MALAIKA

There are several musicians and bands called Malaika. 1) A well known group is the South African. Afro-pop trio Malaika consisting of Jabulani Herald Ndaba, Matshediso Florence Mholo and Bongani Kevin Nchang. It was conceived with an inalienable contribution of one of South Africa's most under-utilised producers of hip-hop Godfrey ?Guffy? Pilane. Malaika testifies to the power of three: the trio, generally possessing peerless elemental power in the history of pop music...

1) A well known group is the South African. Afro-pop trio Malaika consisting of Jabulani Herald Ndaba, Matshediso Florence Mholo and Bongani Kevin Nchang. It was conceived with an inalienable contribution of one of South Africa's most under-utilised producers of hip-hop Godfrey ?Guffy? Pilane.

Malaika testifies to the power of three: the trio, generally possessing peerless elemental power in the history of pop music, consists of Bongani Nchanga, Jabu Ndaba, both battle-weary and hardened former original band members of the Stouters, and Tshedi Mholo, an innocent, church-going, unspoilt debutante former school teacher in the music world. For in the Stouters, with the accent on kwaito, Nchanga and Ndaba were decent boys trying to fit into something they were clearly not. And, accordingly, as fate would have it, they would not succeed. But, in a strange way, the duo was saved by this apparent failure of gold-cast, thunder-and-lightening awe voices of Nchanga and Ndaba. For, doubtlessly licking their pride at seeing lesser talented contemporaries raking the kudos and cash flow, they would go back to their roots to find themselves in the church where singing had always been part of their lives. Here the two discovered the astonishing heavenly voice of Mholo.

Appropriately, because Malaika, an Afro-pop band, that is, a perfect blend of post-kwaito, post-mbaqanga and neo-soul, that is the quintessence of Nu Afro-pop, unashamedly melodic, harmonious, always attempting to be soulful, a good dollop of singing and musicianship, along with one or two of their contemporaries, defines the early sound of 21st century South Africa. It's a band that has, as Nu Afro-pop took its cue from late 70s to late 80s Afro-pop, moulded English back into the mix of a black pop a la bands of the late 20th century South Africa did.

Unfortunately , Jabu Ndaba has passed away