Mapaputsi PHOTO: Sipho Maluka
- Mapaputsi died on Friday, his family shared a statement with News24.
- The Kwaito legend worked his way up, from doing backing vocals to proving to himself that he could succeed.
- The late DJ Khabzela and gospel legend Vuyo Mokoena played an important role in the star’s come-up story.
In the early 2000s, a husky voice sunglass-wearing man rapping in isiZulu shook things up in the Kwaito genre, in fact in the whole music scene.
He was a man of few words, but his pen game, mystery, and well-thought-out storytelling in his music videos made him the musician to watch.
This article touches on the themes in the late musician’s albums, how he made it in the music industry and how he became the Kwaito legend that he was.
Mapaputsi real name Sandile Ngwenya’s family announced on Friday that the musician died.
They shared a statement with News24, saying the Izinja hitmaker died due to an undisclosed illness.
“The family of the South African Kwaito legend Sandile Ngwenya, popularly known as Mapaputsi, are saddened to confirm to the media and public the passing of their son Mapaputsi,” the statement said.
“Mapaputsi met his untimely death in the late hours of Thursday, 5 September 2024, after a short illness.”
Born and bred in Zola, Mapaputsi got his stage name from an Italian shoe salesman who used to work in Zola. He said the late Kwaito star Tokollo ‘Magesh’ Tshabalala gave him the idea.
Although we know the Kwaito legend is from Zola, Soweto, he shared in a sit-down interview on the King David podcast that his mother was a domestic worker and his dad a gardener.
He also said he dabbled in some modelling, entering pageant competitions.
‘Izangoma ye music’
In the interview the late musician said he believed he was a gifted musician and after being at the right place at the right time, he crossed paths with late gospel musician Vuyo Mokoena who he became a backup singer for in the 90s. He later did the same for Rebecca Malope and Pure Magic after Mokoena introduced them.
He credited Mokoena and late radio presenter DJ Khabzela as the people who believed in him. After familiarising himself with the inner workings of music through dabbling in Gospel, he started working on carving a path in Kwaito, working with the likes of TKZee and Chiskop.
Speaking about his hit single Izinja he said it changed his life.
“I reached gold before the CD was out. The demand was so high, and all these record labels were denying my thing. After the song blew up, they all came running,” he said to David.
His hit single Izinja went triple platinum, and while people were dancing to it and it was open to interpretation, he opened up about the meaning, saying, “What people don’t understand about that song is that it’s not just about dogs barking, but it’s also about freedom. It’s about when we got the right to vote and were able to express ourselves, and that there was nothing that could hold us back. The dogs were out; anybody who wanted to hold us back would regret that.”
READ MORE | The Rise and Fall of Mapaputsi: A Mark Twain fan becomes a Kwaito superstar
In 2004 he shared the cover of the iconic Y-Mag with Kabelo Mabalane and Tshidi from Malaika.
Former Malaika member Tshedi Mholo told City Press (in a tribute) that at the time of the shoot, she was new to the music industry, and Mapaputsi made her feel comfortable.
She said the Kwaito legend was creative and jolly, “I don’t even know what to say. I knew that it was reported that he was not okay, but this is shocking. The rate at which artists are dying is a lot.
“One thing I can say is condolences to the family and associates. It’s said that we keep on losing legendary people that we expect a lot from. These are people who made a huge mark in the music industry,” she said.
His debut album Izinja secured him Best Kwaito Artist and Best Kwaito Song at the Metro FM Awards in 2002 and Best Kwaito Song and Best Music Video accolades at the SA Music Awards in 2003. He went on to release two other albums: Still Barking and Last Man Standing.
In his own words, here are the life and times of Mapaputsi on SABC 1’s documentary series, Certified Classics.
READ MORE | Kwaito legends share fond memories about the late Mapaputsi
