Walk into any maskandi event today, and you’d think that you are in a fashion show. International brands such as Carvela, Arbiter, Polo, Brentwood pants, Kurt Geiger, Cutty and Dobbs hats are all the rage by maskandi fans known as amabhingca.
This subculture by maskandi devotees is going to open up to the rest of South Africans and the world via a new docu-reality show called Qhude Manikiniki-Zindala Zombili. The show is about the life journey of two maskandi music kings: Khuzani Mpungose and Mthandeni Manqele.
They might not be your familiar celebs and popular culture icons who feature in the magazines but Mpungose and Manqele are definitely commanding a huge following among maskandi lovers. Mpungose boasts 1.1 million fans on Facebook and 304,000 followers on Instagram.
On the other hand, Manqele — aka Gcokama Elisha — has 144,000 Instagram followers and hundreds of thousands of followers across other social media platforms, including Twitter.
In the new show Mpungose and Manqele will take viewers deep into their personal lives and milestones in their iconic careers.
This docu-reality show will be flighted on SABC 1 on Sep. 18 and 19 at 5.30pm. The show also seeks to dispel old stereotypes that maskandi musicians are unsophisticated rural folk who are caught up in the believes of the past. The show however shows that maskandi musos are icons with a huge influence on how their followers see their lives today and in the future.
Since their arrival in the music scene after years of complete dominance by groups such as Izingane Zoma, Imithente, Mgqumeni Khumalo and Mtshengiseni Ngcwensa, Mpungose and Manqele have changed things around in the maskandi genre. The duo has introduced a culture of fan clubs and uniforms which has contributed in advancing the genre. Mpungose’s people are known as the “Blue Nation” before of their colour of choice for their dress code, while Manqele’s avid fans call themselves the “Red Nation”.
Qhude Manikiniki-Zindala Zombili will also showcase what role fashion plays in maskandi culture. Mpungose, who is also known as Indlamlenze, is looking forward to the flighting of the documentary as he believes that the show will change a lot of stereotypes attached to maskandi genre.
“Maskandi music has always been associated with people that are uneducated. A lot of people do not take it seriously. But after watching this show, their minds will change completely. But people who know my music career will get to understand my life out of music and where I grew up. People will learn through the show if Khuzani has a wife or not,” Mpungose says.
“People will see that maskandi fans are young and educated. They will learn that we also have older fans who are also educated. Take my fan base that comprises young children who are at primary school and those who are at varsity. I am also followed by young working class and older people who are not working. The youth stream my music a lot on digital platforms while I have to print CD for those who want a physical copy.”
Mpungose’s huge following was confirmed when his hit song Ijele that won Ukhozi FM Ingoma Ehlukanisa Unyaka competition with over 900,000 votes. The song was competing with Big Zulu's popular song Imali Eniningi, featuring Ricky Rick and Intaba yaseDubai as well as Kelly Khumalo’s hit.
Ijele has also received 2.2 million views on YouTube.
King Khuba, as Mpungose is also affectionately known, is a trendsetter having become the first maskandi artist to have his autobiography and his own perfume. His Gcwalisa Imabhida (FillUp Moses Mabhida Stadium) show that took place in 2019 saw over 30 artists perform at the iconic 2010 World Cup venue.
Manqele, meanwhile, has released a whooping 18 albums under his groups Igcokama Elisha, Indla Beyiphika and Mthandeni Manqele. His fans will watch as a story of a young man who comes from humble beginnings and how he grows to become a star that fills up the Standard Bank Arena. The 33-year-old grew up like all ordinary young men in villages, herding cows, participating in indlamu and stick fighting.
“Through this show, many people are going to know about my life as a young man and how maskandi has turned my life around. Though I have been living in the cities I have never forgotten my culture and I am proud of who I am,” Manqele tells Sowetan.
He regards himself as an influencer and fashionista who has mordenised old fashion trends and made them fashionable to young people. His love of fashion has spilt over to his fans that most of them buy the same clothes he wears and even walk like him.
Manqele says umswenko (swanky dress-up) plays a crucial role in maskandi and he is among the people who have contributed to this new culture. His love of fashion started at young age and was influenced by older people who worked in big cities like Durban and Johannesburg.
People love and respect you when you dress perfectly. When amabhingca wear Brentwood, they adopt a different walk. They walk as if they own the world because they are feeling good.
“I am known as incwasmende (neat person) and through the show people will see when it began. When I got to Johannesburg, I was able to make an old fashion brand like Brentwood that has been existing for over 50 years appealing to young people. People used to wear it with Crockett and Jones shoes as well as sneakers. I introduced shoe brands Arbiter and Carvela. I pair the shoes with a matching Polo shirt, a white Dobbs hat and complete everything with a walking stick,” Manqele shares.
“People love and respect you when you dress perfectly. When amabhingca wear Brentwood, they adopt a different walk. They walk as if they own the world because they are feeling good.”
Unlike Mpungose who has already embraced the digital migration fully, Manqele is migrating gradually as he says he understands his followers. Manqele, who is also followed by young and old fans, says his fans still believe in owning a physical CD rather than streaming music. The singer, who has been realising his music by independently, says he sells his music direct to his customers.
“I’m not rushing into these things [digital migration] because I know Zulu people take time to accept change. About 30% of my followers stream my music, while most of them still believe in buying a CD. What I normally do, I print CDs and announce through izinduna that I will be at a certain area with CDs and people come with money. I normally sell about 11,000 CDs a day. My fans want original copies; they don't pirated ones.”
For many years there had been a belief that there's beef between the two kings of maskandi. Manqele has invited maskandi enthusiasts to watch the show to discover if the highly publicised beef exists or not.
“According to my knowledge I am not Khuzani’s enemy and I have never been one. But there was a time where he said things in his music about me and I responded to that because sizintsizwa siyangcwekisana. We lead different lifestyles and our music is different. People love me because when I arrive in an area whether it’s a university or an event everything comes to a standstill,” Manqele said.
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