Mamillion Sauti za Busara Festival Artists 2009

style
urban / kwaito / hiphop
festivals
Sauti za Busara 2009
recordings
Phakama (2007)
Sphiwe Ngwenya, aka Mamillion hails from Soweto. He is inspired by township life, the changes of music genres and the country’s constant challenges. He aims to take kwaito back to the TKZee era with his beats, whilst fused with a modern sensibility.
Mamillion’s main objective is to entertain while dominating the kwaito scene. Mamillion is a newly signed artist to Tsotsi Taal Productions, the company that discovered Teargas who were the label's first South African hiphop act to scoop three Metro FM Awards out of four nominations.
Mamillion’s recent debut CD, Phakama is filled with party songs, tracks inspired by his social struggles and a constant ambition of making his first R 1,000,000 through music. The album also includes the bonus track “Gatvol” that directly targets taxi drivers for their controversial behaviour.
With the help of talented producers like 635 (who also produced the Teargas album including the Number 1 hit “Chance”), Mellow and B-MA, the album demonstrates how Tsotsi Taal Productions are developing and grooming young upcoming musicians and producers. The charismatic Mamillion has successfully put together an educative, motivational and entertaining album, featuring hits like Mzimba Nyakaza, Thingz Change, the controversial bonus track “Gatvol” and more.
“Mamillion added a new project to the kwaito collection last year in the form of a ten track album titled Phakama. The album features some slick joints that can drive you real mad if you have a good ear for kwaito with a touch of hip hop. Predominantly, Mamillion’s jams are for dancing but I also like the way he slows down on other tracks putting across a little subject matter. The project is charming enough to lure a multitude of youths who will find the issues of love, partying and thugin’ all packed into one offering. Like most kwaito artists, Mamillion makes sure he puts an aggressive stamp to his vibe. The title track Phakama (“Flee”) says it all – “I’m back so you better run for your life or else”. His lyrical capabilities are something many kwaito cats are struggling to develop and he truly knows how to treat the mic. A bit rough but carefully spitting out his outspoken thoughts that don’t clash with the beat like other rap upstarts often do. The sixth track, Thingz Change drops some cool sounds; I also find myself impressed with the way the instruments are arranged on this particular track. Thingz Change talks about the changing living conditions in South Africa which are increasingly becoming unbearable for the unemployed.” (excerpt from CD Review by Eddie Hatitye)