Joseph Shabalala
Encyclopedia
Joseph Shabalala born Bhekizizwe Joseph Siphatimandla Mxoveni Mshengu Bigboy Shabalala, is the founder and musical director of the South Africa
n choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo
.
(eMnambithi district) in the KwaZulu-Natal
region of South Africa. His parents, Jonathan Mluwane Shabalala and Nomandla Elina Shabalala, raised Joseph and his six siblings on a white-owned farm called Tugela. His father died in the late 1940s; Joseph, being the eldest, had to take care of the family. He left the farm, however, in 1958 to search for work in the nearby town of Durban
.
During this time, he was spotted by a well-known group, the Durban Choir, after he delighted audiences with his smooth guitar playing and soprano voice. When he joined the Choir, he attempted to teach them some of his new compositions, namely his first song Nomathemba (which was made into a play in 1995). They refused, and so he left them after only two years.
In 1960, Joseph discovered an isicathamiya
group, The Highlanders, led by his hero Galiyane Hlatshwayo. Hlatshwayo was the man who encouraged Joseph to use his voice powerfully. Joseph formed his own group the same year, Ezimnyama ("The Black Ones"). A series of dreams Joseph had in his sleep in December 1964 was a major turning point in the formation of the group; when he saw how well his group did in the once-weekly isicathamiya
competitions, he renamed them Ladysmith Black Mambazo
, "Mambazo" meaning axe
, referring to how the group chopped down the other choirs by winning almost every time.
After local radio airplay (on the S.A.B.C.
station Radio Zulu), Joseph accepted a recording contract that was offered in 1972 by Gallo Music
producer West Nkosi
. The group sold over 40,000 copies of their first album and continued to do so through other recordings. In 1975, Joseph became a Christian
, and the songs in the Mambazo repertoire were shuffled to one side to include generalized Christian, Methodist, and Zionist hymns sung in the Zulu language.
travelled to South Africa to collaborate with South African artists for his upcoming Graceland
album. Simon collaborated with Shabalala and the group, and co-composed the now-famous song, Homeless. The group's popularity spread all over the world, and since then they have sold records popular enough to earn platinum disc certification. In 1987, the group won their first solo Grammy Award for Shaka Zulu. Since then, they have won one more and have been nominated over ten times. Following the worldwide success of Graceland
, Joseph began composing more songs in English (prior to this they had only recorded two in English and one in German).
On the night of 10 December 1991, Joseph's brother and fellow member Headman Shabalala
was killed by an off-duty white security guard near the town of Ladysmith. The death of Shabalala was thought to be a racial murder. Joseph, helped by his beliefs, persevered, and the group continued - the members now included Joseph's brother Jockey
, close relatives Albert
and Abednego Mazibuko
, Russel Mthembu
and Jabulani Dubazana
and Joseph's sons Sibongiseni
, Thamsanqa
, Thulani
and Msizi
. Nevertheless, tragedy returned. In May 2002, Joseph's wife of 30 years, Nellie
, was shot and killed by an unknown assailant outside the couple's home in Kloof, KwaZulu-Natal
. Joseph's hand was wounded in his attempt to protect his wife.
, was expected to have a solemn touch to it. Indeed it did, including a tribute to Nellie by her grandsons Gagamela and Babuyile Shabalala, encouraging Joseph to carry on and that "S-H-A-B-A-L-A-L-A will live on". Six months after Nellie's death, Joseph married Thoko Maduna, which was a 'controversial stunt', according to the South African press. Despite this opposition, Joseph has managed to continue to carry on singing and has even managed to set up the Ladysmith Black Mambazo Foundation
, a music academy to promote and teach isicathamiya
music to young South African children.
Tragedy struck again in June 2004 when Joseph's brother and former Mambazo member Ben Shabalala was shot and killed by an unknown individual whilst driving his two children to school. In February 2006, Joseph's brother Jockey
(his only brother in the group by this time), died of natural causes at his home in Ladysmith
, South Africa.
Shabalala announced, in January 2008, that his youngest son Thamsanqa
will take over as leader of Ladysmith Black Mambazo when the time comes for him to retire from international touring (see main article
for more information). Joseph will continue to be the driving force behind the group at home in South Africa.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a male choral group from South Africa that sings in the vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They rose to worldwide prominence as a result of singing with Paul Simon on his album, Graceland and have won multiple awards, including three Grammy Awards...
.
Early life and career
Joseph was born in the town of LadysmithLadysmith, KwaZulu-Natal
Ladysmith is a city in the Uthukela District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is north-west of Durban and south of Johannesburg. Important industries in the area include food processing, textile and tyre production...
