Is kwaito music dead?

By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka

Check this out, take house music slow the tempo and lace the beat with any local language and call that kwaito music.

This appears to be the simplest definition of kwaito, the music that dominated the southern and northern parts of Zimbabwe as well as across the Limpopo.

To most music lovers there is a thin line between kwaito and house music although kwaito draws much from house — you talk of the beats and the vibes it almost sound the same.

However, a lot of Bulawayo based groups that had started out their careers with kwaito were adversely affected when the tide started to change in South Africa.

The groups that include GTI, Achuzzi and Go Boyz among others made their names on the local scene as kwaito outfits.

However, recent developments in the music industry have seen these groups going into oblivion because the game has changed and fans have changed their tastes and are now into house.

In an earlier interview with The Herald, the visiting kwaito star who performed in Harare denied that kwaito was dead.

The South African star Mgarimbe of the Sister Bethina fame, said it was too early to rule out kwaito adding that the music was in fact, blossoming.

Perhaps Mgarimbe who was raised in Durban, the home of kwaito before moving to Johannesburg must have failed to read the winds of change.

What is all the more surprising is that Durban his hometown has become the hub of all the house legends.

We have DJs the likes of Cndo, Clock, Biblos, Oskido and Professor who are coming up with serious house tunes. These DJs are no longer playing kwaito as it was before but have changed to serious house something that has taken South Africa by storm.

D Nosh, a local DJ confirmed that house music had taken over the Southern region and in Zimbabwe, most music fans were warming up to the beat.

“These days the crowd is overly excited about house. Yes we might throw in one or two popular kwaito hits but fans always call for new stuff which is house.

“It is increasingly becoming difficult to keep the crowds on the dance floor without playing house music no matter how good your R&B or dancehall play list is,” he said.

According to D Nosh, there are more South African DJs who are coming to Zimbabwe than kwaito DJs because the music no longer has the appeal.

He, however, could not rule out the fact that kwaito still had its roots in house and therefore would not die suddenly.

Another local club DJ L Roy said local clubbing was influenced by trends in South Africa where they easily get their music.

“Of course, we play everything but when it comes to house we rely on what we get from South Africa besides the downloads (legal) that is and we have good relations with Djs from South Africa.

As you might be aware DJ Clock would be coming to perform on November 28 while Otis Fraser is expected on December 12, Dj Cndo one of the Durban’s Finest is expected on December 19. This only shows how popular house music has become,” he said.

Dj Blaze who jams at Ximex Bar & Grill also confirmed that house music was fast overshadowing kwaito such that music lovers are now familiar with house more than kwaito.