Nozinja Explained

Nozinja
Birth Name:Richard Mthetwa
Birth Place:Giyani, Limpopo
Genre:Electronic, Shangaan electro, Tsonga disco, Kwaito, house
Occupation:Record producer, musician, DJ
Label:Warp, Honest Jon's, Jialong, Nozinja Music
Years Active:2004–present

Nozinja is a South African musician, producer and DJ, credited with the creation and popularisation of the 'shangaan electro' genre of African dance music,[1] influenced by traditional folk, Tsonga disco, Kwaito house and township backstreet dance styles from the Limpopo region of South Africa.[2]

Biography

Born Richard Mthetwa in Giyani, Limpopo,[3] Nozinja has since moved to Soweto and spent time running a string of successful mobile phone repair shops before noticing the size of crowds at local Sowetan Shangaan dances and becoming the producer, artist, video director and promoter of the Shangaan style for which he is now known.[2]

Shangaan electro was born in Soweto, however takes its name from the Shangaan people who moved to Soweto largely for work, including Nozinja, also known simply as 'Dog'.[4] The 'shangaan electro' sound has found a particular kinship with electronic producers and DJs such as Caribou, Ben UFO, Mount Kimbie and Pearson Sound consistently championing the style.[5] A high-profile series of 12"s on Honest Jon's capitalised on this with Theo Parrish, Rashad & Spinn, Ricardo Villalobos, Hype Williams and others remixing Shangaan tracks, which were subsequently compiled on the 'Shangaan Shake' double CD. 2013 saw the release of 2 brand new Nozinja cuts (under various pseudonyms) on Dan Snaith's Jiaolong label.

A year after announcing that Nozinja had signed with the UK's Warp Records,[6] a debut full-length album was announced with the title Nozinja Lodge.[7] The album track list features ‘Tsekeleke’ which was also released separately on 24 April 2014.[8]

Bacardi house pioneer, DJ Spoko was Nozinja's protégé.[9]

Discography

Releases

Remixes

Singles

Nozinja Music

Nozinja is also involved with other artists in South Africa, that he A&R's, records, produces and releases across South Africa through 'Nozinja Music'.[10]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bradshaw. Melissa. What's The Name of My Nation? Dancing Shangaan Electro With Nozinja. The Quietus. 26 March 2014.
  2. Web site: Bakare. Lanre. Shangaan electro: the Soweto dance craze that's about to go global. The Guardian. 26 March 2014.
  3. Web site: Shangaan Electro – New Wave Dance Music From South Africa. Honest Jon's. 26 March 2014.
  4. Web site: Nkepile. Mabuse. Soweto's ultra-fast dance music: Can you take the pace?. CNN. 27 March 2014.
  5. Web site: Shangaan Electro . Qu Junktions . 2013-07-10 . 2015-07-14.
  6. Web site: Nozinja (Shangaan Electro) signs to Warp. Warp.net. 29 April 2014.
  7. Web site: Nozinja announces debut album ‘Nozinja Lodge’. Dummy Magazine. 22 April 2015.
  8. Web site: Magner. Sean. Track of the Day: Nozinja - Tsekeleke. Platformonlnie.co.za. 29 April 2014.
  9. Web site: Williams . Harrison . Mixmag . 14 March 2018 . Dance music pioneer of Bacardi House DJ Spoko has died, RIP . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180314231244/https://mixmag.net/read/dance-music-pioneer-of-bacardi-house-dj-spoko-has-died-rip-news . 14 March 2018 . 21 April 2024 . Mixmag.
  10. Web site: Artists - Nozinja Music . Sites.google.com . 2015-07-14.

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