(eMnambithi district) in the KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
region of South Africa. His parents, Jonathan Mluwane Shabalala and Nomandla Elina Shabalala, raised Joseph and his six siblings on a white-owned farm called Tugela. His father died in the late 1940s; Joseph, being the eldest, had to take care of the family. He left the farm, however, in 1958 to search for work in the nearby town of Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
.
During this time, he was spotted by a well-known group, the Durban Choir, after he delighted audiences with his smooth guitar playing and soprano voice. When he joined the Choir, he attempted to teach them some of his new compositions, namely his first song Nomathemba (which was made into a play in 1995). They refused, and so he left them after only two years.
In 1960, Joseph discovered an isicathamiya
Isicathamiya
Isicathamiya is a singing style that originated from the South African Zulus. In European understanding, a cappella is also used to describe this form of singing.-Background:...
group, The Highlanders, led by his hero Galiyane Hlatshwayo. Hlatshwayo was the man who encouraged Joseph to use his voice powerfully. Joseph formed his own group the same year, Ezimnyama ("The Black Ones"). A series of dreams Joseph had in his sleep in December 1964 was a major turning point in the formation of the group; when he saw how well his group did in the once-weekly isicathamiya
Isicathamiya
Isicathamiya is a singing style that originated from the South African Zulus. In European understanding, a cappella is also used to describe this form of singing.-Background:...
competitions, he renamed them Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a male choral group from South Africa that sings in the vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They rose to worldwide prominence as a result of singing with Paul Simon on his album, Graceland and have won multiple awards, including three Grammy Awards...
, "Mambazo" meaning axe
Axe
The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...
, referring to how the group chopped down the other choirs by winning almost every time.
After local radio airplay (on the S.A.B.C.
South African Broadcasting Corporation
The South African Broadcasting Corporation is the state-owned broadcaster in South Africa and provides 18 radio stations as well as 3 television broadcasts to the general public.-Early years:Radio broadcasting began in South Africa in 1923...
station Radio Zulu), Joseph accepted a recording contract that was offered in 1972 by Gallo Music
Gallo Record Company
Gallo Record Company is the largest record label in Africa. It is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is owned by Avusa Limited . The current Gallo Record Company is a hybrid of two rival South African record labels between the '40s and '80s: the original Gallo Africa and G.R.C...
producer West Nkosi
West Nkosi
West Nkosi was a South African music producer, saxophonist and songwriter.Nkosi was born in Nelspruit, South Africa. He was an original member of the Makgona Tsohle Band which backed Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens...
. The group sold over 40,000 copies of their first album and continued to do so through other recordings. In 1975, Joseph became a Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, and the songs in the Mambazo repertoire were shuffled to one side to include generalized Christian, Methodist, and Zionist hymns sung in the Zulu language.
Rising to stardom
In 1986, Paul SimonPaul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
travelled to South Africa to collaborate with South African artists for his upcoming Graceland
Graceland (album)
Graceland was Paul Simon's highest charting album in the U.S. in over a decade, reaching #3 in the national Billboard charts, receiving a certification of 5× Platinum by the RIAA and eventually selling over 14 million copies, making it Simon's most commercially successful album...
album. Simon collaborated with Shabalala and the group, and co-composed the now-famous song, Homeless. The group's popularity spread all over the world, and since then they have sold records popular enough to earn platinum disc certification. In 1987, the group won their first solo Grammy Award for Shaka Zulu. Since then, they have won one more and have been nominated over ten times. Following the worldwide success of Graceland
Graceland (album)
Graceland was Paul Simon's highest charting album in the U.S. in over a decade, reaching #3 in the national Billboard charts, receiving a certification of 5× Platinum by the RIAA and eventually selling over 14 million copies, making it Simon's most commercially successful album...
, Joseph began composing more songs in English (prior to this they had only recorded two in English and one in German).
On the night of 10 December 1991, Joseph's brother and fellow member Headman Shabalala
Headman Shabalala
Headman Msongelwa Shabalala was a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded and still led by his brother Joseph....
was killed by an off-duty white security guard near the town of Ladysmith. The death of Shabalala was thought to be a racial murder. Joseph, helped by his beliefs, persevered, and the group continued - the members now included Joseph's brother Jockey
Jockey Shabalala
Jockey Shabalala was a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded and still led by his brother Joseph....
, close relatives Albert
Albert Mazibuko
Mdletshe Albert Mazibuko is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 - and still led - by his cousin Joseph....
and Abednego Mazibuko
Abednego Mazibuko
Mpindela Abednego Mazibuko is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 - and still led - by his cousin Joseph....
