music promoter who declined to be named confirmed that the two artistes presently do not have kind words for each other. “I have been trying to organise a joint show between the two artistes, but the move has been faced with great resistance. They are both refusing to share the stage, with Suluman demanding that he will only share the stage with Macheso if his appearance fee is going to be more than that awarded to the sungura maestro, while the sungura maestro has also made it clear that he will share the stage with any other artiste in the country, except Sulu,” said the promoter.

Earlier this year when Sulu lost his dancers, it is reported that during a crisis meeting that was held with the patron of musicians, Cde Webster Shamu, the young dendera musician blamed Macheso for the loss. Sulu, according to reports, is said to have highlighted to Cde Shamu that Tryson did not have the capacity to lure the dancers to his band but had in fact got assistance from Macheso. He questioned why Macheso, during his joint shows, was going on stage and making such famous statements (to show followers) as “Iri ndiro dendera manje, haikona zvimwe zviya zviya” (“This is dendera, not that other stuff”).

The attacks have caused the two musicians to modify their songs with each passing week. Recently Macheso incorporated a bragging chorus in his songs, which points to the fact that he is a pacesetter. Part of the chorus flows as follows: “Borrowdale yacho, tisu takaitanga. Slomo yacho, tisu takaitanga, razor wire yacho, tisu takaitanga, zvakawanda wanda zvamunoita, ndisu takazvitanga.”

Sulu also has modified one of his songs better known by many as “Dzamutsana”. Last week, in the song Sulu claims to have received a call from Chimurenga guru Thomas Mapfumo from his United States base inquiring about developments in the music industry. Sulu then proudly reports to Mukanya that he has since converted three sungura artistes to dendera music, before shouting “Noero (Noel Nyazanda) Kata” typical to Macheso’s Noero Simudza.

Time will only prove where the war of words will take us, but what is certain at the moment is the fact that the two gentlemen are stopping at nothing. Whether this is a marketing gimmick or genuine beef, only God and the involved parties know. (Sundaymail)