Born on 13th June 1993, Borniface Banda who later adopted the name Zerub (Zerubbabel) Exodus after deciding to entirely give his life to Christ in 2015 attended Da’gama Boarding School for the physically challenged in Luanshya. He is a rapper, song writer, graphics designer, photographer, poet and fashion designer.
Zerub has always loved music and has been involved in it for a very long time. He started composing music when he was in the 4th grade. He listened to a lot of rap music while growing up and it influenced his love for music and rap. Zerub’s biggest inspiration came from Tupac. He really related to his music and connected with him and his music the most. Tupac had such a great impact on so many lives and had a bright side of him that made Zerub appreciate him. According to Zerub, he was inspired by Tupac because he spoke the truth, educated people with his music and reached out to so many. Zerub plans to help continue his legacy but through gospel music. He says there are a few artists today like him who rap to to educate, impact & bring change to the society. Zerub wants to create music that reminds people who struggle that things will change, there is hope and they aren’t alone. Besides Tupac, Zerub looks upto Eminem & J Cole. These men inspire him and make him want to make an impact like they do.
So all in all, he is here for the bruised, the broken and everyone hurting that needs someone to walk with through the rough times in life.
“I’m not God but i have experienced a lot of pain and I know just how daunting it is on one’s soul. I just want to help however I can. If music is really an art, then with these words i want to paint hearts.”
“I can’t predict the future but I hope to see myself in a better place in the next five years. I want to see growth in every area of my life & hopefully become bashi somebody…… i hope to see most of the plans for my life unfold and to have added to the development & growth of the music and fashion industry. I will probably have a clothing line then too.”
“All my life I have always seen myself as one who will become great and not live an ordinary life but one who will leave a great legacy behind that God will use to inspire and motivate others. I have been demoralized a lot and not just by other people’s treatment towards me but by myself, especially when I looked at my stature. I would feel let down by God sometimes especially when i was younger. The way people would treat or look at me, one would think I was an alien or something. A lot of them assumed I was sick, others gave me money out of pity because I was perceived as a beggar. It hurt, I looked at myself and didn’t feel worthy. Luckily, I grew up in a home that never perceived me in the way the world did. But personally I struggled to love and accept myself. But I have grown and even though i struggle sometimes, God always has a way of reminding me of my worth. His love has made me understand that I am a full human being just like anyone else and having physical challenges doesn’t change anything. For what makes Man a Man is not what’s on the outside but what’s on the inside. So my daily prayer to God is that he may use me for what he built me for, especially in this very state, something that seems impossible to most. My vision is to challenge society’s perception towards physically challenged people. And I want to live to witness this.”
I hate it when people sympathise with me. Don’t feel sorry for me, or think of me as one who is sick or shani, aweh! Ifyo nshi fwaya (I don’t like that.) Treat me like you would treat any normal human being, you will do me a whole lot of justice. I am grateful that I have friends and colleagues who understand this and see me in the way that God does. From everything I do, be it work, life, how I dress, my sole aim still remains the same, “Challenge society’s perception towards physically challenged people.”
It’s what I run with.
What I want when people think of me or see me is a sensible role model & an inspiration to all who are uninspired.
