Tanzanian gospel singer Joel Lwaga has released a new gospel song, "Nikumbuke", in collaboration with mainstream musician Diamond Platnumz. The song, released on September 23, combines Lwaga's gospel sound with Diamond's Afropop identity. The prayer-themed song focuses on faith, patience, and the experience of waiting for one's breakthrough. The collaboration has attracted significant attention from listeners and reopened a familiar debate within Tanzania's gospel community on whether gospel artistes should collaborate with mainstream musicians.
Veteran gospel singer Bahati Bukuku has questioned the collaboration, citing her spiritual convictions. In a radio interview, Bukuku said she would not collaborate with a secular artiste, believing that light and darkness cannot go together. Her position is based on personal conviction, rather than an attempt to dictate what other artistes should do. Lwaga, however, has pushed back against criticism, saying some Christians are trying to dictate how others should live and practise their faith.
Lwaga defended the collaboration, saying "Gospel is not about the beat, it's about the message." He shifted the debate from who is allowed into gospel music to what ultimately makes a song gospel. This distinction is important, as the debate surrounding "Nikumbuke" raises a broader question about where the boundaries of gospel music begin and end. Lwaga and Diamond are not the first Tanzanian artistes to bring gospel and mainstream music together.
In 2023, gospel artiste Walter Chilambo collaborated with Bongo Flava and R&B singer Juma Jux on "Success", a song built around faith, prayer, blessings, and the pursuit of a better future. Jux, like Diamond, is a Muslim artiste from Tanzania's mainstream music scene, while Chilambo's work is rooted in Christian gospel. This collaboration is particularly relevant to the current debate.
The issue of gospel and mainstream collaborations has international precedent. In 2017, American gospel singer Tasha Cobbs Leonard featured rapper Nicki Minaj on "I'm Getting Ready", a song that topped Billboard's Hot Gospel Songs chart. Minaj, primarily known for mainstream hip-hop, entered a gospel artiste's musical space without changing the song's genre.
The crossover has also happened in the opposite direction. In 2023, Minaj featured Cobbs Leonard on "Blessings", a track from her album Pink Friday 2. This collaboration brought together two artistes whose musical identities had traditionally occupied different spaces. The debate surrounding Lwaga and Diamond's collaboration will likely continue, with some artistes and listeners welcoming the blending of genres and others expressing concerns.
Ultimately, the collaboration between Lwaga and Diamond Platnumz has sparked a necessary conversation about the boundaries of gospel music and the role of mainstream musicians in the genre. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how this collaboration will impact the gospel music scene in Tanzania and beyond.
Key points
- Tanzanian gospel singer Joel Lwaga collaborates with Diamond Platnumz on a gospel song, sparking debate on collaborations between gospel and mainstream musicians.
- The collaboration raises questions about the boundaries of gospel music and whether gospel artistes should work with mainstream musicians.
- The debate has sparked a conversation about the role of mainstream musicians in gospel music and the importance of the message over the beat.
