The White Wolf - Kwaito

Kwaito is eating fried chicken directly off the bone with greasy fingers. It’s playing your radio loud enough for your neighbors to hear it, even if they don’t want to.  It’s about bringing a community together and forcing them up and out of their chairs after gravity has had its way with them for some time. It’s the sun on your back and stones in your shoes, but you’ll be wearing your comfortable shoes because you know that if it’s Kwaito your playing you’ll be dancing and swaying!

Kwaito was conceived in the townships of Soweto, South Africa and entered the word in the early 90’s in the CD casings of local DJs – playing to whoever would allow the music to riddle their bodies. The genre of Kwaito has direct parallels to that of American Hip Hop springboarding out of the ghetto with a limp in its step and its cap to the side. Western house music started slowing down and added an African twist, catapulting Kwaito to a commercial market. 

Although I have done spent more hours researching Kwaito than it took to build the pyramids, (yes, I have been known to exaggerate...slightly) I am not going to pretend that I'm  some Kwaito connoisseur, but I do know someone who is! Our housekeeper - Zodwa! Zod's has been belting out Kwaito numbers since before I could belt out twinkle twinkle little star. So who better than to interview about this genre than one of its first fans? Zod's described the genre of Kwaito much better than any online definition I have come across. “It’s like a chunky soup, it has Hip Hop, some R&B, dancehall & a splash of disco." These influences are all blended into a unique style that can only truly be appreciated by "tasting" it! I suggest you open wide and engulf the lot! 

Some Hardcore Punk coming your way!

The Sex Pistols - it just doesn't get more 'punchier' guys, soak it up!

A taste of Kwaito - See what I've been talking about!

The King of Kwaito - Arthur Mafokate with one of his most controversial songs!

Cut from the same cloth

Are Kwaito music and Hardcore Punk really polar opposites? Or are they just magnets of the same pole forcing each other to repel? Think about it...take Kwaito for instance. Kwaito rose from the ashes of social change. It was the voice of a post-apartheid generation. A generation that influenced culture, fashion, speech and South African attitudes in a way that the West would never understand! Kwaito lyrics are hard-hitting and often rock the boat, in fact they tip the boat and slash the life jackets! These artists deal with social and political issues that are decaying our society. Seeing any similarities between Kwaito and Hardcore Punk yet? Okay, let’s continue. Kwaito is a form of escape for many. ‘A cupboard to Narnia’ if you will, where expression is the word of the day and freedom of speech comes with the territory. The style is defined by its drum and bass beat as well as the spoken, almost ‘shouted’ vocal melodies, generally sung in one of the native African languages. In many ways it’s our cultural counterpart to the generations of screaming parents echoing, “Turn that rubbish down!” Finally, to tie up the common thread running through the two genre's of Kwaito and Hardcore Punk, 'kwaai' in afrikaans directly translated means angry! You must see that these genres are branches of the same tree? Can you see the leaves that they share at least? 

We felt the beat!

I uploaded this to show you just how Kwaicore makes you feel. Enjoy kids.

The Grey Wolf - The Legend of Kwaicore

Story goes, an old Cherokee told his grandson about the battle between two wild wolves. A wolf as black as the nights sky and a wolf whiter than strikes of lightening. His grandson asked where these wolves came from and the Cherokee replied, "From within each of us." You see the Cherokee was talking about our inner struggle between Good and Evil. The Good is ecstasy, concord and the squeal of laughter. The Evil is gluttony, resentment and ego. The grandson thought long and hard about this and then asked, "But grandfather, which wolf wins?" His Grandfather replied, "Which ever one you feed my son." "Which one did you feed grandfather?” "Which one do you think my son?" The boy knew the answer to this, but he was still curious about the black wolf. "Grandfather, does everybody feed the white wolf?” the old Cherokee went very still and replied with one word that opened every door and window of curiosity..."No." The Cherokee did not want to answer anymore of his grandson's questions but the boy did not stop asking. 


Every evening the boy would fire questions at his grandfather like never ending smoke signals that couldn't get absorbed by the sky. He wanted to know more about the black wolf and what happened to those who fed him. On the boy's 18th birthday the Cherokee decided to share the storybook with his grandson that up until that point had been written in invisible ink. The story of the black wolf. The boy learned that everyone who had fallen into the grip of temptation and fed the black wolf, had been banished from the treaty. These 'night stalkers' formed their own tribe on the outskirts of the land. The boy also learned that he had an older brother, a brother he had never met because he was a 'night stalker.' The Boy's mind was made up as his grandfather spat out his last sentence. He was going to find his brother. He was going to find the night stalkers!  After what seemed like enough time for an eagle to circle the earth, the boy found the 'night stalkers' treaty. The boy stood out like a mirror in starlight. This tribe was different. They were cruel, they did not share, they did not stir at the sound of a babies cry...but the boy met his brother. The two had the same eyes but different noses. The tribe had a new found respect for the Cherokee's grandson because of his blood line ran straight through the middle of their treaty and because of the immense bravery he had shown.  The boy stayed with the 'night stalkers' for many fortnights and then many more after that. The days rolled in and out of each other, but the boy's heart remained just as pure as before. 

One night a new member entered the treaty, a girl who had been banished like the other 'night stalkers' before her. She had eyes like the wheels of a chariot and lips like the waves of the sea, but there was darkness to her. The boy was drawn to this girl who was known as 'Hinovi'. They grew closer and their souls began to intertwine like the roots of an Oak. By the summer 'Hinovi' was pregnant and the two welcomed their first son into the world and with this the first grey wolf. This was a total disgrace upon both treaties. No two tribes had every mixed blood especially not being married. The two decided to flee to the bottom of the earth, where no judgment would be passed and they could raise their newborn child. After some time in Africa the couple began to realize just how unique their son was. Illustrated more than anything through his music. He had the joy and beat of his father with the passion and fire of his mother. He communicated through this medium which his parents were convinced was the language of the 'grey wolf'. Word got back to the old Cherokee about his grandson and his new great grandson and the language of the grey wolf. He was determined to find them. He joined met with the 'night stalkers' and a handful from both tribes started their journey to find the grey wolf. Both parties were unsuccessful in their quest. The Cherokee's tribe and the night stalkers again divided this new land and became distant memories to each other. Each night the two treaties would sing and dance and send rhythm through the earth and out the trees in hopes to somehow lure the grey wolf, but the grey wolf never came...until 300 years later when the grey wolf was born again!