Maskandi music is commonly associated with Zulu folklore in South Africa and is regarded as a genre imported into Zimbabwe, particularly in the Matabeleland regions of the country. However, did you know that we, Zimbabweans exported Maskandi music to South Africa?
A quick history lesson: The roots of what is today called Maskandi have been traced back to non-guitar-based forms of music in the 1920s, with the shift to guitar beginning in Rhodesia in the 1930s with a group of musicians inspired by the music in Western films. It was then developed by migrant workers in South Africa into what we enjoy today.
Now that we understand the origins of Maskandi, it’s imperative that we celebrate our local talents that are dominating the Maskandi space and pay homage to its roots back home. One cannot speak of Maskandi without mentioning Nqamebomvu! The staunch pan-African artist, whose government name is Onseimo Tshuma, has a suave voice that resonates with the acoustic Maskandi guitar. Having grown up in a strong traditional environment in Kwekwe, Nqamebomvu’s love for music dates back to his days in primary school at St. Theresa in Zhombe, where he fell head over heels (figuratively and literally) in love with traditional dance. His interest kwezomgido (dance) grew over the years throughout his secondary schooling at Nduku Secondary in Zhombe and Silobela. It is this passion at a tender age that has nurtured the artist that he is today. To demonstrate his strong commitment to his craft, Nqamebomvu passionately affirms that he will die by the sword that he lives by, that is music, “Ukucula vele ngiqale lana kumaskandi njalo komaskandi ngiyophuma ngebhokisi”.
Currently, Nqamebomvu resides in neighbouring South Africa, where he moved to years ago in search of greener pastures for his “9 to 5” job as a haulage truck driver. Reflecting on relocating to South Africa, Nqamebomvu believes it was the best decision for his regular job as well as his musical pursuits. Particularly for his music career, South Africa is opening many doors of opportunity for him, including access to major gigs; as he is set to take to the stage at one of Kwazulu Natal’s biggest traditional music festivals, Gugu LikaMasikandi in April. Moreover, through his popularity, he has managed to become part of a well-established association of Maskandi musicians which is led by renowned South African Maskandi musician, Thokozani Langa.
Despite his growing success in a foreign land, Nqamebomvu laments the absence of support back home. “In South Africa, I receive more support than KwaMthwakazi” he states sadly as he wishes for a great deal to be done in order to improve the local music industry. “Ngokuya kwami kube uhulumende uyanikeza abaculi imali okanye kube lemicimbi ebakhona ekhombisa ukuxhasa abaculi kunhlangothi zonke”. He believes that the government has a key role to play in building the music and entertainment industry. According to him, the government must set aside a budget for the Arts, with funds channelled towards artists and creatives and create platforms for artists to showcase their talent so as to gain visibility and recognition. Moreover, he believes local radio stations and national broadcasters have a vital role to play in supporting and promoting local artists and their works. However, he feels that these platforms are slacking and doing a disservice to local musicians by favouring regional and international content over home-grown music. “Imisakazo emikhulu esibhekele ukuthi isikhuphule ayidlali ngoma zethu, idlala kakhulu abantu bakwamanye amazwe. Lokho yikho okwenza ukuthi singanakwa ekhaya ngoba becabanga ukuthi akukho mculi ekhaya”.
In addition to the lack of support that he and many artists encounter, Nqamebomvu faces another significant challenge, finance. They were not lying when they said ‘money makes the world go round’ and in music, money bags are a necessity, especially for an independent artist such as him. Studio time is expensive, with many studios charging by the hour. As such, for a well-produced, quality project to be completed, many hours of hard work and determination are required. Nonetheless, in spite of the challenges, Nqamebomvu is positive that he is on the right track to stardom.
With two albums to his musical name, Nqamebomvu is currently working on a self-titled Extended Play (EP) which he intends to release in March this year. The EP features three songs and he is confident that it will be one for the books! The project features a song that reflects on his journey as a celebration of his achievements thus far and another one that speaks about the dating pandemic of ‘umjolo’. “Kule EP ngisebenza loMshini wase Showe, uyena uProducer; ngisebenza loThembelani umfana wase Bhulwa loBahluphile. EP ilengoma ekhuluma ngenhlonipho kumaciko, lengoma yenjabulo yami kuzinga engiyakulo emculweni.”.
His debut album, Sithi Bazali Bami was released in 2018, with features from prominent artists Bhamuza and Gazelimnyama and the living legend Jeys Marabini. He credits Jeys Marabini for the great support he offered him in the recording of this album as he recorded all ten tracks at Marabini’s home studio. His second offering, Ngabon’imihlolo was released last year, the predecessor to his forthcoming EP. Apart from his own work, Nqamebomvu has lent his voice to several collaborations with local and regional artists. On the local front, he featured on a song with Big 5 and TK Brothers that raises awareness on the coronavirus. Regionally he has collaborated with Lesotho musician, Travis as well as Zambian artist, Pola.
Nqamebomvu is currently in the process of making his music available online. In the meantime, fans may access his music directly from him by contacting him on +2761700525 or connecting with him on social media:
