GZE Spotlights the Harsh Reality for Many Zimbabweans in Hondo NeRudo
Song Details
Song Title: Hondo NeRudo
Artist: GZE
Genre: Hip Hop/Rap
ISRC: ZA-56E-22-01358
[Look at Borrowdale Brooke then look at Matapi flats - Mbare.
If you want to see the truth of our situation, cross the train tracks
Politics, religion, scare tactics
Mastering causing panic just to control the masses]
“Tarisa Brooke, hona Matapi
If you want to see the proof crossa njanji
Politics, religion, mascare tactics
Skiri yekukonzera panic zvitire controlla mamasses”
These are the sombre lines that veteran rapper GZE opens in his lead single from Chekera. Using his witty wordplay and skills as the street's disciple, GZE paints a vivid picture of the struggles that the average Zimbabwean confronts on a daily basis.
The sobering and poignant Hondo Nerudo also features lines that discuss the mental health issues plaguing youths who are gravitating toward substance abuse in staggering amounts.
[Hunger is the killer, looking for a grudge
A person doesn't have a job, he has epilepsy
Saying he has a demon, God send an angel
I feel like crying, like an orphan that's lonely]
“Nzara ndiyo mhondi, Kungotsvaga daka
Munhu haana mugoni, Anga aine pfari
Hanzi ane dhimoni, Mwari tumirai ngirozi
Ndirikunzwa kuchema, Kwenherera iri lonely”
Hondo NeRudo is the first single off GZE’s debut solo album Chekera. The video was directed by Sparkplug Media featuring first-hand accounts from the subjects of the song’s lyrics.
About the Artist
Resilience Chekera is undoubtedly one of Zimbabwe’s longest-running and most respected lyricists. Going by his more popular moniker - GZE his career has spanned 2 decades that have seen him win multiple awards and rise to the top as both a solo and group artist. His deep raspy voice and impressive penchant for using Zimbabwean street language and marrying it with complex metaphors have earned him a dedicated cult following amongst a wide swathe of Hip Hop fans.
His career began in the early 2000s as part of the Urban Grooves trio aptly titled 3rinity (Trinity). The group comprised of GZE, Vito and Andrew Msonzah. Melding Hip Hop with a number of genres such as R&B, Rock and the burgeoning Urban Grooves sound, they quickly captured the attention of culture. This culminated in the group’s song Jesa being featured on the cult classic Chamhembe Plus compilation album. This song was also part of their critically acclaimed debut album Ini Iye, Naye that also featured hits such as Wadiwa Wepamoyo and Nditore.
After this, GZE took a break from the limelight to focus on his education and career, but music remained an integral part of his life as he built a home studio where he would record. In 2013 he officially came out of retirement with the release of the star-studded single Vroom Vroom. It featured Zim Hip Hop pioneer Jnr Brown and was produced by one of the founders of the Urban Groove movement - Take 5ive. The song went on to achieve number 1 status across all Zimbabwean radio stations and was followed up by Imnhandu, John Bhuru, and Stabhai Kupratta which all achieved incredible radio and popular reception. This was cemented when Imhandu won Verse of The Year at the Zim Hip Hop Awards and Stabhai Kupratta won Song Of The Year at the StarFM Awards.
As a savvy businessman GZE released these singles and various mixtapes independently, they sold thousands of copies via a mobile money platform.
In 2021 he released the single and video for Muchinjikwa which speaks to the social issues plaguing Zimbabwe today. Now in 2022 GZE is preparing for the release of his debut solo album Chekera via his new management and label Point Black Africa.