Is Joe Gwaladi music for real?

Most people will listen to music done by Joe Gwaladi and ask out loudly or silently if the dude is for real.

I know two people that I highly respect that listen to Joe Gwaladi music with some seriousness – for lack of a better word.

Associate Professor Edge Kanyongolo and Mangochi District Information Officer Kondwani Ziggy Magombo talk highly about Gwaladi’s music. If you ask me these two gurus have been exposed enough to a plethora of good music – again good is subjective, others might argue, but still find something worthwhile in Gwaladi music.

There is always an argument if Joe Gwaladi really matters at all to warrant a place among the local musicians who matter or even this space. I don’t want to make that declaration but I have some few pointers that will, at the end of the day, inform our position in as far as Joe Gwaladi music is concerned.

When one considers itinerant artists like Madolo (deceased) and at one time Njati Njedede, you will be compelled to dismiss Joe Gwaladi as one of those itinerant street performers whose ambitions for progress is unappealing.

I want to equate the behavior of Joe Gwaladi to one fallen reggae great Peter Tosh. Not in terms of their capabilities to make good music but their temperament in as far as their music persons is concerned. They both come across as very arrogant and unapologetic. This trait is also well presented in their music.

Locally, I don’t think there is anyone that I can compare Joe Gwaladi with. He is on his own. In his class he is the pioneer and I hope more of his ilk will eventually join him. But if all the years that he has been around no one has joined him yet then perhaps he is a musical genius in his own right.

The highs of Gwaladi music that separate him from the rest is his no-pull-back-punches attitude. The biggest main stay of Gwaladi music is his somewhat crazy lyrical punch that is dovetailed into a beat of choice that ranges from what would be our local beat or Afro beat.

Gwaladi tackles sex and sexuality with no apologies. He talks about HIV and Aids without mincing words. He talks about exploitation in view of poor social status with authority of a self-appointed in-charge of the victims of societal, financial, cultural and religious exploitation.

If you ask media practitioners in the arts and entertainment industry, they will tell you Joe Gwaladi does to entertain interview from anyone, unless money exchange hands. He thinks they are out to exploit and enjoy a windfall out of such dialogs when packaged into stories or any other media products.

Whether one likes it or not he will sing about women who are bleaching their skins and without mincing words he will cut deep to the bone by describing how they have turned out to be; “to achieve beauty, they are using bleaching chemicals and are now looking like tomatoes, they appear as if they have been burnt by electricity” sings Gwaladi. He is also controversial where he argues people who goes in and out of marriages are not wrong because they are experimental.

His unorthodox approach is uncommon amongst our musical artists.  He sings to effect behavioral change in his own unique style which is rare and unique.

He discourages people to waste time taking other drugs when they do not feel okay when they can as well just go for an HIV test. “Musalimbane ndi Thumbocid mungopita mukayedzetse,” sings Gwaladi.

Michael Yekha was another itinerant musician but just like Gwaladi, his perceived illiteracy took precedent when people were passing judgement on their person and works. For Gwaladi, I think he has perfectly used this little exposure to diplomacy, decorum and modesty to appeal to the heart when he composes and sings.

He also talks of that social scourge where people pour in a lot of money to assist during funeral of the dead. Gwaladi sings that he needs all that which will get to him as condolences when he dies now; “Mundipatsiretu chipepeso ndidyeretu”.

Using homemade instruments has been his trademark since a tender age. But lately Joe Gwaladi has been approaching his performances differently in order to be able to sell his music in his own way.

In 2012 I wrote about how Joe Gwaladi employed marketing techniques by mounting a big speaker, music player and a car battery on a bicycle and he used to go at marketing places, especially within Limbe, where he would be playing his music and easily attract curious by passers to buy his music.

Who can just be Joe Gwaladi if not Joe Gwaladi himself?