able to use it before I put any
songs on radio. And I actually
proved him wrong and he was
impressed, and commended that
I learnt faster than most of his
students; so he told me to go
ahead. After that I let out “Iwe”
and a lot of stuff, although people
didn’t know about it because I
was getting low rotation. But I
released a single this year, which
has been crazy with people,
apparently called, “Fourth-Copa
Cabana”. The song aims at people
from different demographics and
it’s catchy. It’s intention is to
catch people’s attention firstly by
the topic, secondly by the music
and lastly by the words.
GM.: Any highlights from your
music career?
share with my father, “Augustine”;
so the “tin” part of “tingz”.
Something like that; it was just a
way of remembering my father and
just do the music in that honour.
GM.: So we got a feel of your
music last year with your song
“Iwe” making waves on radio.
How long have you been in the
music business?
Rontingz: I started last year. I
actually started with producing,
with the help of my brother. I will
give him all the credit, because if it
wasn’t for him I would have been
producing a lot of rubbish. When
he came back from Australia, he
asked me to show him what I can
do, so I showed him and he was
not impressed, so he said, “Let me
show you how to make real
music.” So he taught me how to
use Logic 9, very complicated
software for producers to use. I
spent two years just learning. I
mastered it and my brother
wanted me to show him that I was
16
Rontingz: No! I’ve performed at
a couple of shows but the hard
thing is that people hardly know
you, and they will be like who is
this guy. They applaud you at the
of the end of the show because
they appreciate that you are
good, however they don’t know
you. For you to actually connect
with people, they need to know
the song, because the actual
frenzy, comes from people
singing-along with what you are
delivering. You don’t want to be
singing and have people looking
at you and having a certain
attitude. People might say, you
might be good but you haven’t
marketed your song, you haven’t
put your music through radio. I
gave my stuff to every radio
station but I need them to have
my music on rotation. Highlights
not yet. But this year I’m going to
make my highlights. I’m going to
paint the city red.
GM.: So coming from a musical
family and having a very
successful older brother, do
Groove Magazine Zimbabwe
you feel any pressure to
prove yourself as your own
artist?
Rontingz: Well, it’s not an
element of being compared
because he’s R&B and I’m hip
hop. I’m creating my own
path. He started from outside
going in, I’m starting from
here. So in as much . It’s not a
competition between me and
my brother; it’s a competition
between us as Zimbabweans.
He’s the one who helped me
get to where I am, so it’s not a
matter of competing against
him yet. Maybe after ten years
when I’m experienced. I
believe that’s what makes a
star. By being yourself! It’s
about what you are achieving
instead of trying to override
someone or what they have
done. It’s about loving what
you do when you are doing it.
So my brother might have
world achievements, world
recognition from Sony BMG,
but he is actually my role
model. It’s much like a father
and a son; I’m watching him.
But if he’s better, he’s better!
I’m doing hip hop; he’s doing
R&B. We are planning on
doing a mixed album, a joint
venture and probably see
who’s better.
GM.: We now know you as a
rapper but do you sing, and
do you play any instruments?
Rontingz: I can sing on a good
day. (Laughs). Sometimes I
have to sing especially on
choruses, I have to pluck up
my choir voice. I was part of
the choir in school although it
was considered whack.
Anyway, I can sing on a good
day. I also can play the
keyboard and guitar. I am still