, Russel Mthembu
Russel Mthembu
Ndoda Russel Mthembu is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 - and still led - by close friend Joseph Shabalala....
and Jabulani Dubazana
Jabulani Dubazana
Jabulani Frederick Mwelase Dubazana was a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 - and still led - by close friend Joseph Shabalala....
and Joseph's sons Sibongiseni
Sibongiseni Shabalala
Sibongiseni Lucas Shabalala is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 by his father Joseph....
, Thamsanqa
Thamsanqa Shabalala
Thamsanqa Shabalala is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 by his father Joseph. He will replace Joseph as the group's lead singer after his father's retirement ....
, Thulani
Thulani Shabalala
Thulani Shabalala is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 by his father Joseph.Thulani was born in Ladysmith to Joseph and his late wife Nellie...
and Msizi
Msizi Shabalala
Msizi Innocent Shabalala is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 by his father Joseph.Msizi was born in Ladysmith to Joseph and his late wife Nellie...
. Nevertheless, tragedy returned. In May 2002, Joseph's wife of 30 years, Nellie
Nellie Shabalala
Nellie Shabalala was the wife of Ladysmith Black Mambazo leader and founder, Joseph Shabalala, for over thirty years. She had formed her own allied group, Women of Mambazo, in the 1970s...
, was shot and killed by an unknown assailant outside the couple's home in Kloof, KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
. Joseph's hand was wounded in his attempt to protect his wife.
Today
The next album from the group, WenyukelaWenyukela
Wenyukela is an album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. It was released on March 5, 2003 and was re-released in North America under the English title Raise Your Spirit Higher on Headsup International...
, was expected to have a solemn touch to it. Indeed it did, including a tribute to Nellie by her grandsons Gagamela and Babuyile Shabalala, encouraging Joseph to carry on and that "S-H-A-B-A-L-A-L-A will live on". Six months after Nellie's death, Joseph married Thoko Maduna, which was a 'controversial stunt', according to the South African press. Despite this opposition, Joseph has managed to continue to carry on singing and has even managed to set up the Ladysmith Black Mambazo Foundation
Ladysmith Black Mambazo Foundation
The Ladysmith Black Mambazo Foundation was set up in January 1999 by Ladysmith Black Mambazo lead singer and founder Joseph Shabalala. The foundation teaches the history of South African music styles isicathamiya and, to a lesser extent, mbube.-History:...
, a music academy to promote and teach isicathamiya
Isicathamiya
Isicathamiya is a singing style that originated from the South African Zulus. In European understanding, a cappella is also used to describe this form of singing.-Background:...
music to young South African children.
Tragedy struck again in June 2004 when Joseph's brother and former Mambazo member Ben Shabalala was shot and killed by an unknown individual whilst driving his two children to school. In February 2006, Joseph's brother Jockey
Jockey Shabalala
Jockey Shabalala was a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded and still led by his brother Joseph....
(his only brother in the group by this time), died of natural causes at his home in Ladysmith
Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal
Ladysmith is a city in the Uthukela District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is north-west of Durban and south of Johannesburg. Important industries in the area include food processing, textile and tyre production...
, South Africa.
Shabalala announced, in January 2008, that his youngest son Thamsanqa
Thamsanqa Shabalala
Thamsanqa Shabalala is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 by his father Joseph. He will replace Joseph as the group's lead singer after his father's retirement ....
will take over as leader of Ladysmith Black Mambazo when the time comes for him to retire from international touring (see main article
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a male choral group from South Africa that sings in the vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They rose to worldwide prominence as a result of singing with Paul Simon on his album, Graceland and have won multiple awards, including three Grammy Awards...
for more information). Joseph will continue to be the driving force behind the group at home in South Africa.
See also
- Ladysmith Black MambazoLadysmith Black MambazoLadysmith Black Mambazo is a male choral group from South Africa that sings in the vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They rose to worldwide prominence as a result of singing with Paul Simon on his album, Graceland and have won multiple awards, including three Grammy Awards...
- Ladysmith Black Mambazo FoundationLadysmith Black Mambazo FoundationThe Ladysmith Black Mambazo Foundation was set up in January 1999 by Ladysmith Black Mambazo lead singer and founder Joseph Shabalala. The foundation teaches the history of South African music styles isicathamiya and, to a lesser extent, mbube.-History:...
- Mahlathini and the Mahotella QueensMahlathini and the Mahotella QueensMahlathini and the Mahotella Queens was a South African mbaqanga supergroup composed of:...