By Nigel Pfunde
Let me start my piece with saying July 7 was Rockford Josphats’ birthday.
Before I continue with my pen to paper or rather fingers to keyboard, let me categorically state that this piece is not an obituary , it’s a living tribute to a man I have had a love-hate relationship with for years.
The common denominator between us is we are soldiers in the same struggle—myself using the pen and him the microphone to build society, shape opinion ,inform ,educate and entertain. Bottom line is he is a superstar!
Alright, no more long talk. Let’s get straight into it.
It was the turn of the millennium when I enrolled at the Harare Poly School of Journalism. Sharing a lecture room with me was a short guy named Tungamirai Mavi famously known as “Tunga T.” of the Mafriq fame.
After class, Tunga T would drag me and my boy Itayi Usaiwevhu over to Galaxy Studios by Margolis Plaza. Ironically, that exact same room later became our office with Zim Morning Post the space hunted by my brother Elias Mambo.
That’s where Tunga T introduced me to the crew who included Roki.
Back then, wannabe artists literally sat on the staircase having buns and frozen cool drinks (mafiriziti) and if lucky that day a few from the other side of Samora would buy them polony and that was their ‘sapatina’.
Today, most of them are certified stars.
Legendary producer Delani Makhalima aka Step Aside wasn’t just letting anyone into the booth just easy. The likes of Ex Q, NME, Plaxedes, Roy and Royce, Nesto, Mud Flava, Dhivha Chifunyise, Decibel,Kuligan and Kalabash, Memo Zaranyika, Sekuru Leonard Mapfumo, Ayanai, Sanii Sniper and so on had already broken through with Delani. .
And then, there was this tall, lanky dude whose nose looked like the late Michael Jackson before the surgery.
His voice was amazing, inimitable and mesmerising.
I turned to Tunga T and asked: “By the way who is that guy ?
He just shot back:
“Roki haumukete here wangu.”
At that time, Roki was practically studio furniture. He was always there in the studio, dropping vocals until he finally locked the right chord with Leonard Mapfumo on a track called Seiko. It had a simple video, but it played on a non-stop loop on our TV screens.
Roki was big before he even became big. He was born great. And no one can ever take that away from him. After that, it was hit after hit. He became a household name -writing hits, featuring on hits and making hits.He was and remains a master hitmaker.
Then, God assigned me to a tabloid newspaper. In our world, celebrity scandals were the ultimate currency like cigarettes at Harare Remand Prison and Roki was one of the ultimate “public property.”
He dominated the front pages for both the good and the bad. To be fair, some of the “scandals” we ran were things a regular guy would easily get away with. But because it was Roki… he sold newspapers!
Naturally, no one smiles at the journalist who writes “bad” press about them. But as the clock ticked, we developed a naturalised relationship. Tunga T was our mutual force. We became a movement operating in different art realms with different tools of the trade, with him with the microphone, me with the pen.
The man became a dad at a young age and named his daughter Sky. He probably knew there was no limit for her. She has grown into an amazing lady with incredible leadership skills. I remember her mum mentioning that she was a head girl at school. But what do you expect from a daughter of two stars? The genealogy of stardom must be maintained!
But this piece is about Roki, not his family, so let me pivot back. Roki’s undeniable talent couldn’t escape the former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s eyes and ears. She was the patron of Danhiko College where he performed, and she deeply appreciated his craft and chipped in with a lil’ ‘something’ (know what I mean!) . This pushed Roki to build his own studio, Washen Basket Records.
After the Delani era, he was part of the powerhouse crew that pioneered the legendary Chamhembe movement. The studio was housed at Tatenda Jenami aka Take 5’s family house in Greendale. Most people don’t know this: Roki’s Midas Touch was all over those massive hit songs. He literally lived there in the studio.The man lives and eats music.
Then came his massive continental breakthrough that was Big Brother Africa 2012. He became an absolute darling across Africa. Then, disaster struck! An altercation with fellow Zimbabwean housemate Maneta Mazanhi led to a double disqualification. Hearts were broken nationwide. Personally, I still think Maneta provoked him for too long in the Big Brother house and pushed him right over the edge.
By the way, Maneta was one of the first socialites or celebrities to be publicly gifted with a car by born philanthropist Sir Wicknel- a spanking Mini Cooper that was then popular on the flick Italian Job – but he kept it in the down low and I guess it was naturally the satisfaction and fulfilment of a giving heart!
Lets go on, Roki has nine lives like a cat he never gives up even when the brow is hot.I guess the script of his life is that of a main actor who never dies.
In recent years, he linked up with one of Africa’s greatest music icons, Koffi Olomide, through a Prophet Passion Java deal with Java Records. The track became an instant club banger.
Look, I know we have a dearth of reading culture in Zim right now, so I’ll cut it short before I lose you dear reader but I know if unless this piece was an obscene visual skit on social media reels, you would stay glued with earphones on .
To wrap it up, I asked the birthday boy about his game plan now that he’s turned another year older. He teased:
”We are entering Primetime so let’s just say a lot of the expected moves and a few unexpected moves.”
Lately, he’s teamed up with other top Urban Groovers for a nationwide tour, and it is working wonders. I asked him if this was a total rebranding. He completely shut it down:
”Its simple refresh,rebrand is for those who cant live with past mistakes.Rebrand is an extreme version of what Im up . I’m to just, its building it (brand) with stronger bricks not knocking down previous structures, brand rinovakwa nevene varo,I know Im public property,”.
Thirty-eight years on this earth, and Roki is still going strong
Happy belated birthday bruv and remain loyal to the game!
