The Sunday Mail
Tariro Charandura
CONVENTIONAL wisdom says one should not mix business with pleasure, but how about academic excellence and a career in music?
“School is an opportunity and music is a career, so the two will never collide,” reasons Shaun Chiputwa, a singer and songwriter who is juggling hip-hop and a degree in banking and finance at the Midlands State University.
Commonly known in his circles as Shauzy, the 20-year-old is taking Zim hip-hop to another level. Born and bred in Harare, the upcoming artiste’s music journey began “before I realised I had an ability to write (songs) and handle the microphone”. “I did my primary education at St Martins Convent School before enrolling at St Michaels for my secondary education. It was in secondary that my interest in music grew.
“However, I had to wait till my days at Morgan High School in Arcadia, that I became popular as a music person. That is where I got most of my fans I must say,” narrated Chiputwa.
Chiputwa has no musical background, no one in his family has tried their hand at the craft, yet he believes he was born to do music.
“I am the last born in a family of three, two boys and a girl, and I am also the pioneer of music in the Chiputwa family,” he said. He lives in Sunningdale, a place popular for its backyard studios, where no doubt, Chiputwa got his inspiration.
His journey began in 2013 as he battled with friends over music shows and rap contests.
“In 2013 I was all about writing songs but I never got a chance to pour it out and make a real track till the rap shows began. I only started visiting studios in 2014, which is when I got familiar with the stuff that goes on before a hit is created.” Chiputwa then joined Team Foxes, an underground hip-hop group, which was to catapult him to recording artiste status at the Young Games Entertainment in late 2015.
He released a series of singles and featured on several songs, which got played on local radio stations. His singles include “Awesome God”, “Grind and Pray” and “Doc Gumbura”, to name just a few. Shauzy went on to release a song with Ishy X, another upcoming hip-hop artiste in Zimbabwe. He says he has not had enough time to do as many collaborations as he would like as he divides his time between the college library and the studio.
Shauzy confesses that besides being in the studio, he is also a bookworm, which leaves him with no time for delinquency. He acknowledges that many youths of his age have been lost to alcohol abuse and drugs, a problem that has robbed the country of many gifted young men, but has never been a problem for him.
“The studio is like my second home and my books are the bed that I lie on when I get home said the young artiste. But given a situation where I have to choose then I will opt for the studio.
“However, these two will never clash for me. I believe I am one of the best rap artistes of the new school in Zimbabwe and I praise the Almighty for that. As for pursuing school – I believe it has made me write mature songs,” he said.
He added: “I am planning different things for 2017, expect more collaborations, maybe an album by year end if all goes well and videos to all my singles. I have already started working on some songs that will make up my album. Some of the songs will be gospel songs because I am a church person, in fact, ndiri mwana weminana (I’m a miracle child), I always find my identity by singing both gospel and worldly songs.”
Shauzy’s hit, “Grind and Pray”, was released last month and its popularity has made him consider making a music video. He says his family has been very supportive in both his studies and music career.
“The Chiputwa family is my biggest fan base and this I know because of the endless support from school fees to studio bookings for me, I greatly appreciate that.”
