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Mxolisi Majozi, popularly known as Zuluboy, recently had his South African fans up in arms after he shared a video of himself singing the late Hugh Masekela’s politically charged track Chileshe.
In one of the song’s direct translations, Masekela says: “Don’t call them foreigners; they too are a people.”
Speaking exclusively to TshisaLIVE, the rapper addressed the backlash, saying he was aiming to create patriotism.
“The reason I decided to sing that song is to echo the words of Hugh Masekela. These were the sentiments that legendary jazz artists who are no longer with us stood for. The majority of those who are up in arms about me singing the song enjoyed the music before. We need to celebrate the lives of artists, including Hugh Masekela, Abdullah Ibrahim and Mariam Makeba, who travelled the world flying the South African flag high and turned the eyes of the world towards South Africa,” Zuluboy told TshisaLIVE.
“Our responsibility as artists is when a nation is divided, an artist’s job is to bring them together through music, so let’s not run away from our duty as artists.”
In December 2024 Zuluboy moved to America to welcome the birth of his fifth child and to further his music endeavours through his collaboration with producer Makatravelli of Sound Kinesis.
Zuluboy said seeing the March and March protests from abroad made him think of musicians, including Jonas Gwangwa, who sang Africa Lefatshe La Badimo, and Mariam Makeba, singing Malaika in Swahili.
“I’m here in America, and while listening to K92 radio, they had Chileshe playing as background music, which reminded me of the freedom that the June 16 generation fought for. They fought and sacrificed their lives for better opportunities and a better future," he said.
“Let us work together as Africans in achieving a better future. It starts with us South Africans in taking accountability for how to uproot corruption and put systems in place for those who are there legally. Crime is a crime, and corruption affects us all. It’s not politics; this is human nature.”
Zuluboy’s last release was Mayibuye two years ago, and he’s now gearing up to release new music.
“Mayibuye was a song I did before I left South Africa, calling for all black people to unite and the black international community to see Africa as their home.
“I have been in the studio and never stopped recording. My latest work features some of the best South African and American artists and will reflect the unity that I speak of and echo the messages of our late legendary artists.”
TshisaLIVE
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