Masked kwaito madman Mzekezeke has been the darling of contemporary kwaito since he emerged on the entertainment landscape four years ago, etching out a formidable fan base that has seen him rise to dizzy heights of stardom.
The enigmatic kwaito superstar has never revealed his true identity in public and uses the analogy and philosophy of the mythical superhero, Spider-Man, to quell narcissistic impulses that could tempt him to expose his true identity.
In his trademark guttural tone and forced accent, Mzekezeke explains why it would be an abomination to expose his face in public, saying: “It is not what it is for. I will be selling out. People will be angry with me. It is like Spider-Man.”
He adds: “I am a voice for them. At the same time representing them with my face covered so they don’t know if I am beautiful or not. This mask represents the people. It inspires people.”
Mzekezeke shocked his fans after announcing his intentions to quit the industry with the release of Ama BEE, his fourth album, released four months ago.
He can hardly be called “a flash in the pan”, though it seems like only yesterday that he made his debut hit song, S’guqa Ngamadolo, that saw his album selling more than 300Â 000 copies. The album earned him a string of awards, including a coveted South African Music Award for Song of the Year and Artist of the Year in 2003.
Mzakes, as he is affectionately known, has since recorded three multi-platinum albums, including Ama BEE, although by the performer’s own admission the album has been a relative failure.
He gloats: “The album I say did not sell well is double platinum. It is still selling more than many artists sell in their lifetime.”
The performer has undoubtedly set himself apart from kwaito’s troop of platinum sellers, capturing the psyche of a generation of revellers.
Even kwaito golden boys Mandoza and former TKZee kingpin-turned-solo-star Kabelo have not been able to match his meteoric success.
Asked about the inspiration behind his career and the faceless persona, Mzekezeke recalls an interview with Mandoza on a popular television talk show. “I saw Mandoza’s interview on the TV and the guy was making fun of him afterwards because he can’t talk English properly. That made me [think] I want to show people that if you don’t speak properly, even like me, you can still make it.”
It is a persona that the kwaito multitudes have embraced as authentic.
Every “wacky” word uttered and every inane song, has been calculated to elicit shock and excitement. Despite purposefully bungled sentence structure, scant disregard for pronunciation, confused tenses and misused and abused figures of speech, it certainly seems as if an intelligent and well-spoken individual hides behind the mask of this chameleon-like character.
His public antics are made in good humour, but often border on risqué. He says frankly: “I have constantly risked for people to beat me up. I am doing what is risky, but I am doing it for the boys on the street.”
Asked whether his career is merely a job or a labour of love, his tongue-in-cheek reply is: “When people react the way you want them, it is fun.”
The mystery surrounding his identity has contributed to the mass appeal and euphoria at his public performances. “I think the mask put more interest. I am not a good singer,” he reckons. This perception seems to be influenced by kwaito music critics, who have never believed that he has real talent, or that he would survive more than one album.
While I am speaking to this larger-than-life character, I have an inkling, like many before me, that I am speaking to well-known personality, record-label owner and Yfm DJ Sbu Leope.
For the sake of securing a legitimate interview, and respecting his creativity, I play along as he remains in character.
It is, in fact, Mzakes who initiates the topic of his real identity by scoffing at the media’s notion that he is Leope. He refers to interviews in the print media where he has been asked questions relating to the popular Yfm DJ.
“I just laugh at them,” he says. “They are thinking that I am DJ Sbu and they are asking me questions like I am Sbu. I laugh them.”
The enterprising Leope, however, happens to be Mzakes’ boss at TS Records — an independent label that only came into being after the release of the performer’s debut album in 2002.
If the two hugely popular personalities were in fact the same person, it would be understandable that Mzekezeke would make a precocious exodus from the kwaito music world. After all, he has so many fish to fry and seems to have more on his plate than he can devour.
A formidable empire has been built on the initial success of the faceless star, who has been an architect in the subsequent careers of Brown Dash (kwaito) and Ntando (Afropop), who have both won multiple awards and achieved platinum-selling albums.
Mzekezeke revels in his success and always stays on step ahead of his audience as well as his critics. “I plan something before. I know how people are going to take it. This is like chess. I must plan next two or three months.”
Asked whether he could possibly have a wife and kids with his eccentric public persona and schedule, he switches to Mzekezeke mode and says: “No. I don’t have a girlfriend. I don’t have kids. When you are in this business — you don’t have time for that.”
Then he reveals plans to produce a television talk show and to launch Mzekezeke-branded clothing, gum, juice and balaclava-clad dolls.
If and when Mzekezeke departs from the music fold he will leave an almost pristine legacy — one surprisingly free of the personal conflict or public controversy that has plagued the careers of others.
He reflects: “You have never heard people say I’m drunk in public or I am doing this drugs thing or I beat up anyone. I can say I conquered. I am successful.”