African Music

[beelzebub]

I shall post many of my Favorites here...

Brenda Fassie Tops my charts! I love her voice and wish she could sing for us more.

Here is Vulundlela...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrinswnda3Q

[Patt]

Great voice - I wish I knew what she was saying though.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAnrsI7dnRI&feature=related

May, 2004

Brenda Fassie death blog (?) but interesting - links too old to work - instead, click HERE. (http://www.blogofdeath.com/archives/000955.html)

http://www.blogofdeath.com/images/bfassie.jpgBrenda Fassie (http://www.eastandard.net/africa/afnews10050406.htm), South Africa's first black pop star, died on May 9. According to the post-mortem report (http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1637580,00.html), Fassie's heart stopped after using cocaine. She was 39.

Born in the Cape Town township of Langa, Fassie always loved performing. As a child, she sang and danced for her family and entertained the neighbors in talent shows. Fassie was in her teens when legendary South African producer Koloi Lebona (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3700309.stm) heard her sing. He brought her back to Johannesburg and paired her with the band, The Big Dudes. In 1986, she recorded the single, "Weekend Special," (http://www.southafrica.info/what_happening/news/brendafassie.htm) a bubble gum pop tune that quickly topped the charts. After joining forces with producer Sello "Chicco" Twala in the late 1980s, she released the album, "Too Late for Mama," which went platinum in South Africa.

Then in 1989, Fassie's life became tabloid fodder. She married former convict Nhlanhla Mbambo and divorced him three years later with claims of domestic abuse. She blew off concert dates, went into debt and struggled with alcohol and cocaine abuse. When Fassie found her lesbian lover, Poppie Sihlahla, dead of a drug overdose in 1995, she entered rehab and decided to turn her life around.

Fassie made her comeback in 1998 with the LP, "Memeza" (Shout), which was South Africa's best-selling album. Her 1999 follow-up, "Nomakanjani," sold 500,000 copies and earned Fassie her first Kora Award (http://allafrica.com/stories/200405110027.html) for best female artist. She also won the South African Music Award four years in a row.

Dubbed the "Madonna of the Townships" (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/entertainmentstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3565690&thesection=entertainment&thesubsection=music&thesecondsubsection=general) and South Africa's "Queen of the Vocals," Fassie's husky voice and inspirational songs (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/17/arts/music/17FASS.html?ex=1400212800&en=882cdea076d8d1d8&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND) about love and ghetto life connected with audiences (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3699055.stm) all over the continent. Her bisexuality and famous temper tantrums earned her pop diva status.

A month ago, Fassie shot video footage about her daily life for a reality TV show. "That's How It Is - Filmed by Brenda Fassie," (http://www.tiscali.co.za/entertainment/entertainment_story.jsp?content=119600) aired Tuesday night on SABC2, and included a segment where she predicted her own death.

• Watch Fassie's Video for "Too Late For Mama" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__bo-yUylLY)

[beelzebub]

Great voice - I wish I knew what she was saying though.

This is the one that caught my attention when I was in Malawi... she does have a great voice and ,... some of this is in English the rest is a Zulu/Swahili mix. But just enjoy the beat don't worry about the translation. I think everyone can understand what this song is about given the video.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5BaYtE34J4

[yee-haw]

I call it something else but this should constitute as african music?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6TUhx2wX0M

[leeyn]

great info...once I have never know the music now.make me feel that African Music is so cool....