Zimbabwean rapper GZE, also known as Chekera, has brought back his Freestyle Fridays series with a new standalone single, ‘Gotora’, released on 28 August.
Produced by longtime collaborator Simba Tagz, the track looks back across GZE’s two-decade career and names artists, producers and moments that have shaped Zimbabwean hip hop. An official music video arrived the same day.
The song’s title riffs on the Shona word mbudzi, or goat. In the chorus, GZE declares: “Ndini Gotora, the Big Mbudzi.” The line restates his claim to a leading place in Zimbabwean hip hop.
“Gotora is just a simple flex, making my argument on why I feel I am the nicest to bless the mic in this country, with my indomitable lyricism, witty punchlines and intelligent metaphors. I embody duality between relevance and influence, the last Hip Hop OG still doing it at a serious competitive level.
“I acknowledge the current crop of artists, while in the same vein, they should pay homage to those who toiled for the platform they stand on.”
The release also restarts Freestyle Fridays, a series that helped rebuild GZE’s digital presence and remains a key part of his online catalogue. It was developed with Point Black and follows his earlier work with the group 3rinity and his solo career as Chekera.
By referencing both established and current figures in Zimbabwe’s hip hop scene, ‘Gotora’ places GZE within the genre’s ongoing development while restating his role in its history.
