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While white rockers expressed their angst to
largely white audiences during the 1980s, the black
townships were held in thrall by what came to be
called "bubblegum" - bright, light dance pop
influenced by American disco as much as by the
heritage of mbaqanga.
Forebears of this style were groups such as The
Soul Brothers, who had massive hits with their
soulful pop, while artists such as
Brenda Fassie,
Chicco Twala and Yvonne Chaka Chaka drew huge audiences for their
brand of township dance music.
House music arrived in Cape Town in the early
1990s and spread northward to Johannesburg clubs by
the mid 1990s. Local artists fused house with other
South African music to from a new style of township music
called kwaito.
 Kwaito
grabbed the attention and the hearts of South
Africa's black youth. Arthur Mafokate, Makhendlas,
Oskido and Mdu Masilela were the first artists to
produce huge kwaito hits and popularise it inside
and outside the townships.
As Kwaito became increasingly mainstream in
South Africa, collaborations, such as that between
R&B artists Danny K and Mandoza, have become more
common.
Kwaito is now the biggest force in the South African
music scene. However, it was only after 2001 that
kwaito artists and have found their way to Europe
and the United States.
The kwaito industry is growing fast and there is
more competition between the kwaito stars, old and
new.
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Popular artists now include Zola (Bonginkosi
Dlamini), Mandoza (Mduduzi Tshabalala ),
Mzekezeke (Zakhele), Brown Dash (Siphiwe
Mpamile), Mahoota (Zane Sibika), Spikiri (Mandla
Mofokeng), Mzambiya, Chippa (Loyiso),
Msawawa, Mshoza (Nomasonto Maswanganyi),
Thembi Seite, Thandiswa Mazwai, Unathi, and
the late African pop and kwaito star Brenda
Fassie.
 Groups such as Bongo Maffin,
Abashante, Boom Shaka, Trompies and TKZee developed huge
followings, propelled by a streetwise visual style,
an in-your-face performance energy and a host of pop
videos.
Key recordings such as TKZee's "Halloween",
Mdu's "Mazola", Chiskop's "Claimer", Boom Shaka's
"It's About Time" and Trompies's "Madibuseng"
swept the charts and dominated
youth-orientated radio stations,
particularly YFM.
From the beginning, kwaito carried with
it an undercurrent of oppression. The
throbbing, pulsating music was often
accompanied by lyrics
that embodied the newly animated black youth
culture. One of the earliest
kwaito songs, “Kaffir” by Arthur, risked
mocking former white South Africans’ use of
this derogatory word:
Boss don’t call me a kaffir.
Can’t you see that I’m trying?
Can’t you see that I’m rushing around
(busy)?
When I wash myself he calls me a kaffir
I don’t come from the devil
Don’t call me a kaffir
That lazy kaffir
You won’t like it if I call you baboon
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| Kwaito is named after Amakwaitos
(gangsters), who were in turn named after
the amalaita - an organization of
Northern
Sotho gangs active outside Johannesburg
during the first half of the 20th century. |
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