HARARE – In a recent development, YouTube has removed a music video by Zimbabwean artist Jah Signal, titled “Shinga Muroora” or “Sweetie,” after a copyright infringement claim made by gospel singer Pastor Charles Charamba.
The video, which garnered over six million views, featured Jah Signal, whose real name is Nicodemus Mutize, performing a secular rendition of Charamba’s popular song “Vanhu Vangu,” also known as “Stonyeni.”
Charamba, renowned for leading the gospel group Fishers of Men, had previously expressed his disapproval of Jah Signal’s adaptation, deeming it blasphemous and disrespectful to his Christian faith.
In a statement to ZimMorningPost back in 2019, Charamba revealed that he had cautioned Jah Signal against releasing the song.
“I never spoke to him after release. They texted me seeking consent and I advised them not to go ahead after sampling the lyrics.
“I discouraged them to do so not just on the basis that it was my melody but mostly because I sensed danger. To me, the rendition is not an ordinary joke or parody but blasphemy,” Charamba stated.
Jah Signal told to seek forgiveness
Expressing his sentiments further, Charamba conveyed his hope for Jah Signal to seek forgiveness from God and to uphold moral standards in his musical endeavors.
In response to the controversy, Mutize, clarified that his intention was not to cause harm but to pay homage to Charamba, whom he greatly admires.
He mentioned attempting to contact Charamba prior to the song’s release but did not receive a response.
“Pastor Charamba is an icon, and I’m a great fan of his music, that is why I did the song, but when he heard the song he was not impressed at all,” he said in an interview with ZimMorningPost in 2019.
The removal of Jah Signal’s video underscores the complexities surrounding copyright issues in the music industry, highlighting the need for artists to navigate such matters with caution to avoid legal disputes and conflicts with fellow musicians.