Jah Prayzah Apologises for ‘Stealing’ Song After Thomas Mapfumo Steps In
Popular Zimbabwean artist Jah Prayzah has reportedly apologised to fellow musician Kurai Makore following accusations that he copied one of Makore’s songs.
Song Similarities Spark Accusations
The controversy began when Jah Prayzah released a track titled Moto, off his newly launched 14th studio album, Ndini Mukudzeyi. The song quickly raised eyebrows, as it bore striking similarities to Kanyarugwe, a track released by Makore in 2022.
The issue came to light after Dr. Blessing Ivan Vava, the regional director at Crisis Coalition in Zimbabwe, publicly claimed that Moto sounded too much like Makore’s Kanyarugwe. The accusation stirred debate in music circles and among fans, with many calling out Jah Prayzah for possible plagiarism.
Makore acknowledged the similarities between the two songs but handled the matter quietly and respectfully.
Jah Prayzah Apologises for ‘Stealing’ Song
Veteran chimurenga legend Thomas Mapfumo revealed in an interview with Nehanda Radio that he had personally stepped in to defuse tensions between the two musicians. According to him, Jah Prayzah reached out, admitted fault, and offered an apology.
“I have heard about the issue and immediately decided to intervene and put the matter to rest. Jah Prayzah called me and apologised. We accepted the apology, and I appreciated the show of maturity. Jah Prayzah told me that he was given the beat by someone and did not know that the beat had been taken elsewhere. In fact, the beat is mine, but we have important things to attend to anyway,” Mapfumo said.
Mapfumo went on to say that he was more interested in peace than in stirring conflict, especially at this stage in his career.
“Coming up with similar beats is common in music, and I have seen it before. However, I have reached a point where I do not need to fight with younger artists since I have grown to become an elder in the industry. Surely, I cannot be found embroiled in petty fights; I am now an elder . . . We do not need these fights in music because it is not war. I am just glad that the Jah Prayzah issue is resolved.”
Makore Welcomes Peace, Rejects Drama
Kurai Makore also downplayed the issue, saying he was never out to profit from the situation or to stir up drama. He clarified that his goal was to raise awareness about the realities of the music business, not to create conflict.
“In this case, we were not trying to capitalise on the issue, and we do not want money. What we wanted was for the world to know about some of the things that happen in showbiz,” said Makore.
He added that he respects Jah Prayzah as a star and appreciated the outreach from his uncle Mapfumo to resolve the issue.
“I am not someone who seeks conflict or drama; I am merely a musician making a name in the industry. I respect Jah as a star, and I am glad that my uncle has reached out to his camp.”
Efforts by Nehanda Radio to get a comment from Jah Prayzah’s team were unsuccessful at the time of publishing.
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The post Jah Prayzah Apologises for ‘Stealing’ Song After Thomas Mapfumo Steps In appeared first on iHarare News.
