#Tseliso Monaheng

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Why South Africa has the world's most exciting dance music

Why South Africa has the world’s most exciting dance music

An ungovernable wildfire clockwise from left, Jackie Queens, Moonchild Sanelly, Master KG, Griffit Vigo, Supa D, Massive Q, DJ Lag. Composite Wayne Campbell Thapelo Mabotsa Alex Lambert Tseliso Monaheng PR.jpg Jerusalema is just one track amid what has now become arguably the most vibrant and innovative dance music culture on the planet. In South Africa, dance music is pop music, from townships…

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On Our Own Clock - s/t LP - long-distance collaboration between musicians from South Africa, Senegal, and the UK (Mushroom Hour Half Hour & Total Refreshment Centre)

Pre-pandemic, there was a plan. The plan was for musicians from South Africa and Senegal to travel to London’s influential Total Refreshment Centre to make an album with musical kindred spirits in the UK. Like so many plans, it had to be adapted. During the first wave of COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, groups of heavy-hitting musicians met for a day of intense recording in their home cities then sent the music to their compadres across the oceans. They returned to the studio a month later to respond to the music they’d been sent. The result is ‘On Our Own Clock’, a sonic testament to trenchant and collaborative creativity which digs into layers of South African jazz, traditional Senegalese instrumental music and London’s rich diaspora-informed musicality. Individually these are powerful strands of music. Collectively, they are super-sized. The release is a collaboration between South African label Mushroom Hour Half Hour and Total Refreshment Centre recordings. It comprises the single album with artwork by Senegalese designer Djib Anton; a fanzine which documents the process and will be included with the vinyl; and an experimental film made by South African filmmakers Nhlanhla Masondo and Tseliso Monaheng. It imagines a far-future post-pandemic world and also includes artist interviews, session footage and the inevitable Zoom recordings. One day, the musicians will play together in person. But for now, On Our Own Clock is inspiration, dispersed positivity and eleven incredible pieces of musical togetherness.

Alabaster de Plume – Saxophone (UK) Asher Gamedze – Drums (South Africa) Damola Owolade – Emcee (Nigeria) Danalogue – Synthesizer, Piano & Saxophone (UK) Grandmaster CAP – Emcee (South Africa) Lex Blondin – Drum Machine (UK) Mpumelelo Mcata – Electric Guitar (South Africa) Nosisi Ngakane – Vocals (South Africa) Siya Makuzeni – Trombone & Vocals (South Africa) Tarang Cissoko – Kora (Senegal) Tebogo Austebza Sedumedi – Electric Bass (South Africa) Theon Cross – Tuba (UK) Yahael Camara Onono – Percussion (UK / Senegal / Nigeria) Zoe Molelekwa – Keyboards & Wurlitzer (South Africa)

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Critical Analysis: Is AKA Resolving an Identity Crisis in Touch My Blood?

A conversation with writer, Tseliso Monaheng, and hip-hop activist and photographer, Rushay Booysen, about AKA finally reaching out to the coloured community in his latest and last album, Touch My Blood.

If this is really Kiernan Forbes’s last album, the South African hip-hop industry has lost a gem. Forbes is a force to be reckoned with. Politics and Beyonce aside, Forbes is genuinely a hard working individual, and Touch My Blood (TMB) could easily be one of the best albums in South African Hip Hop today. The album is a medley of fresh tracks and tracks released since his last offering. The first time I listened to the album I had some political bias but a conversation with Tseliso Monaheng quickly changed that, and I had to go back for a second listen. At first, my review was very much based on womanism and my perceptions of what hip-hop culture is meant to represent. Of course, this is based on the Beyonce track.

