Kwaito again
The World Cup is still going on, so that’s a great excuse for another set of the unique urban sound of South Africa. No, not the vuvuzela; the other unique urban sound of South Africa: kwaito.
We’ve been here before on the Friday Ripple, and we’ll be here again: kwaito is the most innovative, exciting form of electronic music to appear in the last 2 decades; it’s a mix of hip hop, house music, and a South African township pop style called bubblegum; it doesn’t really sound like anything else.
This set mixes old-school classics from the likes of Arthur with the very latest releases from big names like Zola and Pitch Black Afro. In the second hour, there’s a look at kwaito’s international influence, including Kenyan kwaito from Gidi Gidi Majimaji, and German kwaito (yes, it exists) from Schlachthofbronx. Meanwhile, homegrown kwaito classics get the international remix treatment, with Britain’s Ashley Beedle tweaking DJ Mujava’s Township Funk, and French-Swiss-Malawian trio The Very Best reworking Mgarimbe’s Sister Betina.
There’s not much talking this week – mainly because last week’s show turned into an extended anti-FIFA rant, and sometimes it’s nice to have a break sometimes and just hear some tunes. The tunes in question are streaming right now on the Radio Wave Jukebox, and the playlist looks like this:
Zola - Bomb (Guluva Entertainment)
Mapaputsi - 26/26 (Ghetto Ruff)
Mandoza - 50-50 (CCP/EMI SA)
Skomplazi - Zulu Love Letter (remix) (Ghetto Ruff)
Big Nuz - Newlands West (Afrotainment)
Ishmael – Sibunuu (Ghetto Ruff)
Spikiri – Uyakhekheleza (Kawala Jazmee)
DJ Sbu - Vuvuzela Bafana (TS)
ProKid - Move (Gallo)
Pitch Black Afro - Zonke Bonke (Ghetto Ruff)
DJ Steavy – Kubi (Out Here)
Gidi Gidi Majimaji - Atoti Pt 2 (Out Here)
The Very Best - Sister Betina (Green Owl)
Schlachthofbronx - Ayoba Featuring Spoek & Gnucci Banana (Top Billin remix)
Mujava - Township Funk (Ashley Beedle's Africanz On Marz reedit)
Skwatta Kamp - Netso (Gallo)
DJ Cleo - Durban's Dance (Will of Steel)
Arthur - Haai Bo (999/Gallo)
Pitch Black Afro, Morafe, Bravo, Ishmael - Remix Waar Was Jy? (Ghetto Ruff)
Ishmael & Bongz - C.R.A.Z.Y (Ghetto Ruff)
TKZee - Guz (BMG)
Zola - Ngudu (Ghetto Ruff)
Brenda Fassie - Vul'indlela (CCP)
If you enjoy this music, you may also want to check out some related sets on the Radio Wave Jukebox:
• Stored under Friday Ripple > 26.02.2010, there’s a special on Ghetto Ruff, kwaito’s biggest independent label - playlist and background info here.
• Stored under Friday Ripple > 21.05.2010, there’s a special on South Africa’s unique version of house music, which has far more in common with kwaito than with the musical conservatism of European house – playlist and background info here.
