I feel compelled to say that, with the upcoming FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the world will definitely learn more about south African Music and if Africa misses this chance to let world know all about its music, there is not going to be another chance. I could be wrong on this one. South Africa has some of the world famous Artists; the late Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Lucky Dube, Lady Smith Black Mambazo, not to forget the late Brenda Fasie to name a few. With this line up along with the modern Afro Hip hop artists of the Azania, South Africa is without a doubt expected to put Africa on the map in the very short term.
Just like any other modern country with a combination of westernization as well as indigenous culture still being major player in day to day living of music listeners, South Africans have a varied taste. While its true the young and the young at heart are more in tune with the Afro hip hop and R&B, South Africa youth is also very much in tune with the indigenous tunes such as Kwaito. It�s true that without the indigenous tunes, Afro hip hop would not be as artistically astute.
South Africa has the most developed recording history on the entire African continent with a prolific local music industry that’s been pumping out commercial releases for over a half century. Some of the major recording companies the South Africa are Teal, Tusk, Gallo, and BMG.
For more than 100 years, South Africa, more than any other African nation, has looked to the U.S.A. For musical inspiration. The discovery of gold and diamonds in the 19th century created an urban population hungry for entertainment. And traveling African-American minstrel shows, vaudeville acts and gospel groups helped fill the bill, making a big impression on
local audiences. American jazz artists and jazz-arrangement concepts thrilled the embryonic South African jazz scene from the ’30s on. American soul, disco and hip-hop from the ’60s to the modern day all have their offspring in South Africa.
Away from the Music studios and bars, rural musicians in Zulu, Sotho, Pedi and Shangaan ethnic enclaves create lively social music. Traditionally strong singers and dancers, the Zulu took a particular shine to two western instruments, guitar and 10-button concertina. The pioneer Zulu concertina records appeared in the ’30s, coupling mesmerizing melodic cycles with call-and-response singing. The Zulu’s distinctive finger-style guitar playing, known as ukupika, adapts sounds from various traditional sources, including the ancient mouth bow, to create racing embellishments of notes that settle into insistent, hypnotic grooves, grounded by a heavy downbeat. The typical song arrangement begins and ends with choral singing; in the middle, the singer delivers ukubonga, spitfire rapping generally in praise of a clan, family or chief.
At end the 1990′s, Phuzekhemisi (one of South African popular musicians) was one of the highest selling acts. With a strong roots sound and socially engaged messages in his songs, Phuzekhemisi has been this genre’s greatest international ambassador in modern years as well. In the mean time, veteran singer Busi Mhlongo has fused the Zulu traditional sound with contemporary dance aesthetics, hip-hop and kwaito (South Africa’s homegrown style of club-friendly house music). Her 1999 release Urban Zulu is a momentous in the new South African roots-pop movement.
Additionally, The Pedi, an ethnic African group very closely related to the Sotho, also record using an auto-harp in the style called harepa. With a beat at least as pounding as the Zulus’, Sotho electric groups have developer from concertina to full-sized accordion and typically favor a gravelly, roaring lead vocal. Sotho groups, such as Tau Oa Matsheka and Tau Ea Linare, use a six-note scale, rather than Western seven-note modes. As an indication of the nomadic nature of these artists, one Sotho singer, Molahlehi, “The Lost One,” recorded a popular record in 1986 then disappeared. Two years later, the finalized record hit the market, but Molahlehi never turned up to claim his glory.
South African Music industry is most advance and we can ostensibly argue that it is at par with the rest of the world’s standards. I know we have even greater artists coming from Southern Africa.
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March 31st, 2010 at 11:36 pm
Kwaito is still is the original sound of southern africa whether in Botswana, Namibia or South Africa. Americas and Europe are catching up to the African tunes, more power to online downloads.
July 21st, 2010 at 12:23 pm
You should add some more information and links to releted posts. Good job.