Baba Harare Accuses Churches Of Exploiting Gospel Musicians

Musician Baba Harare has accused some churches and promoters of exploiting gospel musicians by failing to honour payment agreements, warning that such practices are crippling the growth of the gospel industry.

In a candid statement shared on Facebook this week, the “The Reason Why” hitmaker said he had taken a break from secular shows over the past year to focus solely on ministering at gospel events.

While he praised the spiritual impact of gospel concerts, he said the financial realities were “a different story.” He wrote:

“Too many times I’ve been booked to minister at church events and conferences, only to struggle afterwards to recover even my basic expenses.

“Often, people hide under the idea that because you’re ministering for the Kingdom, payment ‘shouldn’t matter.’

“But let’s be honest: I am not only a Christian, I am also a human being and an artist.

“This is my work, my livelihood, and I need to survive beyond the stage.”

Baba Harare contrasted his experiences in the gospel industry with the secular music scene, where he said payment issues were almost unheard of. He said:

“In the secular industry, I’ve never once had an issue with payment. In the gospel industry, it happens far too often.”

The singer, whose real name is Braveman Chizvino, gave a recent example of performing at a church event last Friday.

He said he did not charge a performance fee but only requested US$200 to cover fuel and expenses.

Instead of receiving support, he claimed he was met with “rudeness” and mockery, with organisers calling him a “comrade” rather than a “brother in Christ.” Said Baba Harare:

“This is not Kingdom behaviour. This is not how we build each other.

“And it’s one of the reasons the gospel industry struggles to move forward — lack of respect, lack of accountability, and non-payment of artists.”

Baba Harare stressed that his intention was not to attack anyone but to spark an honest conversation about the treatment of gospel musicians.

He urged promoters, churches and organisers to “do better,” honour their word, and respect artists as both ministers and professionals. He added:

“If we really want the gospel genre to grow, to travel, and to stand strong, we need to treat gospel artists with dignity and fairness.

“This is not just ‘singing.’ It is ministry, but it is also a business.”