Popular singer Jah Prayzah fears political affiliation will ruin his musical career, says a source at the Information ministry. This follows reports that the talented musician snubbed a ZWL $50 000 offer to perform at the anti-sanctions gala that was held at the National Sports Stadium last week, citing that the event would ‘kill’ his brand.

Sources at the Ministry of Information said frantic efforts by the organisers to get the musician were fruitless.

“He (Jah Prayzah) was offered ZWL$50 000 to perform but he turned it down. The organisers then begged him to name the amount he wanted, but he said he did not feel comfortable performing at the gala citing an incident when he was attacked at Glen Forest cemetery,” said the source.

The Kune Rima hitmaker’s songs in his 2017 album “Kutonga Kwaro” became synonymous with the 2017 military coup that ousted president Robert Mugabe and led to the ascendence of his predecessor President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Consequently, his music assumed a political connotation.

The musician who is the cultural ambassador of the Zimbabwe National Army seems to have started rebranding earlier this year, even dumping his signature military costume, after the military’s image was soiled following a brutal crackdown in January which led to the death of at least 17 people.

Source – iHarare