GP: ‘Gangster’ with a big heart
By Bongani Ndlovu
Israel Matseke Zulu popularly known as the Ghetto Professor (GP) is known for his characters of a hard hearted mean gangster in South African television dramas but under all that menacing appearance is a man with a big heart for the young.
GP was in Bulawayo to shoot a music video for a track produced by award winning DJ Skaiva called Fakalento by Plumtree duo of RS (Sims Ncube) and Tsibi (Sunday Mukandawire) at The Vista on Saturday afternoon. GP’s visit was organised by Toundtainment Events.
Known for his hard hitting characters as a bad guy or gangster in dramas such as Gaz’lami, Yizo Yizo and Isibaya, GP said he wanted young people to look up to him not the gangsters he looked up to in Alexandra when he grew up.
“When I grew up I chose gangsters as role models because they drove big cars, had mansions, loads of money and they are worshipped. I look at the person who I wanted to be I wasn’t inspired. This is because the gangsters died poor. So I want to leave that legacy that being an actor you can be rich like the person who does cash in transit heists. Or as a musician they can be worshipped as they worship gangsters. That’s the legacy that I want to leave in this world with my career,” said GP.
Also known as Ma Orange, the actor who is an ex-convict said the reason he was in Zimbabwe was to uplift the young stars’ careers by featuring in a music video with them.
“The greatest reason that made me come here is to uplift the future stars. I’m here to give them exposure and a chance to rub shoulders with an icon such as I. So with this video we are doing it for the exposure of the young boys in the video.
“No American will come down and give them that exposure. So we should do it for ourselves as Africans. I’d be happy if one day watching television there’s a young person from Plumtree a musician or DJ or actor saying that I was helped by Israel. It’ll be such a great feeling,” said GP.
Asked why he always plays a gangster, GP said he wanted to hopefully influence such people to change their lives as his characters mirror reality.
“With the characters that I play, I want them to be a mirror for anyone who is living the life to see that what they are doing is bad,” said GP.
After the music video shoot GP travelled to Plumtree for a Pledge a Pad campaign in the evening organised by Toundtainment Events. The Chronicle
