zoro

Growing up under the oppression and violence of the apartheid system Zoro came to think of himself as a soldier early on in life. His quest was always to sabotage the system and uplift the people. Zolile Matikinca aka Zoro was born in the township of Guguletu outside Cape Town, South Africa. The apartheid regime labeled his adress Native Yard 9. Being the first-born son in a musical family, music came natural. At the age of six he started singing in choirs, but kept listening to his uncles ba...

Growing up under the oppression and violence of the apartheid system Zoro came to think of himself as a soldier early on in life. His quest was always to sabotage the system and uplift the people. Zolile Matikinca aka Zoro was born in the township of Guguletu outside Cape Town, South Africa. The apartheid regime labeled his adress Native Yard 9. Being the first-born son in a musical family, music came natural. At the age of six he started singing in choirs, but kept listening to his uncles banned reggae collection.In 1989 Zoro was shot by a policeman, when he tried to stop the police from hitting a woman. This paralyzed him from the waist and down. Through determination and faith, a year later, he finally got the strength to leave the wheelchair and walk again.Through the nineties Zoro established himself as a major reggae voice in the Cape Province. Together with the Chronic Clan he created a trademark sound of conscious dancehall and R&B from his studio in Guguletu.In August 2003 Zoro went to Sweden to record with the Breakmecanix production team at JuJu Records in Malmoe. After the successes of Timbuktu and Helt Off they started producing Zoros afro reggae inspired album. For three years Zoro recorded songs and performed in virtually every reggae club and on all major reggae festivals in Scandinavia.In 2006 Zoro finished his first solo album Gugs News. The album is a unique blend of roots reggae, dancehall and South African township vibe. The songs on the album reflect Zoros experiences during apartheid as well as during the liberation process. Many of the songs in Zoros native language Xhosa speak about the injustices that are still carried out in contemporary corporate South Africa. Musically Zoros Gugs News is an album that reflects the past as much as the present.