Zola (entertainer)

Bonginkosi Dlamini, aka Zola, is a South African musician, actor and presenter. He also presents "Zola 7", a television show named for him, on SABC 1.

Cultural Influences

Kwaito is a South African urban genre of music. It emerged post-Apartheid and amidst the numerous political and social changes that were occurring, including but not limited to the release of Nelson Mandela from prison, and South Africa's first democratic election in 1994. [Mhlambi, Thokozani. "'Kwaitofabulous': The study of a South African urban genre." Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa, vol 1 (2004): 116-27.] Through his lyricism, it evident that Zola is proud of many of his country's unique languages, but especially Afrikaans. Afrikaans is “a more white people's language that is unique to South Africa” according to Zola. [Bonginkosi Dlamini. The Voice of South African Kwaito: Zola [World Music Feature] . Washington, D.C.: National Public Radio.] Kwaito is a way of life that has been spurred by the modern democratic freedom South Africans have been experiencing. Kwaito relates to the old tradition of expressing political thought through creative outlets that can be observed in all societies. For Zola, Kwaito defines something different: “For one, we are trying to find out who we are and where we fit in the role of this democratic South Africa as young people. There's no more fighting. People have to go back to school.” [Bonginkosi Dlamini. The Voice of South African Kwaito: Zola [World Music Feature] . Washington, D.C.: National Public Radio.] Although lyrics to some Kwaito songs by Zola tend to bear strong sociological messages, the social context of South Africa is generally not receptive to the occasionally poignant lyrics of Kwaito. [Mhlambi, Thokozani. "'Kwaitofabulous': The study of a South African urban genre." Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa, vol 1 (2004): 116-27.] Zola also recognizes that people are allowed to start their own record labels now that there is more finance coming to the South African people. [Bonginkosi Dlamini. The Voice of South African Kwaito: Zola [World Music Feature] . Washington, D.C.: National Public Radio.] In the past, South Africans went to down-town studios where they would record, and thus receive fewer royalties than they do now in their own private studios. [Bonginkosi Dlamini. The Voice of South African Kwaito: Zola [World Music Feature] . Washington, D.C.: National Public Radio.] This Kwaito artist has achieved success not only in the soundscapes that resonate throughout the globe; Zola also has a reality television show called “Zola 7”. On this show, people write to Zola and tell him their desires in life and he “sorts them out” to help make people's dreams come true. Zola is looking forward to collaborating with European artists in the future. [Bonginkosi Dlamini. The Voice of South African Kwaito: Zola [World Music Feature] . Washington, D.C.: National Public Radio.] Zola has also acted in the movie Tsotsi.

Early life

Born in the Soweto Township of Johannesburg, South Africa, Dlamini spent his formative years in one of the roughest and notorious ghettos around, "Zola", from which he adopted his name. [ [http://www.insideout.org/documentaries/kwaito/artists.asp] The Kwaito Generation] Unemployment, alcoholism, and single parent families are the norm in Zola. Dlamini's father abandoned the family, leaving his mother to care for him and his older brother and sister when they were young. Zola himself served time in prison as a juvenile for car theft. [Shota,Babalwa (2004)'Dare to Dream.' "Sunday Times Magazine", May 9, 10-12.]

Actor

Zola become well known for his role as the notorious gangster Papa Action in "Yizo Yizo 2". The character was already popular in "Yizo Yizo" and had been portrayed by another actor. Zola resembled the previous performer, and his performance only increased the popularity of the role. He also performed the score and played a role in the Academy Award-winning film, "Tsotsi" and the movie Drum [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drum_%282004_film%29] . Zola also has a prominent role in the documentary "SHARP! SHARP!- the kwaito story" (2003) directed by Aryan Kaganof.He also has a little brother called Vuma.