Not to take anything away from his last two albums, TMB is easily Forbes’s best work thus far.  Forbes is committed to his rhymes. Each song is well crafted, and when Forbes commits his soul to a beat he sees it through. I wonder if I’d be reaching if I dubbed him a young ODB – the wit, the raw charm and the skill. Jealous down, “AKA is one of the fewest artists who have made multiple hits across the continent, Fela in Versace is the next hit… He has collaborated with Africa’s finest artists… ” to paraphrase Monaheng. Fela in Versace has all the elements of hit we’ll probably be jamming to in December and features Kiddominant. Next year Forbes is likely to collect an award for that song, on an international stage. Speaking of awards Forbes takes a jab at the SAHHAs stating that he’s the one that put one of Osmic Menoe’s project on the map in Me and You. Forbes is the face of leading brands we grew up wearing, and booze we mostly drink on special occasions. To me, Me and You, is a toe-to-toe jam where rappers do what they do best, FLEX. Apart from flexin’, it’s no lie Forbes is a man with clout. In Star Signs, featuring Stogie T, Supamega GOES IN! Star Signs is a signature track, and it’s a bop for any hip-hop head. Right off the jump, Forbes points out not fucking with “backpack to the city and rap activities.” Supamega has come a long way since his breakthrough in the industry, “In this album, AKA actively reaches out to coloured community.” Monaheng mentioned when I was listing complaints about Forbes. “Why is no one talking about that?”

I know absolutely nothing about being coloured, therefore I cannot speak nor reference the culture with confidence. The song Mame is clearly paying homage to his roots and he interrogates current affairs; he is not shy about ambiguous space coloureds occupy in the ideal of the rainbow nation, the fact there was no real conversation around this new freedom and being granted access to resources. Of course, Forbes is about the money – “Even Madiba pulled up in a Benz…” and later concludes, “Fuck you, pay me.” Mame is easily one of the best songs on the album; the song is reminiscent of KO’s Pretty Young Thing. Monaheng pointed out that In Touch My Blood, Forbes fortifies his position as MVP in South African hip hip, never forsaking his coloured roots and occasionally sending shout-outs to Brasse vannie Kaap throughout the album.

At the foundation of South African hip-hop is the coloured community; I chatted to Rushay Booysen about the role of the coloured community in hip-hop and on how Forbes has positioned himself, “A couple of months ago, I wrote a post on Facebook about how AKA doesn’t reference coloured culture and his music never referenced his community. This can be viewed as a class issue because of the coloured community historical elements influence the classism. I felt he intentionally disassociated from being coloured in order to resonate with all races. As opposed to YoungstaCPT, who directly references coloured culture. However, over the past few months, he has tried to reconcile his place within the coloured community. On his interview with Sway, that was the first time I heard him reference coloured culture.”  

In TMB, Forbes uses a lot more coloured slang and references communities such as Eldorado Park, Rushay points out. “There are certainly clear attempts at reconciling with his community. AKA is a product of the rainbow nation ideology, he does not really subscribe to the notion of race, coloured identity in particular. When you come from a Model C background, you tend to take on different personas and speak a certain way and adopt a culture different from your community so I think that’s what occurred with AKA. His biggest market is black and perhaps, he tries to resonate with them but he has confessed to feeling unaccepted by black people. AKA’s biggest struggle has probably been finding his place within a certain community. Reaching out to the coloured community is claiming his place.”

The opening track being the title track is brave. Most artists typically lower the title track to somewhere in the middle or at the end of the album, but Forbes is not here to fuck around with your little peanuts. In Fully In he asks: “What’s a Rand to a Dollar? …Is you gon’ dala what you halla?” and later states that “numbers don’t lie.” According to Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA), the album sold over 20 000 copies within a week. Elated, he shared this beautiful piece of news on Twitter, and his statement about being able to succeed without being signed touched Shane Eagle. Mbali Ndlela summed the beef up in one of her Twitter threads, and this has left us wondering whether Forbes will return to the studio to put Eagle in his place.

If we can learn anything from Cardi B and Nicki Minaj’s altercation over Minaj’s Motorsport verse it’s that there is a hierarchy in hip-hop. You don’t go around picking fights with emcees who have spent years building their brands, dealing with record labels, taking time to understand the business and observe the politics of it all. In the Tweets, Forbes’ reinforces his perception that Eagle is a kid, and as we all know, in the hierarchy kids don’t eat with the grown folks.

“It’s a shame that no women feature in the album,” I said to Monaheng.

“Probably because there are no female artists he resonates with? Can we separate the art from the politics?” Monaheng tells me.

