Mudiwa, a preacher who happens to rap

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A man with a secret is a man with power.

A man with a secret is a man with power.

BY SILENCE CHARUMBIRA

True or false, it does not matter but at least that is the philosophy according to flamboyant gospel rapper Mudiwa Mutandwa.

That is the reason why most of what is said about him off the stage is all speculative and can never be substantiated.

Would you have ever guessed that colourful socialite Mahwindo and musician Mudiwa Hood Mutandwa are siblings?

Mahwindo’s real name is Wanisai Tendai Mutandwa and is the first born in a family of four where Mudiwa is the last born.

The other two siblings are overseas based Shupikai and local businessman Terrance.

Despite leading starkly different lifestyles, Mudiwa says he is not comfortable talking about other people.

“When I talk about other people that surround me, I risk dragging their names in the mud when I make a mistake,” he said.

“I want to talk about God not other people.”

Although he eventually opened up the musician had worn ashield refusing to talk about his lifestyle.

First it was the name Hood which many thought was a nickname.

His great grandfather was white and his surname was Hood.

“The name Mutandwa was adopted by my grandfather from being a nickname after having separated with his wife because of racism,” he said.

In music circles, particularly to urban groovers, Mudiwa is the guy who sings like Stunner while to the Christian folk he is the pompous young man who sings the gospel of prosperity.

Mudiwa says his musical journey started when he was in college.

“I was a fashion addict and my ego was triggered when someone said Major Playerz was better than me. I had sang in the choir and all but that is when I started singing seriously to prove a point and recorded Girl You Got to Know a reply to Tia’s Boy You Got to Know,” said the musician who prefers to be referred to as a preacher who happens to rap.

He went on to release Mudiwa Ndinokuda in 2005 and a 20 track album When I do what I do in 2006 before going back to school at Africa University where he did a double major in Economics and Psychology and finished in 2008.

“I stopped singing and concentrated on school and went to South Africa the same year where I wanted to do my MSE Economics but left because of the xenophobic attacks. I did my MBA at Africa University between 2010 and 2011 where I was the best student and graduated with a First Class degree,” he said.

“It is then that I realised that I had been having selfish thoughts because I still felt I needed to prove a point. But I did not need to prove a point since God made me the best I am.”

He went on to release Jesu Anodadisa that year before he launched Magnet which announced the arrival of Mudiwa the rapper.

“The launch was attended by over 5 000 people and I sold 2 700 copies that day,” said Mudiwa.

The album earned him eight awards nominations and he bagged four of them.

On his relationship with Apostle Uebert Angel of Spirit Embassy the artist declared: “What he believes in is what I believe in”.

He says his association with Prophet Angel has however, affected his music as he is labelled under him.

“I have failed to perform at some churches because people have connotations they attach to me but I also have a dream to have all churches unite,” said the musician who is engaged to Karen Molly King an IMM student.

The confident musician has no apologies for singing the gospel of prosperity.

He quotes Proverbs 22 verses 6 and 7 which read: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender”.

“When people preach they normally neglect verse 7 and they do not tell us that if we remain poor we will be trampled upon so we better be rich. What is wrong with a Christian dressing in expensive clothes proving that he is being blessed by God?” he quips.

“Do you think if Zimbabwe as a Christian dominated nation had money its citizens would entertain homosexuals who use money?

“This in no way implies that we have forgotten the tools of the devil. Of course people talk about my flamboyant videos and my boastfulness but that is positive confession of what God has done for me.”