The Sunday News
Langalakhe Mabena
One of Zim Dancehall artistes Donald “Sniper Storm” Chirisa is undoubtedly among the pioneers of the genre in the country being the first Dancehall artiste to release a hardcore album in 2009.
As he started his musical career in the year 1999, The Musoja, as he is affectionately known to his fans, has contributed a lot to the Dancehall genre from its infant stage where it was unpopular, penetrating through to date as currently it’s the popular genre in the local music scenery.
His early songs like Ndakabata mike proved to be a hit during the time when the Dancehall scene was still unpopular, the hit made him rub shoulders with the likes of Decebel, Extra Large, Mapfumo and Rockie who were the major players for the then top musical genre, Urban Grooves.
Despite Dancehall being detested in the land, Sniper Storm is one hero who has earned his stripes and deserves to be part of the genre’s Hall of Fame if ever his musical contribution to Zim Dancehall has to be celebrated while he is still alive.
With his loyalty to the game, with the help of other Dancehall pioneers like King Labash, Trina, the reigning king of Zim Dancehall Winky D, to mention a few, Sniper Storm managed to uplift the standards of the genre and became one of the favourite artistes Zimbabwe has ever seen.
His 2013 album Love Yemusoja is the one which proved he is one of the masterminds of Zim Dancehall music, surpassing the fast growing new breeds like Soul Jah Luv and Seh Calaz as his song Love Yemusoja scooped the Song of the Year award at the National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) in 2013 beating Jah Prayzah and Knox for the top accolade.
However, the year 2014 became unfavourable for Sniper, his 2014 album Silver Bullet painted him as a “tired stallion” that just produced the album just for the sake of keeping up his hold in the Zim Dancehall scene as his offering didn’t win hearts of many of his followers.
Was that the decline of Sniper Storm?
A series of stunts trying to revive his career became the order of the day in 2016. During the same year, death rumours about the artiste circulated on different social media platforms stating he lost his life in a car crush, a stunt which didn’t go down well with fans leading to his then manager Chido Musasiwa-Gutu releasing a statement of apology.
“We would like to advise all the Masoja fans that the General is alive and well. There have been such rumours 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,” read his manager’s statement.
With the last phrase of the statement, “ . . . hope we will be together for a very long time”, has turned to be a fictional promise to Sniper’s fans as he is not living up to his promises concluded by the fact that he is not currently active in the local Dancehall fraternity, raising suspicion that perhaps that marks the end of his musical journey.
With such a pledge made publicly, Sniper Storm has to revisit his vows and at least find a way to make a return in the music industry as he has somehow deserted his loyal fans whose ears are longing to listen to new projects that can fulfil the Musoja’s promises.
