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Blackmore Mavura Arts Correspondent
FORGOTTEN rapper and former popular Channel O video jockey Hechechamunorwa Mount Zion Kwenda aka Mizchief, who has been quiet for a long time battling tuberculosis, is back in the studio and planning to release a 14-track album and videos by the end of the year.

Mizchief, is one of the few Zimbabwean rappers and presenters to make it big in South Africa, where he was part of the legendary team of VJs at Channel O that included Mbuso, Kabelo, Miss Candy among others before he was unceremoniously booted
out of the station under unclear circumstances.

Mizchief presented hip-hop news on the Johannesburg radio station YFM and was also a video jockey on “Nasty”, a very popular hip-hop show on M-Net music channel, Channel O. The talented and gruffy voiced rapper blames his exit from South Africa on xenophobia, saying some South African musicians and presenters forced Channel O to release him because he was Zimbabwean and was accused of taking away jobs meant for the locals.

“There was a clique in South Africa that included powerful celebrities like Bob Mabena who were against the ascendency of outsiders in the arts sector in South Africa, and also to the success I was enjoying as a presenter and rapper. They forced my way out. However, that is now water under the bridge as I’m now happy to be at home.

“Also, I have been quiet as I have been battling tuberculosis but I am now okay and very busy in the studio recording a new album which is already done and just awaiting a few touch-ups. This is going to be a bomb as music is my life,” said Mizchief.

Mizchief says he is also holding live shows under the banner of “The Rhymes I Wrote” together with other rappers like Dizzy Don, Tricky T, J Boss and others and so far the response they are getting from the public is great.

Mizchief was born and raised in Highfield, before he moved to Syracuse, New York, at the age of 12 where he hooked up with a crew, Soul Pack, and began rapping.

He moved to South Africa at 18, where he released his debut album “Life From All Angles” in 1999 on Eargasm                                               Records.

It was well received and had classics like “Place for a Wife” and “Fashionable” which at the time got constant airplay on several TV music channels across Africa.

Mizchief later teamed up with Mavusana from kwaito group Oda Meeste, for the album “Summertime” on Ghetto Ruff records which had the infectious title hit “Summertime”.

His next album “Supernatural” was released in September 2003 and featured the hit song “Wonderful World” which sampled Satchmo’s song of the same name and was nominated for the Best Hip-Hop Album at the 2003 South African Music Awards, before he was forced to relocate back home, where he had a short stint as a presenter with another rapper Mr Rims on ZBCTV before he went into a long hiatus.