GOOD NEWS brethren! Iconic urban and contemporary musician Rockford Gold aka Roki has a new gospel song out entitled Denga (Makorokoto). The song, a fusion of Afropop and Rhumba was produced by hipster and mega-pastors Passion Java Records.
Since the song has been out, there has been a talk about the musician becoming a born-again Christian. In the song Roki is thanking God for doubling his blessings, saving his life from heinous practices and misconducts such as stealing and layabout-ness, among other things. It is such a beautifully delivered and convincing tale, considering what a rare flair the musician is.
What really intrigues here, however, isn’t the unusual collaboration but these chattering that implies ‘Roki now a born-again Christian’. That’s such a big decision he made right there, we have to give him that. This alone set him apart from those secular artists who spontaneously do gospel songs to fish on fresh fans from the congregation to enrich their debilitating or flourishing fan-bases.
According to the Christian faith the term ‘born again’ registers a seismic shift in the way people behave and live. Being a Christian, in its etymological meaning refers to the person whose lifestyle is Christlike. Apostle Paul put it plain and simple on Galatians 2:20 when he said:
‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.’
So like we said earlier it is such a big and recommendable decision that our brother Rockford Josphat did and we welcome him to the body of Christ.
For over the past two decades the Allelujah hit-maker has been one of the biggest pop stars in the country and has been accredited as one of the artists who helped popularize the Urban Grooves genre in the New Millennium.
There was a time when just a mention of his name could raise people’s eyebrows. Unsurprisingly, he found it difficult to adjust to his heightened profile, quickly going off the rails and hitting tabloid front pages on a regular basis for women scandals, drugs, overdue rents, domestic violent suits and other stories about all kinds of antics.
That was then.
How a man who was riding the crest of urban music wave in Zimbabwe fell from that amazing grace into a horribly toxic world raises more questions than answers.
One moment, it seems, everything that’s happened over the past decade catches up with him. He has hit rock bottom and here, the biggest pop star drops to his knees and says he needs Jesus.
If ever a pop star needed a miraculous turnaround, it’s Roki.
Now hope fills the air for Ba Sky as he appears to have taken on a narrow gate, and walk with Jesus.
Howbeit, concerns have been raised on if he has turned to Jesus indeed or to Prophet Passion Java. Well, about that we don’t have the answers. We just hope this does not end up like the Magaya/Soul Jah Love fling.
Having said all that, let’s allow ourselves a moment to remember how great this is…Roki is singing about grace, hope and redemption. He is no longer a punchline; he’s a story to be shared and celebrated. He’s not someone to warn our young people against, he’s becoming an example for them to follow – a story of a life transformed via a huge bath and some brutal honesty.
We can’t wait to see him using his platform to tell people about Jesus.
Listen to Denga(Makorokoto) below.
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