5 SA Music Bands We Have Forgotten Ever Existed

Music in South Africa is fast evolving, musicians are in the race to keep up with what people grow to love each and every time. If you no longer keep up with trends, nothing you release will be in most people’s taste. Keeping up isn’t the reason why we barely hear from some music bands, the reasons most likely is the separation of the group, growing old and having other commitments in life that require full attention, it can also be feud amongst members or sadly death. In South Africa we have seen groups go into dust or going solo, so far Mafikizolo is one group we can all agree managed to keep it all up until now.

If you grew up in the 90’s or early 2000’s you will recall the bands stated below but if you were born on those years then you will only know that SA had some banging music groups back in the days, you will  know part of the musical history of SA.The groups mentioned below gave us good music in their time, the songs were just so good it was saddening when they separated but then like all of us they had to move on, live on and carry on.

Prophet Of Da City

It was an 8-man crew that formed in 1988 and  featured music legends such as Ready D, Shaheen Ariefdien and vocalist Ismael. The members were all part of the underground hip-hop movement in Cape Town. Hip Hop wasn’t as celebrated as it is now back in those years especially in a country that had other depressing issues to deal with. The group broke through and recorded their first hip hop song Our World.They managed to release 3 albums in their time. Few of them are still in the music industry.

Skwatta Kamp

These boys gave life and sound to Hip Hop music in SA, this was a crew that consisted of 6 members. In their time they made about 3 albums and a hit single Umoya that made everyone fall in love them. They formed in 1996 and separated in 2009. Most of the members are still in the music scene, some releasing solo singles while other are behind the scene of the music industry. Members were Infa, Nish, Shugasmakx,Flabba, Nemza, Slikour, and Bozza. Flabba died after being stabbed multiple times by his girlfriend.

Adilah

Adilah is the second group that won Coca Cola Popstar music competion. They released a hit single Ses’Fikile which took the industry by storm. Thembisile Ntaka, Refiloe Motho, Karabo Motlhabi, Letang Tlome and Itumeleng Kgosana, Refiloe passed on in 2016.

Malaika

Award winning band which consisted of 3 members, one of which passed on.  Their sound mixes anything from Afro-pop , kwaito, mbaqanga and neo-soul. The two of the members(Tshedi Mholo and Bongani Nchang) that remained did continue to drop some good singles until 2015 where it was reported they had called it quits. This is one group that was in the same race as Mafikizolo, unfortunately for reasons uknown they became no more.

101

The first winners of the Coca Cola Popstars Competions 101, their first single was Who’s It Gonna Be which became a hit.Thye only remained together for a year and called it quits, going solo. Members were Erin-Jane Samson, Kurt Herman, Pamela Andrews, Preston “Vusi” Sihlangu and Ntumiseng Mokhasipe . Presss has just released his 4th album.