KWAITO 2.0

By L.DISANE

 

The main culprit for Kwaito’s re-emergence in the mainstream music industry is the man who made most men want to have a deep voice. Every time Kwesta speaks, the volume is increased and the house silenced. But his voice is not the topic today. Today we consider if we should support his decision to ‘mainstream’ Kwaito again or should he just let it die with many of its pioneers.

Image: Wall Street Journal

Plenty of music enthusiasts like him believe that Kwaito is a part of South Africa’s musical heritage and identity, and as such, it is a commodity we should package and export. For this to happen successfully, Kwaito has to “come back” from the banks of our memories to today’s mainstream media. Kwesta can be considered to be at the forefront of its “return” and his ability to stay relevant in the music scene shows that his decision might not be a bad one after all. He proves there is a need and want for Kwaito.

Personally, I was angry at Kwesta’s Kwaito love for many years because HE IS A FREAKEN DOPE RAPPER. Legit. So DOPE is he, that he used to call himself Da K.A.R. It was a play of words which stood for The King of African Rap. He wasn’t just ego-gassing himself. He actually produced great songs – King Quality songs. He proved that he had bars and could murder anyone featured on a track with him. My favourite song from this Kwesta period is King Speech. He goes crazy on that song for over 5 minutes spitting his soul out.

But my proclamation of being impressed by his lyricism is by no means me saying he should go back to that style of music making. Even if I did want that, it would not make a difference because Kwesta is adamant on making Kwaito a thing again. Kwaito is ours he argues. A youth movement birthed by the likes of Oskido and Arthur Mafokate back in the 90s. Subsequently raised and strengthened by the likes of Zola, Mandoza, and Mzekezeke after the year 2000.

True to his vision and word, Kwesta contributed a Kwaito offering on the songs with Wale and Rick Ross. Understand this clearly: K. A. R. (King of African Rap) decides to Kwaito, and not “rap” rap on both these songs. I felt let down, I wanted “rap” rap, I wanted King Speech, but Kwesta had other ideas. I have eventually healed, and now understand why he did it – it is a courageous move in fact.

Image: Kwesta, Album Cover Art. (2021)

Okay.

Let us consider the option where we are in full agreement about returning to Kwaito; since we feel so sentimental about it. How will this re-emerging Kwaito sound be like?

Is it a reminiscing sound, with reminiscing chants? Is it nostalgically motivated? Kwaito gave us dozens and dozens of home safe dance moves: kwasa kwasa, tsipa tsipa, ngwazi, and many more – with this new age 2.0 Kwaito, are we still dancing the same way?  

Or.

Is this Kwesta motivated Kwaito vibe sounding like a genuine expression of the youth culture of the current times? Kwaito was a reflection of 90s youth deciding to make music a particular way. Could what Kwaito was back then be what is Amapiano today? Amapiano is the youth of 2020s deciding to make music a particular way.

If Kwaito’s proposed return is the former option of re-living what was, then leave me out of it. I will not listen to a time in the past, presenting itself as a new now. Never. Even if Kwesta kwaitos it on a Justin Bieber song.

But if we are being motivated to bring back Kwaito, then it must be new and fresh Kwaito – not some watered-down, rephrased hooks of yesterday Kwaito. Don’t give us your new single which sounds like a 1997 song. Push Kwaito to 2022, sonically and aesthetically. Make it NOW music, not LOOK-BACK music. If not, leave it back in the 90s.

Amapiano is doing presently what Kwaito was doing in the past. Maybe Kwesta and alliance should consider immersing themselves in the culture of Amapiano. So great is the youth led genre that a certain veteran rapper changed his stage name. Maybe the 2020s are not the time for Kwaito, in its original or 2.0 form; maybe these years are actually the time for Amapiano.

 

My final two cents:

I lukewarm-second Kwesta and company on Kwaito being brought back, but I make this decision only if it is not a nostalgic music period primarily focused on referencing yesterday, but rather, a music period true to its own time and context.

If it’s the former and not the latter, then let us eject Kwaito from mainstream and let the Yanos do its thing. I mean they’ve given us The Whistle lady, the Pouncing Cat dance move, and the vocalist Daliwonga.