Weekend Music: Kwaito: DJ Mujava
Posted: November 29th, 2008 | Author: kamau | Filed under: music, music video, video | 6 Comments »
Township Funk: DJ Mujava
Kwaito: (noun): “A music genre that emerged in Johannesburg, South Africa in the early 1990s. It is based on house music beats, but typically at a slower tempo and containing melodic and percussive African samples which are looped, deep basslines and often vocals, generally male, shouted or chanted rather than sung or rapped.”
Love this song. In sound it is a tribute to the original mid-80’s Chicago house that was just stripped down drum and bass beats with vocal samples (check out breaks in the last 30 seconds). Where, where, where can I find more of this?
SEE ALSO: Adonis: No Way Back [YouTube, audio only] Speaking of, here is some OG Chicago house from the pioneer house label Trax Records.
UPDATE: Wait! There’s more. As usual it seems like I was the last one to hear about DJ Mujava; this song blew up in the last couple of months, but has been bubbling under for about a year. However in its wake there has been a lot of interest in the kwaito scene, especially because of its similarities with the European electronica/dance scene. Fact Magazine has done a small survey of the kwaito scene from the more edgy, stripped down Chicago house to the more “friendly” garage, grime related sounds. Here are some YouTube links to the songs featured in the article:
Cassablanca: MZO Bullet
DJ Cleo: Don’t Run Away
DJ Teakay: Ngifuna Wena
No one I could let this excellent find go without a comment, thanks.
Another thing I like: the juxtapositioning of chicago house and kwaito, you have excellent taste in music if I may say so. Allow me to offer a couple of links you may like …
Ntwiga, asante sana. Will check out the links. Like you I happen to be a huge fan of deep house starting way back in college in the midwest where I heard the first stuff that came out of Chicago (Marshall Jefferson, Adonis, Mr. Fingers). One of my most treasured vinyl albums is a Trax Records compilation of early house from 1986. I still break it out occasionally to play “Can You Feel it” by Mr. Fingers.
That’s why my ears pricked up when I heard this kwaito song … strong chi-house influence (kwaito was inspired by 90’s house music).
nice…takes me back to October in Joburg…The house music scene in SA is just fabulous! I had the best time ever, and can’t wait to go back. Absolutely cool music.
afromusing … that must have been really cool, globe-trotter that you are. jo’burg is at the top of cities i would like to visit, i have so much about it from friends and family who have visited.
I was there dancing the night away with Afromusing. I was completely caught off guard at how mature Jo’Burg’s house music scene was. What was even really inspiring was the fact that it was the black kids blowing up the scene!! I would have expected the Asian or White community to lead the charge… Kamau, you should make it a priority to head down there!
@tmsruge: you’re right … that is the part that blows my mind! apparently dj mujava creates his music on cheap PC equipment in the townships of pretoria and then promotes it by giving it to the taxi and bus driver around town. from there to global recognition. truly amazing. def need to get my behind to SA.
thanks for stopping by and checking out my site btw.