Dembo’s songs are not up for grabs: Widow demands respect for his legacy
Leonard Dembo, affectionately known as “Musorowenyoka”, Zimbabwe’s beloved musician, left behind a legacy that continues to inspire, but his widow, Eunice Dembo, has sent a strong message to musicians, warning them against remixing her late husband’s songs without permission, in a bid to protect his legacy and ensure respect for his original work.
The warning comes after a popular Zimdancehall artist, Silent Killer, released a remix of Dembo’s hit song “Musha Rudziiko” without seeking permission from the Dembo family.
The remix won praise from fans, but Eunice believes it falls short of capturing the essence of her husband’s iconic original.
In a recent video, she voiced her dismay over artists who assume they can utilize her late husband’s music without permission, solely due to his passing, emphasizing that her family’s intention is not to provoke conflict, but rather to safeguard his legacy and ensure it receives the respect it deserves.
The Dembo family has reminded musicians that if they wish to perform or remix any of Dembo’s songs, they should first seek permission from his sons, Tendai and Morgan. The family’s concerns highlight the importance of respecting the intellectual property rights of artists, even after they have passed away.
This is not the first time that issues of music ownership and permission have sparked controversy in Zimbabwe. In February this year, Pastor Charles Charamba was involved in a copyright dispute with Jah Signal over the songs “Shinga Muroora” and “Tengai Mafuta”, which Charamba claimed were unauthorized remixes of his own work.
