In his high school days, he was known for his rap bars.
He says beats and sounds have always come easy to him.
Ronnie ‘GPG’ Mpande would often go record in his late friend DJ Spoko’s studio after school.
By the time his first single, Dibiri, dropped in the Atteridgeville township in the early 2000s, the barcadi music genre was a defining Tshwane (then Pretoria) sound.
Songs from this barcadi would be in every playlist in taxis and part of every DJ’s set, in support of the locally brewed genre.
One random day in DJ Spoko’s studio, Elvis ‘Mujava’ Maswanganye walked in during a GPG recording and the two mogwanthi wa pitoria hitmakers decided to make a song together.
In 2006, mogwanti wa pitori was competing with the long-standing national anthem Sister Bethina after it spread out to other Pretoria townships including Soshanguve and Mamelodi.
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Having released the song without being part of a record label amid, the pair did not get to make money out of the hit song except for when he was booked at shows and royalties.
“I came to a point spiritually in my journey where I realised that we need God. So, I decided to give people God through music,” GPG (Give People God) says, explaining his stage name means.
Hyped to make more music after this breakout song’s success, GPG was met with no support from his friends.
Over time, getting back to the studio got even harder with the fame that he had gained and the relationship he had with Mujava fell out. As every door began shutting before his eyes, he gave up on music.
“I ended up working with Team Mosha and they featured me on Selo Sela, a song that also became a hit in my hood.”
Almost 10 years later, GPG is back in the studio and this time, it is was with DJ Karri, real name Karabo Mokgara.
DJ Karri previously told Drum that he will continue to help more people through his foundation, Philanthropy with DJ Karri, which is not only about drugs but mostly about helping the less fortunate.
“Making a difference in someone’s life is what I always want to see and do.”
GPG says he never thought that he’d get another opportunity to be in studio until DJ Karri went looking for him in his township.
“I went to the shop one day to buy cigarettes not too far from home and some boys stopped me to tell me that someone was looking for the person behind the Mogwanti wa Pitori song.
"After I told them that they’re probably looking for Mujava and not me, they insisted that I sing on camera. That video went to TikTok and DJ Karri saw it and came to look for me.”
Inspired and filled with a renewed sense of purpose, the 42-year-old has regained his creative flair and settled on using Brenda Fassie’s ‘Higher & Higher’ song as a hook.
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“Gae a resaya (we’re not going home anymore) is the name of the song and it was inspired by Brenda Fassie, her music still hits the spot. This song means that from here onwards, I am going forward and becoming successful without looking back. It can also be translated as the song people may jam to at groove when they don’t want to go home.”
He promises that the single will be released by the end of the month as it marks his return to the music scene.
The vocalist adds that he has learned a few lessons and will not be making the same mistakes again.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that video. I have learned to be careful of who I surround myself with and what I spend my time on. I value time now and will not be hanging around with people who don’t build me.”
