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Lizzy Nekhoma, Online Writer

Gqi Umfanufikile is a 31-year-old hip-hop artist from Gwanda, Zimbabwe.

He was born at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo and grew up in Spitzkop, Gwanda.

His passion for music began at a young age, and he was inspired by the late Cal Vin to pursue hip-hop music.

Gqi- born Edmore Ncube started off doing it with Kwaito and recorded some of his tracks in Cal Vin’s studio.

Edmore Ncube

Gqi’s love for music continued to grow as he progressed through his education. He was part of the choir and drama in primary, secondary, and tertiary education, and he played the piano, marimba, and mbira perfectly.

In 2008, when he was in form 3, he recorded his first track. However, he faced a major challenge as he had to pay for studio time, which was quite expensive.

Despite the financial constraints, he continued to pursue his passion for music.

Edmore Ncube

In 2016, Gqi recorded his last track before taking a break to pursue teaching at Hillside Teachers College.

 He realized that making music required a significant financial investment, which he could not afford. He made the tough decision to look for a job instead of relying on others to finance his music.

However, his passion for music never waned, and he decided to build his own studio.

He is currently in the process of building it and hopes to be able to produce his music without the financial constraints he faced before. Gqi’s dedication to his craft is evident in his determination to build his own studio so that he can continue to create music without worrying about expenses.

One of the challenges that Gqi faces is making music videos. However, he is optimistic that this challenge will soon be overcome with the completion of his studio.