Ekasi Lam – An Ode to Kwaito, Un-Owed to Kwaito

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Ekasi Lam – An Ode to Kwaito, Un-Owed to Kwaito presents the point of view that there is no genre closer to an accurate portrait of the township than kwaito. It posits that when closely observed, kwaito – and all its subsequent sub-genres – is the living literature of Johannesburg’s South Western Townships, and every kasi beyond Soweto’s borders.

Writer and director Jefferson Bobs Tshabalala together with musical director Bernett Mlungo use scamtho poetry as a vehicle to tell a unique township story about South African kwaito and how its vast catalogue has offered timeless, nuanced vignettes and a myriad insights into how the majority of Mzansi lives.

Much like hip hop, kwaito is ‘urban poetry’, an agent for social commentary through its lyrics and the statements its practitioners stand for. From points of charged political awareness to engaging with sociological issues, from cultural critique to astute personal introspection, kwaito’s themes and concepts are far reaching and formidable.

Director: J.Bobs Tshabalala
Music Composed By: Bernett Mlungo
Featured Artists: Simpho Mathenjwa, Mathews Rantsoma, Gugu Dhlamini, Lucky Ndlovu, Kopano Tshabalala
Company: Jefferson Bobs Tshabalala

Project Manager: Nontobeko Mkhatshwa