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?
