Mawiza honours footy star Tsodzo

By Bongani Ndlovu

Football legend Chipo Tsodzo has been eulogised through a track titled, Chipo Tsodzo by Bulawayo Kwaito rapper Mawiza who says he was inspired by the football star’s versatility during his hey days on the field of play.

Mawiza, real name Wisdom Moyo, is signed under Kontrol Tribe — a record label headed by Cal Vin and the song was recorded at the studio situated in Luveve. The song has been receiving heavy rotation on Skyz Metro FM and Khulumani FM.

Regarded as a utility player, Chipo Tsodzo turned out for the now defunct Zimbabwe Saints, then Masvingo United, Zimbabwe football giants Highlanders, Quelaton, Mwana Africa back again to Highlanders before he hung his boots in 2011. He has been capped many times turning out for the national football team —the Warriors.

Mawiza said as a young man he was inspired by Chipo Tsodzo who turned from being a striker to a defender.

He said life in this day and age needed one to be a jack of all trades.

“Chipo Tsodzo is a football legend who played for Highlanders and Zimbabwe Saints. This is just me honouring him and in the song l’m likening myself to him. We all know that Chipo could play every position. He was versatile. When he realised he was no longer a prolific striker, he switched and became a defender. In the song I’m saying I’m versatile like Chipo. As a youth in Zimbabwe you have to be versatile to survive. You have to find different ways of making money,” said Mawiza.

The Entumbane-born artiste said Chipo Tsodzo was so impressed with the song that he wanted to drop a few lines on it.

“I wanted to let him hear the song before releasing it. So I took him to the studio a day before the release date for him to listen to the song. He liked the song and that’s when we decided that it would be great if he drops a few lines,” said Mawiza.

“It was an honour working with him. Making a song about a legend and actually featuring the same legend in a song, there’s no greater feeling than that.”

And Mwaiza is making money off the song as he says a lot of people have been buying the track for $1.
The man the track is about Tsodzo, also known as Jack Roller in football circles, said he met Mawiza at Grassroots Soccer during volunteer work.

“Mawiza and I clicked the moment we started working together at Grassroots Soccer. He said he liked my style of play and being versatile on the field. So one day he came to me telling me that he has produced a song about me. I liked it and then decided to add a few lines,” said Tsodzo.

The assistant coach at Zifa Southern Region Division One side Zim Leopards said he liked the song’s message that people should be versatile in their lives.

“In life, we all need to be able to adapt to whatever situation that you find yourself in. Like me in my playing career, I changed from being a striker and then a midfielder and a defender later. This was for me to stay in football for the longest possible time,” said Tsodzo. The Chronicle