Music should inspire, not corrupt

Music has always been a universal language - healing, teaching and uplifting communities across generations. In Zimbabwe, it remains one of the most powerful avenues for youth expression and empowerment. Yet, amid this artistic vibrancy, an unsettling shift has taken root: the increasing glorification of drugs, vulgarity and sexual obscenity in popular music.

Genres such as Zimdancehall and hip-hop, once vehicles for storytelling and social commentary, now too often trade meaning for mischief. The drive for viral fame on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram has blurred the line between art and anarchy. What was once music for the soul has in some corners become a contest of shock value.

Parents can no longer play many of today's chart-topping tracks in family settings. Teachers complain that learners mimic indecent lyrics in class. What we are witnessing is not just a lapse in taste - it is a cultural drift eroding moral consciousness.

Social media has democratised music, but it has also dismantled the filters that once ensured decency. Songs that promote drug use and sexual promiscuity are now accessible to children at the tap of a screen. The result is a generation normalising rebellion and indulgence, often mistaking profanity for creativity.

But musicians are not mere entertainers; they are influencers of thought and architects of culture. Their words carry power - to inspire discipline or to destroy it. Those who uphold decency and integrity in their craft prove that it is possible to be both relevant and respectable.

We commend artistes who still sing about hope, love, perseverance and faith - those who remind society that music can move crowds without losing conscience. They deserve greater support from broadcasters, promoters and audiences alike.

It is also time for parents, educators and cultural leaders to step in - not with censorship, but with guidance and conversation. Young listeners must be taught to differentiate between art that builds and art that breaks.

Zimbabwe's music industry stands at a crossroads. Will it continue chasing fleeting trends built on obscenity, or will it reclaim its role as a moral compass and a mirror of national dignity?

True artistry does not shock; it shapes. It does not corrupt; it cultivates. Let our musicians choose the higher path - where beats meet wisdom, and lyrics become lessons for life.