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Sungura musician Farai Batanai, known in the music circles as First Farai, is no stranger to Zimbabwe’s music sector having started his career after clinching the top award at the International Music Crossroads finals held in Tanzania eight years ago. For many years, he has been dismissed as a copycat of the Kwekwe-based Utakataka frontman, Tongai Moyo, something he heavily disputes. This week Entertainment Editor Ruth Butaumocho speaks with First Farai (FF) on this and other issues.
RB: I believe that the Music Crossroads International held in 2003 was the launching pad for your musical career. Can you give us an insight into what exactly happened?
FF: Growing up, and while at school I really had a passion for music. So when I moved to Harare in 1995, I would travel to Dzivarasekwa every weekend to have musical lessons with Shephard Chinyani (formerly of Vhuka Boys). With time I perfected the art and got encouragement from friends and relatives to take music seriously.
Sometime in 2002 I heard about Music Crossroads and I decided to try my luck. With the practice that I had been having with Chinyani, I sailed through to the national finals and subsequently earned myself a place in the regional finals held in Dar es Salaam in 2003. I didn’t have a backing band, but only dancers as part of my entourage. The developments in Tanzania gave birth to my musical outfit, Hurudza Band.
Before my debut trip to the East African country, I had released my first cassette with High Density Recording Studios, which was owned by Prince Tendai (Mupfurutsa). Although it received good airplay it did not do very well. After several failed attempts I met Somandla Ndebele, who introduced me to the guys at Gramma and, as you know, the rest is history.
RB: You rightly mentioned that one of the people who shaped your musical career is Shepherd Chinyani. In one of the interviews I had with him, he mentioned that he has assisted so many musicians and only a few have been to his house to thank him. Are you one of the few who have been to his house, Farai?
FF: No. Actually I have not been to Chinyani’s house in a long time, but I will soon visit him once my things are in order. I am greatly indebted and I know he honed my skills in music and played a pivotal role in my career. He was a good master and a teacher. Mudhara wangu.
RB: Five albums into your career and only 28 years old then you earned yourself the title the Prince of Sungura and at the same time you were being accused of being a Tongai Moyo copycat. How did that come into being?
FF: I am sure you have often heard Dhewa saying the late Leonard Dembo inspired him. We both were inspired by the late great teacher and I know that has got a bearing on our music. I don’t deny that I am really inspired by Tongai and I do emulate a lot of things about him and his musical career.
Just to show how much the guy inspires me, I have even penned and recorded a song in his praise titled “Dhewa Maoresa” from my album, Mbangambanga. Dhewa, on the other hand, penned a song “Varikumusha” that I went on to record, as a sign of comradeship.
If that alone makes me a copycat, then I make no apologies for it. But those in the know will tell you that my product is very different from Dhewa’s.
RB: There have been reports in the media that you are being billed to take over Utakataka in the event that Dhewa decides to quit music? How far true is that?
FF: I don’t think that information has got a grain of truth in it. Who said Dhewa is going to quit music or worse still that he is going to die soon, as many would want to believe? Who said between the two of us, Tongai will die first?
Of course, I am prepared to help him whenever the need arises. He is one person who has helped me in a number of ways and have had to reach out to him, whenever I had problems, be it socially or financially. It is within that context that I know I will be able to do the same for him during his darkest hour. I regard Utakataka Express as one of my own.
RB: You have among your discography, a song dedicated to Dynamos. Are you an ardent fan of the club?
FF: I am not only a fan of Dynamos Football Club, I am a son of Dynamos. I belong to the club.
RB: I also understand that you have been commissioned by the team to write a campaign song for them. Can you shed light on that?
FF: In two weeks’ time, I will be in the studios recording a Dynamos’ campaign song for the African Champions League. We have been rehearsing and the project is just brilliant. My boys have been so excited about the project and are giving it their best shot. Soon after that we will start working on the video, which will accompany the song, and I believe there is no better way of giving Dynamos a boost than this small token of appreciation on behalf of their fans.
RB: Does that translate into hundreds of dollars in your coffers?
FF: If they offer me something, then I will take it, but I am not going to charge them. They will only need to pay for the boys whom I am working with on the project and also meet the production costs.
RB: In 2007 you relocated to Chitungwiza, a development that resulted in you renting only three rooms for your 11 band members. Was that an indication of your waning fortunes?
FF: Just for the record, there were only nine band members and not 11 as alluded to in the paper, and that is not a big number for three rooms.
If anything, I am one of the few employers who offer their employees accommodation. Remember these guys have an option to look for alternative accommodation in the event that they feel it does not meet their requirements.
But as you probably know, artistes are nomadic in every sense of the word. If anything, that accommodation was hardly ever used. They would spent the better part of their time staying with their girlfriends or would be out the whole night, partying with friends.
Although most of my guys now have their own accommodation, I still maintain the arrangement of giving them somewhere to put up, in the event of some “mishaps” that may occur.
RB: The following year (2008) six of your band members deserted you, citing poor remuneration. What prompted that development?
FF: Remuneration for musicians varies with each outfit and musicians will always reward their band members differently depending on what is in their coffers.
In the case of the six, they wanted to form their own band, and in the process, decided to embark on a smear campaign. They went ahead as planned and formed their own band. I don’t even know the name of the band, but the “divorce” was not about poor remuneration.
RB: On your latest album, you penned a song Ceasefire, which your fans believe is targeted at your mentor (Tongai) and Macheso.
FF: No it is not true, it is just a song encouraging people to live amicably in whatever situation they may find themselves in.
RB: People are also saying the sun is surely setting on you as a musician, or to put it rather bluntly, you are now a spent force Comrade?
FF: That’s strange. Where did you get that from? I am hearing it for the first time! People are saying I am at the peak of my career, my sister. Zviri kufaya.
RB: You are among the few musicians whose lives have remained free of controversy. What has been your guiding principle?
FF: God. I have put my trust, plans and fears in God, and He has been the one who has been navigating my way throughout. I know he has got great plans for me and I will continue to make Him part of my plans.
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