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Soul Jah Love

Sophia Chese and Nyemudzai Kakore Arts Correspondents
Zimdancehall artiste Soul Jah Love has ignited a cold war between South African Promoters Mhofu Promotions and Jimmy Jimalo after allegedly breaching a performance contract.

Soul Jah Love was supposed to perform in Cape Town at a show under Mhofu Promotions but allegedly breached the contract after a misunderstanding over performance fees and signed another contract with Jimmy Jimalo to perform on the same day, at Jimmy Jimalo Night Club in Cape Town.

In an interview with The Herald Entertainment, co-owner of Mhofu Promotions Rudo Gurure said they were disappointed by Jimmy Jimalo’s move to sign an artiste who had breached another contract saying his actions were meant to sabotage their show.

“It is very disheartening to note that a reputable promoter like Jimmy Jimalo has been so unprofessional to such an extent of signing an artiste who has breached another promoter’s contract.

“We had signed a contract with Soul Jah Love to perform this Saturday and initially we had agreed on a certain fee and we had also agreed that he was supposed to bring three band members but he changed goal posts saying he needed more money to perform and that he wanted to bring eight band members instead of three. That is how the deal collapsed,” said Gurure.

“We were surprised to hear that Soul Jah Love had signed another contract with Jimmy Jimalo to perfom on the same date at a venue close to us. We are considering taking legal action against him.”

She said they had to replace Soul Jah Love with Killer T, King Shady and Junior King for the show.

Soul Jah Love, through his manager, Tafadzwa Brian Mudaiswa, dismissed the allegations saying they have not signed any written contract with Mhofu Promotions, adding that they are going on with the Jimmy Jimalo show.

“We had not signed any written contract with them. We just talked and agreed on something but they are the ones who short-changed us. I even have the text messages from them saying they are no longer interested in working with us,” said Mudaiswa.

‘‘We did not breach any contract they are the ones who shifted from what we had agreed on. We had to look for another show and thus we got Jimmy Jimalo, so we are going to be performing this Saturday and nothing is going to stop us,” he said.

On the other hand, James “Jimmy Jimalo” MacAdams said he rescued Soul Jah Love after the artiste told him that the deal with Mhofu Promotions had collapsed.

“The artiste called me saying the money he was offered by Mhofu was not reasonable and he begged me for a show. He said he really wanted to come to Cape Town since he had made plans for the show,” said Jimmy Jimalo.

“As a promoter I called Mhofu for a meeting to discuss the issue and he did not turn up. I wanted to assist him with the money that the artiste wanted and I made efforts to see him but he refused so I was caught in between roles as promoter and businessman.

“Since the artiste wanted to come and since people here want him I was left with no option but to accommodate the artiste. He is the one who said he wanted to play on the same day he was supposed to perform at Mhofu’s show.

“Mhofu threatened me with legal action but I am not moved because, as a professional music promoter, I am allowed to invite anyone to play at my joint any day.”

Meanwhile, Killer T, King Shady and Junior King who will perform at the Mhofu Promotions show have also promised fireworks despite the fracas.

“We are going to be performing our hit songs such as ‘Ndochema Nani’, ‘Hifa’ and ‘Jehovha Jaire’ among others and we are also promising our fans down south that we are going to be sampling some of our new songs such as ‘Hushamwari Hwenhema’, ‘Mangoma’, ‘KwaKalado’ plus many more,” said Killer T’s manager Brian Marukutira.

King Shady also promised a well polished act with a number of new songs.

“It is an obvious case, Makorokoza (his group) is a school of endless ideas. What I would like to say to our Cape Town fans is ‘you will have a good time’,” he said.