Miz on comeback trail

overzealous chants from some of the passengers.
However, most times, I make myself busy by reading the newspaper billboards stuck up on trees on the highways, after I had turned against the idea when this dude who I had asked for his newspaper gave me a rather rude but candid answer.
Everyday I anticipate reading the newspaper and reading the billboards gives me a teaser of what could be in the newspaper and that builds anticipation in me.
One day I was shocked to the core when I saw this billboard with the bold headline “Tyson to fight Chisora” – guys I nearly choked on the snack I was eating.
How could a wasted and washed up Mike Tyson, who was humiliated by nobodies in his last fights, stand a chance against Chisora who though inferior, is young, full of energy and ambition and to an extent reminds one of the young boisterous and rude Tyson.
My cheeks sank to my boots as I dreaded another punishment on Mike Tyson and thought how his boxing legacy was to be destroyed by these ill-advised comebacks.
Mike Tyson is a boxing legend with few peers and some even compare him with glowing references to the great Muhammad Ali and for him to make a comeback when there was a new world order was rather tricky for me.
I felt much better when I got to town and saw that the Tyson being talked about was not Mike but this upstart Fury Tyson – I heaved a sigh of relief, at least Mike Tyson’s legacy was not under any threat.
I got thinking about this when I met my good old friend Mizchief, one of the finest rappers and entertainers to come out of this country in recent years who says he is back on the block with new material.
Miz, without doubt helped put Zimbabwean rap on the radar in the region as he was a good ambassador who stood up for his country when local artistes were labelled persona non-grata in South Africa and always hounded out.
At one time he was the face of the popular Channel O station and was heavy fodder on the musical roster due to his music but his decline was rather pathetic.
He was chucked out of Channel O due to some political innuendoes and overtones for the love of Zimbabwe.
In fact, he was one of the first victims of the then silent xenophobia before it escalated to new and very violent heights a few years ago.
The first time I talked to him when he was back in the country, he presented a persecuted, hated man fed up with the Showbiz life and was looking to start a fresh life out of the gallery.
Then he said he wanted out of the public eye and start something rather quiet and serene befitting his new retirement plan, so I was quite surprised when he mentioned his new plans.
Miz is still a good rapper and if what I saw at his recent performance in town is anything to go by then the man still has what it takes to be one of the best.
But things have changed now and it’s not all about conventional rap or music by hybrids with a lot of funny twists and turns. Coming out of retirement is one of the most difficult things any musician can do and I have seen a lot. Do you still remember Edwin Hama and his “Chibhanzi” song – he was a laughing stock no matter how gifted he was.
Michael Jackson died when he was on a comeback mission and from what was said he too was not sure he was going to be a hit or a laughing stock.
Jackson’s father Joe, even said during the “This is It” rehearsals, that he feared his son would never finish the shows as he was too tired and burnt out as well as not sure of the future.
Making a comeback is one of the most difficult things a musician or artiste can ever attempt and I think it needs much more soul searching and hard work than we think.
In the first instance the artistes should be fair enough to themselves and try to see what made them fail in the first place and try to correct that than to use their old styles to gain the lost attention.
Times are changing such that a rushed comeback might expose one to dismal failure and a big disappointment.
It’s not a mater of being your old self when it comes to a comeback but I think rather re-inventing yourself and your act to make sure it fits on the contemporary scene.
Old wine in old bottles would never tickle anyone’s urges but rather old wine in new and more attractive bottles would make you move.
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