Zex Mr Pain overcomes disability with music

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Mpho Maguwelele (23), well known as Zex Mr Pain from Itsani (23), is a young man living with a disability but does not allow it to stand in his way as he establishes himself as a social persona.

He runs his own studio, is a rapper, vocalist, and songwriter. “I live music; I express my feelings every time I sing. This is the only way I can communicate with my audience, and it keeps me free,” he said. “Music is life.”

“A man who uses physical power to do wrong things is mentally weak,” he said. “It pains me to see youths roaming around and getting involved in nasty things instead of paving a way to a better life. Everyone has a hobby with which they can keep themselves busy, but some choose a lifestyle of crime.”

He stated that people needed to find out what they were best at and focus on developing that, using such for the benefit of others and the upliftment of society. “It is very sad to hear about murder cases, rape cases, and youths abusing drugs,” he said. “Let's wage war against poverty. Meanwhile, as artists, we sing about what we see and almost everyone likes music.”

He was inspired by his late mother, who would write gospel songs of her own. “I was the one to back up her songs during the time, and I fell in love with music,” he said. “I then realised that I could also write songs and sing very well in a different way, and that's when I thought to portray my music in a poetic way.”

He boasts hits such as A thi kha mbambe (ft Yellow Rose), Musiki dzhenelela (ft Ntsieni), and Mmane (ft Vha-Kay).

“I would like to give thanks to The Diamond Voice, DJ Coolness, Rampiet and all my followers,” he said. “It wasn't easy for me to be recognised, due to the nature of my disability, but they believed in me and assisted me in way that satisfied me.”

Those interested in the music of Zex Mr Pain can contact 079 968 0245.

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.