invasion
Two of South Africa’s top kwaito groups play in London this weekend, and if they are a success they could pave the way for other township acts, writes Bongani Madondo
Flashback – 1985. Soweto, Thokoza and its satellites are burning. The only recognisable fragrance in the air being burning tyres, if not human flesh.
Musically, Brenda and her band the Big Dudes – later named Step Ahead – were terrorising the charts. Too Late For Mama was not a hit but an anthem for us boyz and gals in the hood. But far away in the Queen’s backyard, another South African disco icon, Sipho Mabuse, was burning up the London charts. On Kiss FM and Capitol Radio he was baptising dance floors with his urban sizzlers Burn Out and Jive Soweto.
What the hell am I doing, you may wonder, letting out all this bubble-gummish nostalgia? Well, chill. My mind bounced back 14 years, and not because I’m out of date. Rather, the excitement was precipitated by the recent departure of those massively popular Nineties teenyboppers Boom Shaka and TKZee, to London.
Of course the airport was abuzz with fans, well-wishers and obligatory hip-hop hangers-on as the two groups, who undoubtedly have secured a niche in the hearts of nihilistic youths, negotiated their way towards the British Airways flying bus!
What makes this trip to London, to feature in a once-off show to celebrate Zimbabwe’s independence celebrations, significant is that Afro-swing giants rarely set London on fire. It hasn’t happened since Richard Branson’s Virgin records signed and popularised Sipho Mabuse. So, the two groups not only have a tough and exciting trip ahead, but a challenging one at that.
Unlike other global super capitals, London still reigns as the capital of innovation, be it in style, fashion or music – a place where artistic trends are born, then usually left to die in Hollywood. (It took American popular culture, with its well- oiled industries, no time to re-Americanise and resell to the American crazy market, British innovators like Ronnie Jordan, Us 3 and Brand New Heavies. Even Courtney Pine’s Acid Jazz innovation, incidentally, hit popularity as America’s hip-hop jazz.)
By happenstance, I met Junior Sokhela, lead ragga chanter and the conscience of Boom Shaka, at Tandoor dancing the night away. “Ecstatic” is a luxurious word to describe how he felt on the eve of his departure to the London gig. “We will blast them out of space,” Sokhela threatened.
He was this determined to burn London alive with his group’s ragga-mixed blend of kwaito which, stylistically, is not that different from Caribbean sensations Beenie Man, Buju Banton and Max-a-Million.
So significant is this trip that, if Boom Shaka and TKZee really deliver on their artistic threats and get the hard-to-please London fans bopping to the sounds from Emzantsi (South Africa), they will have truly ushered kwaito into the mainstream world of showbiz.
As a genre though, kwaito is not a total rarity overseas. News has it that the youth music of the townships is gathering a cult following in the British underground, where venues like Club Cuba in Brighton hold kwaito nights on Thursdays.
The first serious United Kingdom pop culture publication to go crazy about this sound was True magazine in 1994. More recently, Toronto’s version of Village Voice, the street-wise Word, in its Celebrating Black History Month world reviews observed, with a hint of caution: “South African youths are enthralled by the exciting music of the times, from dance hall to hip-hop. At its best, the cross- pollination of black music genres makes for a dynamic exchange among African people worldwide.
“Sometimes kwaito makes you appreciate the creativity of weaving dance hall and R’n’B around South African township realities, but on the other hand, the sound and music is indistinguishable from the beats produced in Kingston or Brooklyn, New York. Sometimes kwaito can degenerate into pure commercial bubble-gum drivel, if innovation is not prioritised.”
However true, Friday’s London kwaito invasion is crucial, in that it will become a yardstick for other kwaito stars who are hot on the trail of TKZee and Boom Shaka. Stars such as Sony’s Kalawa crew; pantsula kingpins Trompies, Bongo Maffin, M’du and his dance sleek boyz in the hood Mashamplani.
As Mdu said, it’s a “do or die” affair. But who knows? This may well be the breakthrough kwaito has been waiting for. It’s a hell of a chance. What I believe, is that no major label will sign musicians from Africa if their offering is not better and different from big-time American and British acts. Right now, besides R’n’B’s Shola Ama, Mica Paris and David Lyden Hall’s dominance, London is there for the taking.
It’s about time South African teenybopping pop stars assume centre stage – a place that most Europeans accord to artists such as Busi Mhlongo and Bayete.
Back in London, the homeboys are hoping for the best. Zimbabwean promoter Sipho Dlamini of the Buk Wild group, the guy responsible for the tour notes: “TKZee and Boom Shaka will be playing on April 16 at the Temple Nightclub on Tottenham High road. So far we’ve been distributing flyers and the South African Times – a British publication – has given us excellent press. The club holds 3 500 people, now all we can do is just hope for the best.”
Nkosi sikelel’a abantwana baka Mandela.