Unconfirmed reports indicate that local Zimbabwean artists, including Takesure Zamar Ncube, Tembalami, The Unveiled, Joyful Praise Choir, and Annatoria, have pulled out of the #MaverickKingdomTour This is suspected to be due to their displeasure with the performance by the American outfits at the recent BET Awards.
During the BET Awards, Maverick City and Kirk Franklin joined Will Smith on stage for a performance that has sparked debate. Some are questioning the performance, while others have gone so far as to call it ‘Illuminati’.
Will Smith performed his song ‘You Can Make It’ in collaboration with the gospel groups. While his song talks about fire, his performance featured him surrounded by fire, with Maverick City providing backing and Kirk Franklin collaborating.
This performance has sparked debate around the world, with some backlashing the gospel singers for participating in this performance.
Zimbabweans are also discussing the local artists’ decision to pull out. It is unclear if their withdrawal is for the same reasons, but given the nature of such an event, it may be for various reasons.
Zimbabweans on social media are describing the local artists’ pulling-out stance as ‘extra’ and are saying it would have been an opportunity to minister to the ‘lost’ if the American outfits are truly not ministering the word of God and are participating in unholy things as is being claimed.
Other Zimbabweans have also stated that this stance by the local artists seems hypocritical, given that they have also collaborated with non-gospel artists who perform and do things that may be regarded as ‘unholy’.
As a result of the local artists’ withdrawal from the show, many Zimbabweans have now vowed to attend the show to just witness what these American groups really look like.
However, others are of the opinion that Zimbabwean gospel artists have worked hard to build a gospel brand with a high level of holiness and cleanness, and to have such things taint them just for one performance may justify their pullout.
Artists like Takesure Zamar are known to take their ministering at such stages seriously, spending time fasting and praying for such gatherings to truly minister to God’s people. It can be understood if they made such choices to separate themselves from mingling with what they may not understand.
After reviewing both the Maverick City and Kirk Franklin’s performance, and the one with Will Smith, it may be unfortunate that the world is now awash with the fear of ‘the Illuminati,’ which we do not know whether is real or a fiction. The Will Smith fire song performance may pass just as a ‘detail’ related to the song in question, and we did not see anything dubious that can be passed for Illuminati.
As the pressure seems to be switching on as the nation is asking whether it was necessary for the Zimbabwean artists to pull out, Themblami, who was billed to perform with ‘The Unveiled’ had this to say; “Please chimirai kufona, the reason I pulled out of the event was contractual not conspiracies. I was a guest on a contracted group them pulling out meant I was out of contract”.
He is explaining that his reason for no longer performing is simply that he was part of the group with the contract, and since they have pulled out, he has no grounds to stand on to be able to perform.
We also have to be careful that there are many who do not want the gospel to go forth and will sabotage any efforts in songs such as the one by Will Smith, and demonize it when it is actually a good song and a good message for the Kingdom.
We leave you to make your own conclusions.
Add comment