Ihashi Elimhlophe is recording a DVD live in Soweto. Photo: Supplied
Bheki Ngcobo, popularly known by his stage name Ihashi Elimhlophe, will write a new page in history this weekend by becoming the first maskandi artist to record a live DVD at the Soweto Theatre.
The multiple award-winning maskandi music godfather, who has a career that spans over four decades and has recorded over 29 albums, promises to give South Africans an unforgettable, electrifying show.
While promoting the show, the musical genius and his longtime business partner and wife, Linah “Ebony” Ngcobo, dressed proudly in Zulu traditional attire, told SABC viewers they were unaware of the magnitude of the live recording and highlighted that, if it was not for someone telling them that it was a first, they wouldn’t have known. Ebony, who is referred to as MaNgcobo, said “It was just the right time. Everything in God’s time is the perfect time.”
She emphasised that the Ngcobo’s family was not in it to compete with anyone but to do the best that they could.
Humble beginnings
Ngcobo comes from a poor family in the village of KwaBiyela in KwaZulu-Natal. His father had eight wives and he was the third-born of 10 children on his mother’s side. When he was 12 years old, he went to work on a farm earning R2,50 a month, which he shared with his struggling mother. He worked there until he bought himself his first guitar.
In 1976, he left his small village for Johannesburg in search of better opportunities. In the city, he was the lead singer of a group called Imitshotshovu, under the umbrella of the legendary Soul Brothers. They recorded a successful album Icala. Before going solo, he performed alongside the giants John “Phuzekhemisi” Bhengu, who was the first artist to record a maskandi album in 1955, and the late Mpatheni “Mfaz’ Omnyama” Khumalo, as a group called Izingqungqulu Zomhlaba. They brought recognition to maskandi music and, to date, no maskandi group has surpassed their success.
Ngcobo met his wife in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, while performing with the band The Mthembu Queens as a bass guitarist. They have been married for 37 years and have four children who are also active in the music industry and have a group called Amaponi.
The God-fearing power couple have been through a lot in life, however, their love for each other has helped them overcome difficulties.
MaNgcobo, the supreme diva of the 1980s and early 1990s, was the first in the family to become famous and automatically became the breadwinner. She took her husband to a driving school and bought him his first car. However, out of choice, and belief in her husband’s musical talent, she decided to take a break from her career and became his promoter. She went everywhere promoting the 14-string guitar maestro’s music until his hit album Wololo was released in 1986. This introduced him to the industry as Ihashi Elimhlophe (White horse), a name he chose because of his fascination with the horse’s strength and abilities.
The origins of maskandi
When interviewed by Sunday Independent in 2020, Ngcobo referred to maskandi as an ancient genre that carried with it a tale of heritage during a time when young men would play guitars to create music, where they would rhythmically stomp their feet or even play stick fighting.
But it was also used at the time of labour migrants, when men would leave their homes to go to the mines in the big cities. It was within that context that maskandi was born and has since carried with it the tale of colonisation, the difficulties and pains of leaving your home to fend for families, while also keeping yourself entertained and sane after doing underground work at the mines.
And it was through this genre that men could express their socioeconomic issues, the disparities of life then, and share their pains of humiliation and separation – using just an acoustic guitar and words.
Success and religion
Ihashi Elimhlophe is a celebrated musician and personality who is possibly the maskandi artist who has collaborated with the most other genres, such as hip-hop, kwaito, jazz, house, afro pop, gospel, choral, urban pop and boeremusiek. He has performed in over 25 countries around the world. The couple have both been given honorary doctorates for their contribution to music.
When MaNgcobo asked her husband, on a 2016 television show, one thing he would like to do, his response was: “I would like to spread the word of God and change the lives of people so they could know him. God gave me the strength and wisdom that would enable me to build the nation. Our nation is now lacking the spirit of ubuntu and the only truth and solution is in the bible.”
About the recording
The Ngcobos approached Wisdom Mobile Marketing Solutions, run by another power couple and their close friends, actor Sello Maake kaNcube and Pearl Mbewe, to project manage the event.
“It gives us so much pleasure to be part of such a history and turning point for the Ihashi Elimhlophe brand,” said the excited Mbewe.
Maake kaNcube will be the MC for the both performances and promised to make this a life-changing experience for Ngcobo.
“We know that this is only the beginning of great things to come in our relationship with Ihashi Elimhlophe and we wish him nothing but great success for the future.”
The event at the Soweto Theatre on 16 and 17 September starts at 7pm on Friday and Saturday at 3pm. Tickets sales @Web Tickets or at the venue at R150 for standard and R500 for VIP.