Are Zimbabweans slowly degenerating into a scandal hungry, hateful and bad wishing people? This is question I had to ask myself upon hearing and seeing a fake message circulating on social media claiming that ZimDancehall artist Donald Chirisa aka Sniper Storm had just died in a car crash yesterday.
The message read, “It’s so sad to announce that the former Urban Grooves & Zimdancehall artist Sniper is no more, born Donald Chirisa on 7 July 1979 in Waterfalls, Harare. Donald Chirisa was involved in a terrible car accident today on his way home as he was coming from the studio. The artist started doing music back in 1999 and his {sic} many hits to his name like ‘Ndakabata Mic’ ‘Luv yemusoja’ ‘Kwarira Mukati’. May his soul rest in eternal peace we appreciate your contribution to the music industry.”
Sniper’s manager Chido Musasiwa-Gutu spoke to Zimbojam and expressed shock whilst refuting the mischievous allegations saying, “I wonder why such stuff would be passed around. I’ve had my phone blowing up since and that message, to think one would even write an obituary is incredible.”
She went on to re-assure the artists’ fan that the General, as he is affectionately known, is alive and well saying, “We would like to advise all the Masoja fans that the General is alive and well. There have been such rumors before and totally uncalled for but for those that wish Sniper Dead his time will only be dictated by God and not by man. We will keep you advised on shows and upcoming new releases and hope that we will be together for a very long time.”
Sniper Storm rose to prominence during the urban grooves era and has consistently maintained his musical relevance supported by the release of hard hitting socially relevant hit songs. The musician undoubtedly remains one of the few survivors from the now fading urban grooves movement and is also credited as a proponent of the ZimDancehall genre.
Over the years such unfounded rumours have made rounds which pointing to the fact that there are some people who maliciously sit down, draft such messages and circulate them as “truths” for reasons best known to themselves.
Several artists have in the past fallen victim with a recent case being Tocky Vibes who earlier this year was reported to have died in a car crash.
Last year saw Sulumani Chimbetu and Alick Macheso also falling victim to claims that they had both died in separate incidents in car crashes. In the same year war veteran and musician Cde Chinx ended up releasing a video to allay rumors that he had passed away.
In the early 90s Zora music sensation Leonard Zhakata was falsely rumored dead to which he went on to release a song “Gomba Remarara” in response where he expressed his shock and disappointment at people who wished him dead and the song became an instant hit.
There have been certain past instances where some artists have gone to extremes in an effort to prop up their career. Scandal-ridden ZimDancehall artist, Lady Squanda, at one time faked her own death as part of an album launch stunt which backfired on her.
