Seputla Sebogodi is undoubtedly a talented man and his acting as the arch-villain in Generations, Kenneth Mashaba, confirms this.
While the man has been attacked by the Press for bad conduct in both his business and personal relationships, Sebogodi recently revealed a side not known to many - his spiritual music side - with the release of his debut album Nkuke Morena (Lift Me Up Lord).
My interview with him was a fusion of messages of hope and goodwill sprinkled with biblical verses.
Speaking on what prompted him to launch his gospel career, he says: "I am touched by people who lose hope easily like matric students who become suicidal after failing."
So maybe his heart is not made of stone after all.
"A few years ago I went through a very difficult time where if I had something to eat, it was because someone had felt pity on me," he reveals with a blank expression, obviously revisiting those dark times.
"I never take a day for granted now, I appreciate every sunrise and sunset," he says.
Although Nkuke Morena was recorded with his band, G-Movement (short for God Movement), the man wrote 80 percent of the songs.
"I wrote a lot of songs when I was in trouble about seven years ago," he explains.
Sebogodi relates how close to impossible it was for him to get a record deal then as all producers wanted him to sound like prominent gospel stars at the time.
"What they did not understand was, I did not want to sell as much as I wanted to send the message to heal our nation."
This would see him wait for seven years before getting a deal with Jabu Stone Entertainment.
"When I told them my conditions, the producers simply said 'Do your thing'," he explains with the Mashaba signature smile.
The recording started with Sebogodi as the band's lead vocalist.
Sebogodi's love for music started at an early age through his father's involvement with the ZCC church as a pastor.
"When my father left me behind for the Mkhukhu (weekend prayer for men), I would cry until I was taken there," he recalled.
Since hearing Ladysmith Black Mambazo at 18, all he ever wanted to do was sing so much so that acting only came as an "accident".
Fellow Generations actor and musician, Psyfo (who stars as Ajax Khoza), produced a few tracks on the album. However, a recent tabloid alleged that Psyfo was not paid by Sebogodi.
"Let me just make this clear; the people who said I did not pay the man lied and wanted to create a story out of nothing," he said.
"The people who wrote that wanted to make a scandal out of nothing there is no beef between me and Psyfo. Actually, I am hoping to work with him on my next album," he said in a familiar vicious Mashaba tone.
Whether we will ever see him on stage remains to be seen as he has unconventional ideas when it comes to live shows.
"Typical Seputla, I do things differently," he starts.
"Because of the competition for audiences in Johannesburg, I would rather go to the most rural of areas where I know I am the only source of entertainment for that given night."
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