GZE Interview In The Standard - Resilience drives Chekera to stardom
Khumbulani Muleya recently interviewed GZE in a long winding conversation that appeared in the Zimbabwean weekly newspaper called The Standard. Part of that article was edited for brevity. However, the full edit is available below
Resilience Chekera, also known as GZE, is undoubtedly one of Zimbabwe’s longest-running and most respected lyricists. His career has spanned 2 decades of winning multiple awards and rising to the top as both a solo and group artist. His career began in the early 2000s as part of the Urban Grooves trio 3rinity. He is now preparing for the release of his debut solo album Chekera via his new management and label Point Black Africa. He speaks to Khumbulani Muleya (KM).
It's a hot and humid Harare afternoon, the sun is breaking through the rain clouds that blessed the city with some much-needed water just a few hours earlier. I wait at an uptown bar to meet with GZE over lunch to talk about his recent resurgence and return to music.
He arrives soon after my drink arrived dressed in all black. Even if I didn't recognize his face his style and aura immediately give off the swagger and energy of a veteran artist with the style to show for it. I compliment his clothes and he shares that it's from his own clothing store located in the CBD. He walks with a laboured limp and when I ask he shares that it was a result of a devasting car accident that almost took his life. "I've been in rehabilitation for the last 2 years. I can finally walk on my own. Feels good to not need a walking stick" he remarks with a smile on his face as he rubs his thigh.
"I was couldn't walk and I was in a depression. That's when I just started writing again." He shares when I ask why he decided to return to music, despite having a regular income and his own business endeavours. "I don't do music for the money. This is my passion. I started writing and recording the songs that would eventually become Freestyle Fridays and I couldn't stop. We eventually settled on the ones I've released, but I still have 40 more songs"
Our shared passion for the creative arts fueled what became a long-winding conversation about his career, his goals and new music
KM: You've been involved in the hip-hop scene for two decades. What has the game taught you?
GZE: I have learnt production skills, composition, arrangement and how to make music that transcends genres and cultures. When I started out with 3rinity I was a lot younger. We didn’t have much experience in terms of figuring out music composition, arrangements and things of that nature. I was blessed to begin with a group of brothers Kelvin Tapi and Andrew Msonzah who had a rich musical background. At that time I was just listening to Hip Hop, RnB and Soul music but they would go as deep as Rock n Roll, Jazz and Country music. They found a way to synthesise all of those sounds to create a unique product.
KM: How has your music changed over time?
GZE: Change is always a consequence of time, anything and everything is eventually going to evolve. The sound has changed. Pop culture now revolves around Afro Beats, Trap and Drill with a spice of Dancehall. I try to make it a point that my audience relates with my origins.
KM: How much influence has local culture had on your music? What is your relationship with Zimbabwe’s music tradition?
GZE: In the beginning, we went out of our way to sound foreign. We were B.E.T and MTV babies. There is a point where we departed from our roots because we thought artists like Tupac, JZ and BIG were the coolest. As I grew up and started making music I realised that the music we were making at the time was not a true representation of our environment.
The departure point that brought me back to my culture was with 3rinity when we did the Jesa record. My grandmother loved the song and was proud of it because she could identify with it. That's when I understood that if you develop something recognisable and associated with your culture everyone ends up being your audience.
KM: You released the single ‘Ka That So’ featuring Takura which follows on from the release of ‘Hondo Nerudo’. What would you say about your most recent project?
GZE: Hondo Nerudo is a record that I feel was very important for me to release because I am a highly conscious person who is very conscious of my environment, the people around me and our way of life. Currently, there are so many social ills that appear to have no cure. I see a variety of issues, including drug abuse, prostitution, poverty and the fate of orphans; some of these observations are from personal attachments having been orphaned at a young age. I believe these are the songs that can produce a beneficial change in the way we think in the community.
KM: What informed your decision to have Takura in this collaboration?
GZE: I've previously collaborated with Takura on his song titled Ndini Ndinaye. I appreciate his professional work ethic. He asked me to add a verse to it. The song went on to be the second-biggest track on that particular album. Takura was the only person that came to mind when I was working on Ka That So. The song is essentially a fun record that brags about how hard you should work at whatever you do in order to stand out. It’s about that extra push.
KM: Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
GZE: My musical influences are very odd. I would say, Tracy Chapman, Jim Reeves, Tupac, Miles Davis, Nina Simone and more. I actually don’t listen to hip-hop as much laughing. I am also inspired by local music, Oliver Mtukudzi, Soul Jah Love, Paul Matavire, and Thomas Mapfumo. I also like what Nutty O is doing.
KM: Let’s talk about “Freestyle Fridays”
GZE: Over a year ago I broke my leg in an accident, had surgery and had to stay in the hospital for a while. I couldn't go to work or the studio for a long time. When I got home, as part of my rehabilitation I decided to set up a studio and immediately began recording. This is pretty much where I recorded the Chekera album. Freestyle Fridays was just me trying to get back into the swing of things because I had been out of action for over a year. This was just a way of getting back on rotation and prepping for releases.
I also had lots of music in my vaults so I created the franchise “Freestyle Fridays” as a way of reintroducing myself back to the craft and also drumming up numbers on my social media platforms.
KM: At one point you took a break from music, why?
GZE: I was doing a media programme you know how it is with school and assignments. It was not balancing out too well so I put the music on pause for a while. I try to be a jack of all trades and not focus on one thing because I believe I am capable of so much.
KM: How do you balance your day job and music - why do you feel the need to do both?
GZE: Well, currently I don’t make too much money with music but bills need to be paid. Actually, music costs money, you need to invest in it, you also need revenue streams. It’s always a good thing for anyone chasing a passion to have a stable source of income that allows them to pursue their dreams and other goals.