Ihhashi Elimhlophe: Converting the urban youth

By Patience Bambalele

If Staying Power was a person in the music industry, Bheki Ngcobo, also known by stage name Ihhashi Elimhlophe would be that person. After 27 years in the industry, he speaks frankly to Patience Bambalele about anything you may wish to know about the industry, from how music can be used as an instrument of social cohesion, how his kids became artists and how to evolve and move with the times without losing your traditional roots…this interview took place in 2003...

For how long have you been in the music industry?  

For 27 years now. I started my music career way back in 1976 as a backup singer for my uncle uThwalofu namaNkentshane. Then I grew up within the industry to a point where I officially launched my own solo career in 1986 with a debut album Hololo. 

You are the only maskandi musician in South Africa who shares the stage with his family. Is music a family prescribed dose or a career choice?  

(laughs) It’s a choice. In fact we did not even plan it as a family, it just happened. You will remember that my wife Linah was a seasoned musician singing as Ebony long before we met each other. As for my children, they loved what their parents are doing and decided to join us on stage. It’s a wonderful setup because I am always close to my family wherever I'm touring. 

Linah Khama and hubby Bheki Ngcobo

Did you audition Amaponi?  

Honestly I didn't but they had to prove their mettle to be where they are today. As I have indicated, music runs in my family blood. Amaponi became interested in music when they saw me and their mother singing. My first born Nkosinathi is the one who initially showed interest at the tender age of five. Every time I went to festivals he would come along with me. When I realised that he loved traditional dance, I started featuring him on stage during my performances. Later on he was joined by his younger brother Jabulani, who also showed interest in music at the age of four. Nkosinathi suggested that Jabu should perform alongside him and he offered to teach his little brother all the dance moves I had taught him. The girls started their music career by joining a female maskandi group I formed in the late '90's called Abalayezi. It was this dedication and phenomenal love of music they had shown that persuaded us as their parents to record them. 

Amaponi means the young ones of a horse and they are growing up. Are you going to change their stage name when they become adults?  

(laughing). That’s not my decision to make. They named themselves Amaponi, so they’ll decide for themselves whether or not they change their stage name when they grow up. That is if they’d still be interested in pursuing music as a career. 

One must admit that your children are gifted dancers though. Who choreographs their routines?   

As well trained dancers now they teach themselves a lot of things. They spend two hours or so everyday exploring different dance routines. 

Songs you collaborated in like Bambanani with Boom Shaka and Lelizwe Lethu with Isixaxambiji with Phuz’ekhemisi and uMfaz’omnyama pleaded for unity, respect and tolerance in our society. Any particular social ills you had identified that you think maskandi music could help address? 

That’s a good question. A collaboration between Phuzekhemisi from KZN and Inkunzemdaka from the Eastern Cape addressed several political issues between Zulus and Xhosas from these respective provinces. Their positive message through song succeeded in bringing these warring factions together. This reminds me of how a similar project started by Lionel Richie and the late Michael Jackson in USA called USA for Africa through s song ‘We are the World’, which brought together different artists from different racial groups in the mid 80’s to plead for peace and political stability with one voice in the African continent changed people’s perspectives about each other across the world at a time when Africa was undergoing a serious political turmoil. As such, Isixaxambiji concept was started on the same vision, to demonstrate unity between three maskandi musicians who have always been seen as staunch rivals. When people saw us working together as a team called iZingqungqulu Zomhlaba they took our message seriously to a point where we saw certain pockets of previously violent prone regions in KZN becoming peaceful. 

USA for Africa

That’s remarkable 

South Africa remains a country divided along ethnic and racial lines and I’m glad that through our music message cultural conflicts are slowly getting resolved. People are beginning to understand that one red coloured blood runs through our veins regardless of our skin, cultural and ethnic differences. As Isixaxambiji we are spreading this very message of unity and cohesion because we have come to realise that we can only take this country forward through unity, peace and political tolerance.

The township youth seem to be struggling identifying with traditional music though. Do you have any remedy for this? 

I think we need to give urban youth enough time to learn and understand traditional music. I think our government can play a meaningful role here by opening traditional dance schools in the townships where the urban youth can learn more about their culture. We need to engage them in traditional activities first for them to understand traditional music. In this fashion, I believe our campaigns may make remarkable inroads to change western cultural perception that’s dominant in the urban youth culture. Secondly, we as parents also need to channel our children to the right direction. For example, if you only buy your kids Hip-hop outfits or R&B CDs as a fashion statement or something and dress them like Americans, with whom do you think that child’s loyalty would lie? With a foreign culture of course. I think this is where we are losing it as a nation. Look at how Mbongeni Ngema conquered the townships and the world with his traditional musical stage drama Sarafina. Look at how the urban youth have reacted to Muntuza, a house maskandi collaboration between me and house guru Oscar Mdlongwa. It's amazing. 

Speaking of your collaboration with house producer Oskido, one might feel that somehow you are now trying to remix and dilute, so to speak , the original repertoire of maskandi music? How would you address these fears?  

That's a good question. To set the record straight, my love for traditional music has not diminished a bit. After such a long time in the industry, I just felt I had to grow up musically by exploring other genres without losing my roots. I am a researcher who likes experimenting with new things while in the process learning something new from other artists. I'm currently fusing maskandi with house and kwaito because I want to accommodate the township youth and teach them one or two things about their culture. I don’t want to restrain myself if there is a room to expand and grow. 

Thank you very much for talking to us Hhashi   

Ngiyabonga nami.