It sometimes feels like Botswana plays younger cousin to South Africa as far as their respective music scenes go. For years you were more likely to hear the latest from the latter in either country, but not the other way around. This might be starting to change.

Vee Wa Mampela, or Lieutenant General Vee as he calls himself, is probably the most prominent urban music act in Botswana. As these things go, he got his start by working with South African Kwaito producer Godfrey “Guffy” Pilane. Gradually, he carved out a niche for himself with his self-branded ‘Kwaito Kwasa’, which does exactly as it says on the tin – combines the charged up style of Kwaito with sexy Soukouss-like guitar sounds of Kwasa Kwasa.

Dancer and Kwaito-Kwasa pioneer

And it works to great effect. Vee not only owns mineral water and condom brands, and his own record company, Black Money Makers, he is also one of the first artists in the country to be involved in a cellphone record deal, an increasingly popular phenomenon across Africa. He is the face of both Alcatel and Orange Botswana, and last year released a 6-track album called Party Animals, available only to subscribers of both brands.

Mamacita was his festive season party trick. It still kicks.


Elsewhere on the web
Orange

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/Hide comments