Tough one. For me at, at least – does his daughter count as a female feature? Speaking of separating the art from the person, in Reset Forbes features JR and Okmalumkoolkat (not Smiso Zwane, okay?). This is one of those 21 Questions types of jams. I guess a man of Forbes’ stature stays questioning the women in his life, and women he dates. Almost every rapper has a love jam of this nature and I wonder what kind of response can be expected to the questions posed in the song. In the fragile economy of retweets finding talent to feature for an artwork like TMB must be an exhausting task. The list of rappers is endless. All the features are stellar. L-Tido is clearly a fantastic choice for Amen and he clearly commits to the flow, sampling a classic house track. Sampling in South African music has escalated to plagiarism, but the sampling in this track is smooth and simple, yet possesses a mysterious vibe that reminds us why we are so in love with Supamega. Kwesta really came through on Magriza. This is the jam you play when you roll up in the hood in your fresh ride to pick up your grandmother and take her to church. Gangsta.

His production team, boasts another stellar crew featuring himself, Master A Flat, Tweezy, Tazzy, Kiddominant, Anatii, Gemini Major, DJ Maphorisa, Makwa and Julian. The lack of women on his production team – features aside – is probably the reason why he released Beyonce. The track is a tantrum and Bonang is on the receiving end of it. The song is a farce, it’s emotional abuse forever imprinted in music and I wonder what this means for the child he is raising? Forbes is setting a precedent in Beyonce, that it’s okay to ill-treat women and emotionally abuse them – artistically. When he brags about kicking her out of a hotel room, this sends chills of domestic violence down my spine. I tend to become emotional around hip-hop because, in my life, it has served as a form of enlightenment so I tend to feel like rappers should actually analyse their role in patriarchy and domination of women.

“What does all of that have to do with hip-hop?” Monaheng questions as we iron out how I can go about this essay. “Hip-hop is party music,” he says referring to the early days when people jammed to broken beats, that amazing boom bop era. Forbes is an artist, he’s holding a mirror up to society – I get that. However, no possible explanation can make me hate Beyonce any less. Women actually love Forbes, know his lyrics and go to his shows; that’s why I feel that South African hip-hop is yet to truly understand the importance of femininity in hip-hop. Of course, hip-hop is rooted in battle culture, I mean his tiff with Refilwe Phoolo is almost at the level of Jay-Z and Nas, and I really don’t want to talk about who’s who in the sitch. Battle songs, beef with other rappers and dissing forms part of the foundation of making a rap song cool. Ask Masta Ace all about it. However…

“Hip-hop is imperfect,” Rushay says, “the younger generation is doing things a lot more different than the old school. When we were coming up things were a lot different and that’s why there is a lot of conflicts.”

For the longest time, my younger brother urged me to listen to Forbes’ music – I have been exposed to his work by force and his growth with each album intensifies. It will be interesting to see him really conduct the business of hip-hop beyond the limelight. An early retirement at the age of 30 is significant and it indicates a level of success most coloured and black men only dream about.

[album-of-the--year-blog]

Johnny Cradle - ‘Johnny Cradle’

By Tseliso Monaheng

The day began with either a text or a call.

Saki of Johnny Cradle wanted to know whether I’d be available later for a recording session -- to hang, and to possibly snap images of the process.

I obliged.

It was during the first weekend of December 2016, on the Saturday Salut was being laid down. Chris (Lombard, former guitarist) was leaving for Cape Town soon; a permanent arrangement. All of his parts had to be recorded before the new week as a result.

I arrived at the studio, which is located somewhere past Jozi’s more interesting CBD and heads towards its languid Northern suburbs, ready to bang my head to the music.

And bang I did, somewhat.

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The story goes that Saki needed a name to perform with during an event in the Eastern Cape (he’s from Mdantsane originally). His real name Sakumzi Qumana wasn’t enticing, so Johnny Cradle became the moniker he chose; the one that stuck.

It’s come to mean the everyday man: The hustler; the blue collar worker; the suit-and- tie corporate, white-collar homie. All of these manifestations of men, black and beautiful, have lives outside of what they are known for.

For Saki, it’s about being present for his daughter, above all else; but it’s also to do with being a loving partner; a true school, self-taught illustrator; and the vocalist and composer of what is now a trio completed by Soshanguve-born drummer and web designer Tebogo Mosane, and Lazola Ndamase -- father, deejay, producer.

