Behind the beat: Mkhonzeni Professor Langa’s music drew from familiar places, relationships and experiences, often exaggerating them for effect. Photos: Supplied
Music has always been an important part of South African life. It is how we told the world about the ills of apartheid. Those in exile sang about returning home to a liberated South Africa.
We sing to send off our loved ones as they transition and we sing to celebrate them at weddings. Sometimes, we sing by force when that one uncle has had a little too much to drink and is feeling the spirit of our ancestors as he takes a sip of Chibuku.
Music is one of the ways we tell our stories. Mkhonzeni Professor Langa, popularly known as Professor, knows this all too well.
The Kwaito artist’s latest single, Iskoqokoqo, pays homage to his 2010 hit, Imoto, from his debut solo album, University of Kalawa Jazmee.
More than a decade separates the two songs but storytelling remains central to his music. What has changed is the industry and his relationship with the idea of success.
When Imoto was released, Professor was fighting to reclaim his place in an industry where he felt his career was losing momentum.
“People received Imoto in a totally different way. That song came out of anger. T’Zozo and I’s careers were slowing down, and I was facing major challenges with Kalawa Jazmee. The song was me trying to show everyone who I was and what I was capable of. I wanted to say that I am here to claim my spot,” he says.
On the surface, Imoto tells a story of heists and the fast life. But for Professor, the song was also a declaration of intent. It was a way of reminding the industry that he was here and had something to say.
To understand the significance of that moment, one has to return to the years preceding his solo career.
In 2005, he was part of a duo with T’Zozo. Together, they released three albums, Woze Durban, Amantombazane and Magazine, under the Kalawa Jazmee record label. In 2010, he ventured out on his own with University of Kalawa Jazmee. The 13-track debut featured singles such as Jezebel, Lento, featuring Speedy, and Imoto.
The album sold more than 120 000 copies, earning triple-platinum status. It received nominations for Best Kwaito Album, Song of the Year and Best Collaboration, and won Best Kwaito Album and Song of the Year at the Metro FM Awards. It later won Best Kwaito Album at the South African Music Awards.
That December, it seemed as though every taxi, tavern and family gathering had the album on repeat.
Part of its appeal lay in Professor’s ability to tell stories that listeners recognised. His music drew from familiar places, relationships and experiences, often exaggerating them for effect. Even the tales of gangsters boasting about their escapades carried a familiarity that made the characters feel recognisable.
There was humour, bravado and a sense of performance but there was also something distinctly rooted in the environments from which the music emerged.
“This is what defines me. Without that, I truly don’t know what kind of musician I would be,” he says. “I always thought that I would grow out of this. But I am a Kwaito artist and Kwaito is about storytelling. A lot of us are from townships and rural areas, so we carry stories that we know people will relate to. That’s what we choose to put in the music.”
For Professor, storytelling is the foundation of his identity as a musician. That instinct can be heard across his catalogue. In songs such as Nguye Lona and Beautiful War, he explores the familiar complications of township love. In Y-tjukutja and Ezangakini, he demonstrates his ability to command a dancefloor, while his contribution to DJ Nkoh’s Friday continues his presence in contemporary South African music.
With Iskoqokoqo, however, the storytelling takes a more uncomfortable turn. The single blends Kwaito, 3 Step and Gqom.
Beneath the danceable production is a narrative that raises questions about black-on-black violence and the ways in which harmful behaviour can become normalised under the pressures of the hustle and the struggle to survive.
The contrast is worth considering: music can make a difficult sub-ject easier to approach, even as the energy of the dancefloor threatens to distract from the message. Rather than abandoning the conventions of dance music for a heavier sound, Iskoqokoqo uses rhythm as an entry point into a conversation. The question is whether listeners will hear the story beneath the beat.
For Professor, experimenting with different sounds is part of keeping that storytelling alive.
The decision to work with rising producer Larny and Essa Kay was deliberate. Although he is a producer himself, he prefers to step away from that role when working on his own projects.
“I have no desire to box myself in when making music. Yes, I am a Kwaito artist but I would be doing myself a disservice if I did not allow myself to just be a musician and experiment with new and relatable ways of storytelling,” he says. “I am a producer but I pre-fer not to wear that hat on my own projects. I want to have a different perspective because, when you produce, you tend to be too harsh on yourself and never put anything out.”
He recalls bringing DJ Maphorisa and Heavy K into his projects, welcoming the fresh perspectives they brought to the music. He is also proud to have watched their careers develop over the years. For an artist who has spent much of his career establishing his own identity, collaboration offers a way to remain open to new ideas without abandoning the sound and stories that define him.
Making the music is only one part of the work. For listeners who remember the impact of University of Kalawa Jazmee, the prospect of another full-length project is enticing. A single offers a glimpse of what Professor is thinking about but an album could provide more room to explore the stories, places and experiences that have shaped him.
When asked whether he would release another body of work, he does not rule it out.
“I love to work and I have a lot of unreleased music but things have changed significantly since my early days in the industry,” he says.
Today, he explains, artists must contend with the demands of building a brand alongside making music. Where a song once had to find its audience through radio, word of mouth and the dancefloor, it must now compete in a digital environment where visibility often depends on a constant stream of content.
A release can come with the expectation of a social media campaign, a viral moment or a dance challenge. The song itself is no longer the only consideration.
“The digital space is very difficult to understand. I have tried to find people who understand it but it is a tough space.”
His comments point to a challenge facing established musicians who must find ways to navigate an industry that has changed since their careers began. Experience and a recognisable catalogue are valuable but they do not necessarily make the digital landscape easier to understand. He speaks of Port Shepstone, where most of his family lives, and Hillbrow, where his friends and chosen family are, as places he would like to draw inspiration from.
The Kwaito artist’s latest single, Iskoqokoqo, pays homage to his 2010 hit, Imoto, from his debut solo album, University of Kalawa Jazmee.
They are the spaces where his relationships and experiences continue to unfold, offering the kinds of stories that have informed his music.
Yet the realities of releasing music today mean that the creative process cannot be separated entirely from the business surrounding it.
The contrast between Imoto and Iskoqokoqo is therefore not simply about sound. Imoto emerged from a period when Professor felt he needed to prove himself and reclaim his place in the industry. Today, he is more concerned abotu making music that connects with people than with competing for the top spot.
“I no longer have the desire to take the number one spot. I just want the music to be received well and for the messages in the song to spark conversations and land on people who really need to hear them,” he says.
For Professor, the story has always mattered. The challenge is ensuring that, in an industry concerned with how music travels, there is room for what the music has to say.