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AFRICA April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 19

Black Coffee - the South African DJ

who made history at the Grammys

S outh African DJ Black Co ee has always de- musicians get recognition on a global stage. Success did nest, and it would be another 10 years before his big break.
'I wasn't feeling the mu

not come overnight for Black Co ee, who describes his
cried the pigeon-holing of African music on to
It wasn't until 1994 that his music career began in ear-

music as an acquired taste.
the side-stage as opposed to what he called the
"I knew him in the early 2000s and like lots of other kids
"main stage" of music events and festivals.
The 46-year-old was born in the port city of Durban, but
Now, the musician, whose real name is Nkosi-
Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, where there was no running
music," DJ Oscar Mdlongwa, known as Oskido, told the
nathi Maphumulo, is celebrating a long-held ambition af- at the age of eight, he moved to a house in the town of he would give me his demo tapes and I wasn't feeling the
ter winning a Grammy award for Best water or outside toilets and he had to carry out daily chores BBC.
Dance/Electronic Album for his sev- such as milking his grandmother's cows. Mdlongwa is considered one of the pioneers of kwaito, a
enth studio record, Subconsciously - He was desperate to gritty fusion of low-tempo house music and urban African

the first African to win this category. vibes, which preceded the now globally recognised Afro-
Most previous African Grammy win- house and amapiano genres.
ners have achieved their awards in A few years later, Black Cof-
the World Music category. fee found out where Mdlongwa
"My phone went absolutely cra- lived, went there and made him
zy the second the award was an- sit down to listen to his new pro-

nounced," Black Co ee told the ject - a retake of old classics by
BBC. "Hearing that I had won, and legendary South African artist
then going up on stage to accept Mdlongwa was impressed and
the award, still feels incredibly gave the young musician an op-
surreal and probably will for a lit- portunity, helping him to create his
tle while." record label Soulstic, from which
The superstar DJ - who has his award-winning debut album
performed to hundreds of thou- Black Co ee, was released in 2005.

sands of people at America's The album featured a remix of Hugh
prestigious Coachella music fes- Masekela 1970s' classic, Stimela.
tival, in Ibiza and clubs around "When I met him, he was a guy who
the world - had wanted his lat- was looking to be heard, for the world
est record to gain international to hear him and some people didn't
recognition. believe in what he was doing," Md-
Wearing an all-white suit longwa recalls, highlighting Maphu-
and accompanied by his son mulo's willingness to "sacrifice".

to collect his first Grammy, After huge success in South Africa,

the DJ, producer and song- Black Co ee start marketing himself

writer was for once lost for overseas, sometimes playing for free,
words and simply started his even in Europe, not knowing anyone
acceptance speech with the and willing to starve, until he made it.
word "wow". He is now one of the most famous DJs
On his way up to get the award he em- in the world.
braced French DJ David Guetta, who featured on the al- 'African musicians are unmatched'

bum: "I saw David on my way up to the stage to accept the get out and do some- Black Co ee hopes his win will help
award and we shared a brief, special moment." thing greater with his life. shine a light on African musical talent.
He gave special thanks to all those who featured on Sub- Being part of his cousin's sound system crew for parties "More and more artists from the conti-

consciously, including another global star, Pharrell Wil- o eared him the first glimpse into his future. nent are starting to break through to a more mainstream
liams. But at the age of 14 tragedy struck. On the eve of Nel- audience, and I'm hoping this will just continue to increase

"The main reason I do what I do is to carry the flag of my son Mandela's release from prison, Black Co ee was out over time," he said, highlighting the what he calls the un-
country. To be recognised in this way outside of a 'World celebrating with friends. Suddenly a car ploughed into the matched talent coming out of Africa.
Music' category makes all of the hard work worth it," said crowd and inflicted permanent injury, causing him to lose His success has inspired other South African musicians.

Black Co ee. the use of his hand. "We were due for a Grammy win of this magnitude and it

Now, he wants to use his music, which he describes as But this did not stop him from pursuing his music dream. will open new markets for South African artists."
"home-brewed but future focused", to help more African He was driven and continued to practise. — BBC