Born Tatenda Jenami, Zimbabwean rapper, musician and mega producer, Take Fizzo is a kingmaker in his own right. He started off his career back in the late nineties during the rise of urban grooves. Take Fizzo is the producer responsible for producing the Chamhembe Volume 1 and 2 albums which featured artists such as Roki, M’afriq and 3rinity. The albums has woven itself into the tapestry of Zimbabwe’s musical brilliance.

Throughout his illustrious career, Take Fizzo has worked with towering artists such as Ammara Brown, David Chifunyise, ExQ, Leonard Mapfumo and Diana Samukange. Now, twenty years after the release of the first Chamhembe phenomenon, the talented artist is doing it again. Bringing together artists from yester-year and newer artists, he has produced the ‘Chamhembe Zvakare’ album.

We caught up with him to talk about the recent release and his career in music. ^{* KM – Kudzai Mhangwa, TF – Take Fizzo}

KM: Thank you so much for agreeing to be part of this. For those who should know or who don’t know, who is Take Fizzo?

TF: Tatenda Jenami aka Tke Fizo or Take 5 is a producer, artist, songwriter and DJ, the man behind multiple hits including ‘Happy’ by Tehn Diamond, ‘Madrinks’ by Jnr Brown, ‘Imhandu’ and ‘Wadiwa; by Trinity, ‘Mazirudo’ by ExQ,’Ndizvo chete’ by M’afriq, ‘Chidzoka’ by Roki, ‘Uriroja’ by Xtra Large and many more.

An award-winning producer winning awards since 2001, with productions that have won awards becoming chart hits and making history. He was part of the award-winning group Few Kings with Tehn Diamond and Jnr Brown. The versatile maestro has topped Zimbabwean charts in different genres over the past 25 years. As a Zimbabwean musician and music producer whose main ambition is to leave a timeless mark.

KM: You mentioned how you had your start by calling in to rap on a late-night radio show. Would you say that was your big break?

TF: Yes, I would say that was my biggest break given the existent environment at the time regarding the music industry out urban music was gaining momentum, so the late-night radio show was the catalyst.

KM: When you finally decided to be a musician, how did your family take it?

TF: It was a mixed situation there was tremendous support from my mother and as for my father he was worried. There was much encouragement to continue focusing on school more than anything.

KM: You came up back in the late 1990s and early 2000s when urban grooves came up. Did you know that you were making music that was revolutionary at the time?

TF: At the time I had no idea that the music I was making was having an impact on the whole country. I was a young man who was having fun and expressing myself through music.

KM: You are also the mastermind behind the ‘Chamembe’ volume 1 and 3 albums. How did you get all of those artists to be part of that project? How easy or hard was it?

TF: Chamhembe was a movement of young people that wanted to express themselves and tell their stories through music. We had established ‘That Squad’ which was the home of Chamhembe and we had recorded then my sister suggested we put the songs together to create a compilation and we put that together, the rest is history. The artists were recording and part of the Chamhembe movement hence it was easy to compile what we did into the compilations that then changed the urban landscape.

KM: How was it getting the music on the radio?

TF: Getting music on the radio was never easy at the time as there was a few radio stations. And at the time we had Radio 3 (now Power FM) that was based in Gweru so we had to get in the car as a group to go and submit the music to Gweru so it wasn’t easy.

KM: How was it like experiencing such success at a young age?

TF: It was quite great; it came with it lots of lessons and experiences that propelled me ahead than a lot of peers around. I was doing what I loved and creating soundtracks that was quite game changing.

KM: Now the latest Chamhembe album came out a little while ago ‘Chamhembe Zvakare’, twenty years after the first album was released! Why was now the best time to put this album out?

TF: It’s been two weeks since we put what I believe is arguably one of the best albums of 2024. The project is to mark twenty years of timeless music since we released which was in 2004. So, the ideal move in reflecting on this milestone was to release a project to commemorate that.

KM: Tell us more about the project.

TF: ‘Chamhembe Zvakare’ is a historic project that seeks to bring back the original Chamhembe sound that people love and celebrate the journey of producing timeless classics, winning awards and creating soundtracks for the country. The project brings together the Old and New School with chart topping hits.

KM: You also brought in artists from the original albums and artists from ‘today’. Why that decision?

TF: It was noble to reflect on the journey given that we have walked the journey. So bringing both the old and new was noble so we have Roki, Cindy Munyavi, 3rinity, M’afriq, Nembobwoy managed to bring back David Chifunyise with the new school we have Zinarayah, Lee McHoney, Scarzz, Asaph and Bryan K.

KM: How would you compare music then versus music now?

TF: I believe music has evolved and grown. It’s good to see that there has been progression ever since we started that has made it outstanding in a way. I am grateful to see that some of the seeds we planted are bearing much fruit.

KM: A big congratulations on this triumphant new project. What are your final words to our readers?

TF: Stream the new album CLICK HERE