POPTAIN — the high-riding dancehall singer who rose to fame with his hit song “Fadza Mutengi” — has had a long, bumpy and winding road to stardom.

Born Ameen Abduljaleel Matanga in Gweru some 26 years ago, the hit-maker opened up on his touching life and not-so-rosy musical journey.

Poptain was born in a Muslim family and is the youngest of three children.

He defied the odds and found success where some people would have easily failed.

Tragedy

In fact, from the day he was born, the odds always seemed to be heavily staked against him.

Following the death of his parents when he was only a young boy, the singer and his two siblings — Charity and Akim — went to live with an uncle in Kwekwe in 2001.

Barely two years later, the uncle died, resulting in the siblings moving to Harare, where they were put under the care of an aunt. The move to Harare was to change Poptain’s life forever.

“When we moved to Harare, we were given the impression that we were going to boarding school. We were elated as we bid farewell to our friends and relatives,” he recounted.

However, to their unpleasant surprise, they were put in an orphanage.

“I was shocked and hurt. To me, this was deceit. During my early days at the orphanage, I would find a secret place where I would often go to cry my heart out.”

But it was to become a blessing in disguise.

“My interest in music grew when I was at the orphanage,” he said.

After completing Ordinary Level in 2011, the singer and his siblings went back to live with their aunt.

“My aunt, who is deeply religious, wanted me to be a Muslim teacher and despised secular music. I knew that my first love was music and I swore that nothing could stop me from achieving my goal,” added the young musician, who is now a proud father of one.

Poptain was subsequently introduced to a recording studio by Naddy Nice, a fellow Muslim with whom he had developed a close relationship.

“I owe Naddy Nice a lot. Every time I held the microphone, he would urge me to refine my talent. He is the one who gave me my stage name.”

Continuing to defy his aunt by relentlessly pursuing secular music came at a price — he was chased away from home.-The Sunday Mail