Musician

Zola has enjoyed success as a Kwaito superstar, and is probably the most popular Kwaito artist in the country; Lance Stehr of Ghetto Ruff records has referred to Zola as "the second biggest brand in the country next to Nelson Mandela." [ [http://www.insideout.org/documentaries/kwaito/artists.asp The Kwaito Generation : Inside Out :: A production of 90.9 WBUR Boston, MA ] ] Zola not only performs but also writes and produces some of his own music, signing to the independent label Ghetto Ruff records.Zola will be recording a posthumous collaboration with hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur. The track will be recorded in South Africa but feature on a CD to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Shakur's death on September 13, 1996. Zola is also the owner of the music company Guluva Entertainment. [ [http://www.insideout.org/documentaries/kwaito/artists.asp The Kwaito Generation : Inside Out :: A production of 90.9 WBUR Boston, MA ] ]

Originally, Zola was not a fan of Kwaito music, because it "had no message." He has taken upon himself to change this, viewing himself as a role model. "I want to inspire a guy from the ghetto so he can stop hanging around in the corner begging and try and get some life." [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/rhythms/southafrica.shtml BBC World Service | Rhythms of the Continent ] ] In the song "Mdlwembe", which literally means problem child, he expresses his feelings about the neighborhood he grew up in. He talks about the horrible quality of life of the township, particularly the extreme level crime and violence. "Beware of the Zola boys, We do crime for money" demonstrates Zola's past and also the perpetual anguish of life in a ghetto. [Mhlambi, Thokozani. "'Kwaitofabulous': The study of a South African urban genre." Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa, vol 1 (2004): 116-27.] Today, Zola works on behalf of younger performers, helping them to be integrated into the music industry. He is a pioneer in social action and benefit projects in South Africa. [ [http://www.mio.co.za/article.php?cat=muso&id=507 Zola: Rising music icon of our time ] ]

Kwaito is branded as apolitical; often associated with the advancement of personal wealth, Glamorized gangster lifestyle, and frivolous consumption themes found in much of Jamaican Dancehall and Rap. The Genre is associated with a new political freedom gain since the end of Apartheid in South Africa and less political strife. [ Stanley-Niaah, Sonjah. "Mapping of Black Atlantic Performance Geographies: From Slave Ship to Ghetto." In Black Geographies and the Politics of Place, ed. by Katherine McKittrick and Clyde Woods, 193-217. Cambridge, MA: South End Press, 2007 ] The form of the Kwaito produced by Zola is in that case an anomaly in that it is very much politically charged and contains a social message. [ [http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,1731922,00.html#article_continue. 'I saw blood on the street' | Features | guardian.co.uk Film ] ]

Zola raps in Afrikaans mostly with many tsotsi words thrown in. Tsotsi is the vernacular slang in South Africa. This infusion of colloquial dialect with a national language allows for better interaction between the artists and the community [nhlanhla sibongile mafu, Johannesburg, 2002 "hybridization and slang in south african poetry" Kagablog December 12, 2007] South Africans in lower socio-economic classes who live in the townships and speak tsotsi can relate to Kwaito music differently than to Cape Town hip hop or US hip hop because of the lyrics. Additionally many of his songs describe situations of life in the townships more specifically in Soweto [ Mhlambi, Thokozani. "'Kwaitofabulous': The study of a South African urban genre." Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa, vol 1 (2004): 116-27.]

On 7 July, 2007 Zola performed at the South African leg of Live Earth.

Bonginkosi Dlamini has a daughter named Lwandle, given that name because the love he has for his daughter cannot be compared to anything, including even the sand by the sea. One of Zola's songs was written about Lwandle.

Clothing range

Zola 7 clothing range was launched in November 2005

Musical awards

He has received four South African Music Awards:
* Artist of the Year - 2002
* Best Soundtrack - "Yizo Yizo"
* Best Music Video - "Ghetto Scandalous"
* Best Kwaito Album - "Undlwembe"

At the Metro FM Awards 2001, Zola won on public vote:
* Song of the Year - "Ghetto Scandalous"
* Best Album of the Year - "Undlwembe"
* Best Kwaito Album - "Undlwembe"

Discography

* "Umdlwembe" (2000)
* "Khokhovula" (2002)
* "Bhambatha" (2004)
* "Ibutho" (2005)
* "Tsotsi"(2006 Motion Picture)
* "skoko"(2008) pending

References

External links

* [http://www.zola7.co.za/ Zola's Official Homepage]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5249664 Interview with Zola] on NPR's "Talk of the Nation" (March 7, 2006)

Mhlambi, Thokozani. "'Kwaitofabulous': The study of a South African urban genre." Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa, vol 1 (2004): 116-27.

cite video
people =Bonginkosi Dlamini
title =The Voice of South African Kwaito: Zola
medium =World Music Feature
publisher =National Public Radio
location =Washington, D.C.
date =7 March 2006