Salut, the song recorded during that December weekend in 2016, is a personal document of the intersections in their lives, and a fist-tight, chest-out moment paying homage to the folks before them -- Saki’s struggle hero father, who besides being an active member in Poqo, later imprisoned on Robben Island, was involved in criss-crossing the country, transporting goods essential to the daily survival of South African households; DJ Laz’s grandparents, who raised him a church boy while his mother lived and worked elsewhere as a teacher; and Tebogo’s mother, who had to leave her family behind to seek out better opportunities for her offspring.

“We talk about people who are under-paid. People who are carrying the nation: Cleaners, gold miners, people who transport us every day,” says Tebogo. “There’s a line where we say keep your 20 bucks handy. Ask anyone who works a 9-to- 5 job how many times they’ve asked their colleagues for 20 Rands to go home, or to come back to work [the next day],” he goes on, reflecting on the precarious existence of people all over the continent and across the black Diaspora.

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The band’s evolved over many years, in different cities, to become the three-man outfit it is today. Their self-titled debut album has also just been released and in 10 songs, realises many of the themes Sakumzi’s been visiting through the years on EPs, remix project and unreleased songs.

But where previous projects sought more outward-leaning approaches to the music, fusing multiple instrumentation to create layer upon layer of sonic motifs, suggesting different directions to advance the message, the music on Johnny Cradle is straightforward and stripped to the bare essence -- the drum, and the bass.

It’s a motif, inspired by roots reggae music, which Saki’s been exploring since end-2013. He wasn’t convinced that he still wanted to pursue the dream, so a friend talked him into locking that entire December down to produce and record. A couple of songs emerged from that session, most notably uLate.

The autobiographical joint is the last on the 10-track project. It ties everything on the album together, and serves as the perfect accompaniment to album opener Mahambelala, which starts off with a vocal sample, courtesy of DJ Laz, proclaiming that they are ready to progress to some steps which are a bit more difficult, before Saki's fingers hit the keys and Stebu's drums set the groove off.

Mahambelala is about how the youngin from the Eastern Cape on uLate wound up in the city of bright lights, confused and somewhat bruised, lonely and searching for self in temporary relief. It’s the antithesis of the Men Like Us instance, which sees the all-encompassing character Johnny Cradle finally settle down and own up for prior fuckups.

Elsewhere on the album are Asidlali and the aforementioned Salut, which complement one another because of the work-oriented we-do- what-we- gotta, ballsy and unassuming attitude.

Saki’s straightforward style of writing lends a directness to the songs’ messages that might otherwise go unnoticed, had the approach been different. His pop culture references are dripping in Ebonics and kasi slang.

Find him giving a tongue-in- cheek shoutout to Heavy D; or fire off a sonic dap to Thembi Seete’s cryptic verse on It’s About Time; or a head-nod to his and our kwaito heroes M’du and TKZee as he sing-raps lines like phakamis’ izandla zakho, lapho sik’ bone from the latter group’s Magesh which appears on their Halloween album.

But there’s the other side which demonstrates that though Johnny Cradle is a principled disciple of life, he’s also not afraid to boogie-woogie in the club; to get crunk and enjoy life.

Songs like Sadakwa and Bangphethe best illustrate this complexity. The former song also gives a head-nod to Oda Meesta.

There’s kwaito here, mixed with roots, and hip hop, and the polyphonic vocal tones of boys who go up the mountain and return, a few weeks or months later, as men.

This project is every bit the 90s hip hop baby’s dream, completed by a self-awareness that illustrates what happens when boys grow up and decide to introspect.

Tseliso Monaheng is the corewreckah. Follow him @nemesisinc and support his work HERE.

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Black Love Blues – “Exiled” a Linda Ntuli film by Tseliso Monaheng

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#ZA #MusicMonday -  In Photos: Documenting South African Jazz With Tseliso Monaheng

We showcase Tseliso Monaheng's photos of South African jazz.

There's nothing Lesotho-born South Africa-based Tseliso Monaheng doesn't do—when not writing killer pieces on African hip-hop, he's either dissecting jazz, photographing performances all over the country, or shooting documentaries and EPKs for your favorite jazz musicians.

His work has appeared on City Press, Sunday Times, Mail & Guardian, Mahala, Africa Is A Country, OkayAfrica, and a whole lot more. Be sure to check out his website, too.

