Former Tshivenda Music Awards (Tshima) winner Justice "Just Ice" Mbedzi has completed recording his sixth gospel reggae album, which is set for release early next year.
Speaking to Limpopo Mirror at his home in Tshipise tsha Sagole village, near Zwigodini, on Saturday afternoon, the ever-smiling gospel reggae artist reflected on his musical journey, which began in his youth at church. "I used to sing in church and at school when I was growing up. I was always asked to lead the church choir, and even at school, teachers would ask me to lead the school choir," he said.
Mbedzi recorded his first album, Ndi do farelela, in 2008. "It was not easy to secure a recording contract for the first time, but as a Christian, I believed that God intervened. Through his grace, I managed to record," he said.
Since then, Mbedzi has released five more albums and is now preparing for the launch of his sixth.
Choosing reggae as his medium for spreading the gospel, Mbedzi said he believed the genre's themes aligned with his Christian message. While kwaito remains more popular in South Africa, Mbedzi feels reggae's promotion of love, peace, and societal liberation is a natural fit for his music.
"Rastas are peace-loving people who strive to see all the children of God living in harmony and prosperity. I use reggae to encourage governments, warring factions, and society at large to end conflicts and promote peace around the world," he said.
Mbedzi also appealed to the corporate sector to support aspiring musicians. "Recording an album has become very expensive, and many great songs are never recorded because of a lack of funds," he said.