HARARE – Celebrated Zimbabwean rapper Holy Ten is reportedly spiralling into a personal crisis marked by heavy drinking, erratic behaviour, and deteriorating health, prompting his family to desperately seek his immediate admission to a rehabilitation facility, ZimLive has learnt.
The 26-year-old musician, whose real name is Mukudzei Chitsama, has in recent weeks displayed increasingly erratic behaviour both in private and in public.
His recent Instagram rant, where he accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s twin sons, Sean and Collins, of repossessing gifts, including a house, stunned fans but also exposed deeper troubles behind the scenes.
The singer, who is currently in South Africa, claimed Sean Mnangagwa, a serving army major, had sent soldiers to his home. He also accused the twins of withdrawing gifts he had received after publicly endorsing Zanu PF during the 2023 election campaign – gifts that included a house and other luxuries.
The posts, later deleted and replaced with an apology, underscored his fracturing relationship with the ruling elite he once openly supported.
However, behind the scenes, a darker picture is emerging. Associates say the rapper has been battling alcoholism, tendencies at home, and a collapse in his mental health. He is said to have been verbally and physically towards relatives, at one point forcing family members to flee from his presence for their own safety.
Medical issues compound the crisis. Sources familiar with his condition say Holy Ten is suffering from dangerously high blood pressure and complications with his pancreas and liver, believed to be linked to excessive drinking. At one point, he was briefly hospitalised but has resisted efforts to commit him to long-term rehabilitation.
“Holy Ten is at a crossroads. Without medical intervention and detox, he risks destroying himself,” one source told ZimLive.
There is consensus among those close to him that the only way forward is a structured intervention – medical treatment for his physical ailments and compulsory rehabilitation for his drinking and mental health struggles.
The crisis caps a two-year spiral that began with his falling out with dancehall star Winky D. The two collaborated on Ibotso, a politically charged track that became an anthem for disillusioned youth. But Holy Ten later disowned the song, accusing Winky D of smuggling political messages into the project. His public U-turn drew outrage from fans, who accused him of betraying artistic integrity under political pressure.
His decision soon after to campaign for Zanu PF deepened the backlash. Once celebrated as the “voice of the youth,” Holy Ten increasingly found himself branded a sellout – a perception he has struggled to shake off.
Now insiders believe his biggest battle is not with his audience or industry rivals, but with himself. Talking to himself, and episodes of self-destruction have left family and friends alarmed.
Questions left for Holy Ten’s manager Roland Mudzingwa Chinanga had not been answered.
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