George da Soulchild’s mournful piece about the passing of a local musician and DJ

Tributes have continued to flow in following the death of Tendai Maswiswi aka DJ Soosh Matix in a road accident in Lusaka last Friday. It’s very evident that the sudden departure of Lusaka’s Hot FM DJ Soosh has left a huge void in the hearts and minds of many that knew him. This is clear in the way several Zambian entertainers & the DJ’s Facebook status are filled with heartfelt condolences & memories of the very liked DJ Soosh Matix, much as he was known as funny DJ Soosh on radio. His family is mourning the child they have lost.

Soosh, a Zimbabwean who spent most of his productive life in Zambia, was born in Kadoma in 1982. He was employed at Lusaka’s Hot 87.7 FM as a DJ and worked passionately with many local Zambian hip hop artists, including the XYZ crew where he became a member and helped promote the group’s brand.

XYZ founder Slap Dee said the hip hop family will miss Soosh, adding that XYZ will never be the same without him. “Soosh was like a brother to me – a brother who supported XYZ and represented it as his crew. I still don’t believe he’s gone and it will take me some time to come to terms with what has happened. We will soon work on the ‘Unwritten Testament Reload’ Soosh’s album, and all funds raised from album sales will go to his child and to the mother of his child” he said.

Zambian rapper C.R.I.$.I.S has described Soosh as a creative and open-minded person. “Despite being from Zimbabwe, Soosh quickly grasped the local Zambian languages and had no problem fitting into society. This was symbolic of his being an open-minded person. He was always ready and excited to learn new things or explore horizons further than the eye could see. He was full of life and always had something up his sleeve. He was constantly creative and trying new things, as he hated monotony.” Said C.R.I.$.I.$ who performed with Soosh on several occasions, including last year when the duo went to Zimbabwe to perform at the Akon-Sean Paul concert.

“I will always remember him for his great humour and understanding. Just the thought of working with him puts a smile on my face and I know that I was blessed to have had a friend like him. African Hip-Hop has lost a valuable part and it’s irreplaceable,” added C.R.I.$.I.$.

In broadcasting, Soosh’s versatility shone through, with his lively and highly interactive shows on Hot FM drawing scores of listeners. He fondly described himself as the ‘baddest boy on radio’. His colleagues at the station had difficulties accepting news of his passing on, dedicating most of their shifts last week to paying their last respects. The corporate world will also dearly miss Soosh who hosted a number of corporate shows including the Brick and Lace concert last year and most recently the Zamtel-Hot FM Panga Nyimbo project where he played a very prominent role.

On Monday, various musicians, radio personalities, friends, colleagues and family members gathered at Ideal Funeral Home in Villa, Lusaka to bid farewell as Soosh’s body was later taken to Zimbabwe for burial. At the time of his death, he had recorded several songs and had just released an EP called ‘The Unwritten Testament.’ It had underground hits such as ‘Close Your Eyes,’ ‘Move Back’ and ‘Two.’ He was passionate about the project which featured production from several producers around the African continent.

Tendai had also just been listed to be a part of Sony Music as a budding artist. His music proved popular among the Hip-Hop fraternity and his dream was just beginning to unfold.

Rest in peace Soosh Matix.