On Friday, the awards experienced some celebration as they announced music guru and entrepreneur DJ Sbu, as the new host of the awards after Zola 7 pulled out as host for the night.
The road to the third annual Mzansi Kwaito and House Music Awards has been marred by controversy and boycotts due to the organiser’s decision to include Brickz, who was convicted of r@pe, at the nominations ceremony in August.
DJ Sbu was excited to assume the position and support the awards as the genre kwaito has played a big role in his life. “For me, it is an honour to host these awards because kwaito is a life I have lived all my life. It is part of my story and part of everything I have ever done. Look, kwaito changed my life; it introduced me to the music industry, TV and radio and because of it, I now write books.“So now being afforded the opportunity to host these awards is quite an honour.
I am looking forward to the 24th of November.” DJ Sbu disputed the rising belief that kwaito is a dead genre. “Cassper Nyovest, Riky Rick and K.O. rap kwaito. We still have gqom and Afro-pop which are both representations of kwaito. “The responsibility lies with us as artists to be vocal about our genre. I feel that we need to have something that we are proud of and that is our own.
Just like Nigerians who are doing very well across the world because they sell who they are. “We need to punt and express ourselves more in who we are, and that is kwaito.
Kwaito is a sound that is authentically South African. It connects me to people and everything I have been able to build is on top of the kwaito foundation. So anything that has to do with kwaito has my full support and my heart is so close to it.’’
DJ Sbu recently released a single called Beautiful featuring Portia Monique, which is being well received by music lovers. “I have also partnered with Mzekezeke and we are launching a label soon called Mzekezeke Music where we will release more music and more kwaito,” he added.
Source: IOL News
