Eastern Cape musicians Vuyisani Sholo, popularly known as Mr Vee Sholo, and Rapulana Mothlabane, aka Malume Womdantso, are set to release their much-anticipated single, Amaquza, on May 30.
They believe it will help take traditional music to mainstream audiences across SA and beyond.
The collaboration blends traditional Xhosa chants with Afro-house elements, creating what the artists describe as a modern yet culturally rooted dance song inspired by their Eastern Cape heritage.
Sholo said the song had deep personal and cultural meaning as it originated from chants traditionally sung during initiation-related gatherings in rural communities.
“Amaquza connects to my gwijo style.
“I remember when I was still a young boy we used to sing this song when taking food to the initiates,” he said.
“It is an old song with rich heritage attached to it and that is why it connects to my style because these are songs sung at traditional events [emicimbini].”
Sholo said while many traditional gwijo songs were often composed spontaneously and lost their original meaning over time, he wanted this version to carry a clear storyline and emotional message.
“I told Malume that since we are doing this song, let’s give it context so it makes an impact.
“The context is that Malume was in love and his girlfriend left him for someone else, making him ‘iquza’. That was my role in shaping the song,” he said.
Sholo said combining Afro-house with igwijo was important in preserving the genre for younger generations and international audiences.
“I have written dance music for years, so the reason it is important to blend Afro-house with igwijo is so the music does not die.
“Usually you only hear igwijo at traditional gatherings, and some people abroad cannot attend imigidi or stream them,” he said.
“By blending it with Afro-house, we are making igwijo relevant to other audiences and races globally so the music is preserved in a relevant way in today’s time.”
Though the production was modernised, the original chorus remained untouched.
“We sang the chorus as it was originally composed.
“We did not change it, but we made the beat upbeat so it can become a dancefloor song,” he said.
Sholo described the song as a symbol of Eastern Cape pride.
“The song itself carries our identity and pride as Eastern Cape people because igwijo is our thing.
“It is already popular in the Eastern Cape and now we are carrying it to other provinces and to the world,” he said.
“People must have fun when listening to this song and enjoy the beat, and those who relate to the message will also connect with it.”
Mothlabane said the concept for Amaquza was created in 2025 after drawing inspiration from a personal heartbreak experience.
“The song is about a girl I was in love with, but she was taken from me by big boys with money and cars, so in the song I am addressing that,” he said.
He said his love for traditional music came from his rural upbringing.
“Since I grew up in the rural areas, I have always loved traditional songs, so I decided to venture into igwijo sounds, but I did not have a producer for that,” Mothlabane said.
“I tried doing a hook and it sounded good and eventually became this song.”
Known largely for his dancing and entertaining gimmicks on social media, Mothlabane said the single marked a new chapter in his music career as he worked on his upcoming album.
“People know me with gimmicks and dancing, but now I am halfway done with my album with five songs completed and I am singing by myself,” he said.
He credited Sholo for helping elevate igwijo into mainstream studio production.
“As we know, amagwijo did not used to make it to mainstream media, but Mr Vee put it on another level by recording it in studio and now many artists practise this style.
“With this release we are amplifying that,” he said.
Mothlabane said early reactions to snippets shared online had given him hope that Amaquza could become his breakthrough hit.
“I believe this song is going to be my breakthrough, I pray to God he hears me.”
Daily Dispatch
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