Track of the Week "TRVPMVSKV" opens with a powerful intro by legendary performer, sangoma and composer, the late Busi Mhlongo, which boldly states how many people feel about what has become of the new South Africa: “Everytime at home I remember people used to express themselves... like… 'my cattle are gone', which means, the country... I don't have it anymore. 'My kraal is empty'.” Produced by Mfanafuthi and Mashayabhuqe KaMamba, this track is raw and honest, and an ingenious supplement to The Black Excellence Show EP. With the futuristic sound of auto-tune-fuelled electronica in one hand and a firm grip on his Zulu roots in the other, Mashayabhuqe KaMamba brings a level of humility and design thinking to this modern wave of popular music that some of his contemporaries lack. At the same time, he adopts the afro-infused hip-hop elements that have propelled his fellow artists toward stardom. An emotive anthem to say the least, this organic yet edgy call-to-action positions Mashayabhuqe KaMamba as one to keep on our sonic radar.
“Something tragic always happens to clear the way for something amazing; before the first glorious rays of the rising sun, all light and life seem to die in silence. Before the beauty of a flower blooming in the spring, its predecessors must suffer and die in the burning ice. Before Christians could be blessed with the gift of eternal life, Jesus Christ had to endure the thorny curse of the Roman cross. Before Christian Ndlovu could awake into Mashayabhuqe KaMamba, his brother had to die in his sleep.”
These are the words of Ntsikelelo Christ' Ndlovu, now known as Mashayabhuqe KaMamba, a persona born out of the tragic loss of his brother who passed on due to an epileptic seizure during the night. Following this, Mashayabhuqe KaMamba decided that he would not let his tradition and culture evaporate from the present as easily, and so created his own brand of music to reinforce the idea that we are only present because of those who have gone before us. Durban-born, Johannesburg-based Ntsikelelo Christ’ Ndlovu is a young producer and wordsmith, as well as founder of Digital Maskandi – a new fusion of folk Zulu vocals and heavily digitised electronic sounds. Closely affiliated with the likes of Riky Rick and Okmalumkoolkat as an affiliate of BOYZNBUCKS, Mashayabhuqe KaMamba released The Black Excellence Show EP in September 2013, and has since shot to the top as one of the most dynamic musicians to come to light in just a few short months.
