Mahlathini

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Mahlathini (* 1938 in Newcastle , South Africa , as Simon Nkabinde ; † July 27, 1999 in Johannesburg ) was an African singer nicknamed The Lion of Soweto . His style was Mbaqanga , a form of South African pop music.

Life

He grew up in the Alexandra township in Johannesburg and came to music through his brother Zeph, who was quite successful with his band Alexander Black Mambazo , and from whom Ladysmith Black Mambazo later took the name. In 1964 he worked as a studio musician for the Gallo Record Company . From 1964 to 1997 (from 1984 with producer West Nkosi ) he sang with the Mahotella Queens , instrumentally accompanied by the Makgona Tsohle Band . This Pretoria band was discovered in 1964 by the music producer Rupert Bopape. Marks Mankwane († 1998) played the guitar , Joseph Makwela an electric bass guitar .

Mahlathini received his first international recognition in 1985 with a contribution to the compilation The Indestructible Beat of Soweto . On June 11, 1988, they performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert . Three years later, in 1991, they played with Paul Simon in front of more than 500,000 people in Central Park , New York .

Mahlathini died after months of illness of complications from diabetes . In post-apartheid Johannesburg, the former Minnaar Street in Fordsburg was dedicated to Mahlathini.

Discography

  • Sithunyiwe, 1964 (with the Mahotella Queens)
  • Meet the Mahotella Queens, 1964
  • Uyavuth Umlilo, 1972 (with the Mahotella Queens)
  • Marriage Is a Problem, 1975 (with the Mahotella Queens)
  • Phezulu Eqhudeni, 1984 (Earthworks compilation)
  • The Lion of Soweto, 1987
  • Thokozile, 1988 (with Mahotella Queens, Earthworks Records)
  • Paris - Soweto, 1989 (with Mahotella Queens, Celluloid / Mélodie)
  • Rhythm and Art, 1990 (with the Mahotella Queens)
  • You're Telling Tales, 1990 (with the Mahotella Queens)
  • The Lion Roars, 1991 (with the Mahotella Queens)
  • Mbaqanga, 1991 (with the Mahotella Queens)
  • King of the Groaners, 1993 (with the Mahotella Queens)
  • Putting on the Light, 1994 (with the Mahotella Queens)
  • Stoki Stoki, 1996 (with the Mahotella Queens)
  • Umuntu, 1999 (with the Mahotella Queens)
personal data
SURNAME Mahlathini
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Nkabinde, Simon (maiden name); The Lion of Soweto (nickname)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION South African singer
DATE OF BIRTH 1938
PLACE OF BIRTH Newcastle , South Africa
DATE OF DEATH July 27, 1999
Place of death Johannesburg