His recent work is the EPK for South African jazz musician Thandi Ntuli's latest album Exiled.

Monaheng has been documenting the Joburg live music scene for the past few years, and has an extensive collection of photos of jazz musicians in their element, both on stage and in studio.

In the interview below, he tells us about his love for the internet, his hatred for the media industry, hanging out with hip-hop producers, and the possibility of publishing his own book, among other things.

Read more

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An interview with Shane Eagle about his debut album “Yellow”. 

Video by Tseliso Monaheng.

Read full interview here.

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The Roots of Humankind music Festival at Nirox

ROOTS 2017

The Nirox Sculpture Park, together with sponsors Caleo Wealth Management, Mini and media partner KAYA FM, are thrilled to announce the ROOTS OF HUMANKIND MUSIC FESTIVAL.

Pops Mohammed

The ROOTS OF HUMANKIND is a musical take on our contemporary presence in this ancient place – the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site – interpreting indigenous sounds and rhythms through modern allegories.

This modern-traditional mix of music will be performed by music legends such Philip Tabane, Madala Kunene, Pops Mohamed, The Urban Village, Skorokoro Ensemble and Tabia.

Tabia

This strategically picked, collection of performing artists will arrive at NIROX 3 days before the concert to engage, collaborate and rehearse, resulting in an entirely unique production, with artists performing each others’ original music, while creating a different, ecclectic sound of the music you know and love, and music you have never heard before.

Sounds will include an array of traditional and home-made instrumentation; guitars, bass, percussion and voice.

Dr Phillip Tabane

Music for today – rooted in our rich past.

The ROOTS concert will be presented amongst the NIROX Winter 2017 sculpture exhibition: ‘OPEN LABORATORY’, an exhibition containing the work of over 50 alumni artists from 6 South African universities: UJ, Pretoria, UCT, UNISA, TUT and Wits.

As usual, exceptional cuisine will be offered by the Epicurean Emporium together with a full bar.

Gates open at 10am and Music begins at 11am.

There is ample secure parking inside the venue and concert goers are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy the full day of music and to tour the Sculpture Park’s Winter exhibition.

Tickets are available on-line via www.acousticsnow.org R330 per person, or R360 at the gate – subject to availability. Children under 12 pay half-price. Infants aged 2 and under enter free of charge. No food/drinks/pets through the gate.

GPS: S25°59′ 09.56”  E27°46′ 59.17″

Follow Nirox Sculpture Park on:

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The Roots of Humankind music Festival at Nirox was originally published on Artsvark

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[ubermanafrique]

"Monopoly", Part 2 of 2 of a film by Tseliso Monaheng

Starring three friends and business partners, Malik Mahlangu, Nabil Maifadi, Arif Manyoga

Shot in Pretoria, South Africa

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#ZA #MusicMonday - Thandi Ntuli ‘Exiled’

With the release of her highly acclaimed debut album "The Offering" (2014), Thandi did well to both introduce and establish herself as an important contributor to modern South African Jazz.

Her sophomore album, "Exiled" is her latest offering and includes compositions which stretch across the boundaries of genre and features a selection of the cream of South African talent; including percussionist Tlale Makhene, poet Lebo Mashile and vocalist Vuyo Sotashe.

Read more.

Take a look at the Exiled EPK film shot by Tseliso Monaheng 

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#MusicMonday - Trust Issues with the Band Formerly Known as 340ml by Tseliso Monaheng

Seeing 340million this past weekend brought out trust issues I never knew lay deep within. It was low-key triggering, and affirmed my inability to believe anyone who utters the words ‘see you soon’.

The last time those words were spoken by said band, which used to go by 340ml, was some six years earlier at a Cape Town International Jazz Festival performance, following what still counts among their best shows. It never occurred to me, in the midst of my adrenaline rush, and in my naïveté as a longtime follower of their music, to wonder whether those sweet words, uttered in nighttime darkness, would ever see daylight.

340ml split up shortly afterwards so, no.

Read more. 

[ubermanafrique]

"Tea", Part 1 of 2 of a film by Tseliso Monaheng

Starring three friends and business partners, Malik Mahlangu, Nabil Maifadi, Arif Manyoga

Shot in Pretoria, South Africa