Due to the passage of time, music followers have forgotten about the existence of the name Mbekezeli Mpofu, aka PoZee. His yesteryear hits such as Hamba Nobani and Uthando are now souvenirs in fans’ music catalogues while the architect is “dead”.
By Sindiso Dube
The Bulawayo-born artiste, who was 19 years old when he hogged the limelight alongside his sister Sku with their 2005 hit track Hamba Nobani during the urban grooves era, has taken a swipe at “greedy” promoters and record labels of that period, saying they contributed to his demise.
In 2005, PoZee worked with Metro Records and cited some irregularities over how his music was being distributed. He moved to ZMC/Gramma Records in 2007 where he said he never got a single cent.
“Back then, I was very young and lacked experience and guidance. We had bad guys as promoters and record label owners who were after money. they didn’t have artistes’ interests at heart. We didn’t have people around us who wanted to see us grow, they only wanted to milk money from us,” he said.
“That said, we can’t cry over spilt milk. I am now grown-up, experienced and educated by the harsh conditions in the arts industry and the economy. I now have a foundation and brand that I have built in the past years and it’s just a matter of continuing from where I left off.”
PoZee and his sister Sku boast of their own record label, Kas-No-Valo Entertainment, which they say was a move to eliminate the problems they faced on the come-up. “The same problems I faced my sister Sku faced too. That’s why we decided to register our own company and do our own promotions in a bid to eliminate the problems we faced in the past. We are not doing this just for fun, but to leave a legacy and to educate, motivate and inspire young and upcoming artistes,” he said.
After all the years being lost in the jungle, the kwaito musician says he still has what it takes to reign supreme in the cut-throat industry.
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“I believe I am one of the best artistes in Zimbabwe. I have a unique style and approach to music, my music is doing well on local radio stations in Bulawayo. It’s been a long sabbatical, but it doesn’t mean I had hung the microphone, I was pursuing other entrepreneurial and business ventures and also taking time with my baby boy,” he said.
PoZee said he was working on his third album titled Feel Good. surprisingly he once revealed to our sister paper Southern Eye in 2013 that his third album Feel Good was complete and ready for the market, but till now he is yet to deliver.
“What happened is that after announcing my forthcoming album in 2013 I sat down with my producer P2daoh and we agreed to remake the music, so now he is mastering the new stuff and we have released a few tracks from the album,” he said.
“I featured Thandy Dhlana Jele, Lady Eef, MUSE and Shoemaker Mostaf on the album, but I am looking forward to adding more names. The album is a mixed bag of old skool, kwaito, hip-hop, house, Gqom and Afro pop. Feel Good is self-explanatory,” he said.
“I just want people to experience the good life of PoZee as a kwaito artiste. I will have a few songs that will touch on my personal life, some of hope while others are motivational and party songs.”
The 32-year-old musician has two albums — Kas-Lami and Mina leKwaito.
