Teargas Champs

By Quibell Ramantswana , 16 Apr 2009 | One Comment

In 2006 Teargas released their first album `K shubile K´bovu´ featuring the single `Chance´ which went onto scoop numerous awards. Three years on they are still on top of their game with a third album on the way.

Born in Mpumalanga K.O born Ntokozo Mdluli met Ezee “Ma-E” Hadebe and Bantu “Ntukza” Hanabe (brothers from Soweto) whilst he was studying at Vaal University in Gauteng.

“We´re running the city right now and we are not gonna stop”

With their love of Hip Hop music it wasn’t long before they decided to form the band;Teargas. The trio were very much influenced by South Africa’s political past (where they used to disperse crowds during the apartheid days) and began to incorporate this in their songs.

” We are the first group that actually connect with the market. That´s one thing that actually helped sell Teargas better. We´re running the city right now and we are not gonna stop”.

After taking almost a year off Teargas came back with their SAMA nominated album `Wafa Wafa´( Due or Die). With the success of two consecutive albums does Ntokozo sees Teargas as the champions of Hip Hop in South Africa as the song of the same name suggests?

“Kwaito is a cornerstone for what we´re doing today in the first place.”

“Yes… not in a cocky way. It doesn´t talk (sic) from a Hip Hop prospective. It addresses issues like if you´re a School Teacher, Bus Driver, construction worker; whatever skills or profession you might be in you need to see yourself as a Champion because you are going out there trying to make a living and you´re contributing to the country in a positive way”.

The constant speculation fueled by many big names in Hip Hop believe that Hip Hop artists are taking over the South African music industry to such an extent that Kwaito music will become non-existent. Well, from the words of Kwaito Legend,Thebe ” Kwaito music is a South African soul; as long as I´m still alive Kwaito is not going anywhere

Ntokozo adds ” Kwaito is a cornerstone for what we´re doing today in the first place. We always have to bow down and respect those fellas. As far as Kwaito is concerned is Durban sound. Those guys are still doing big things to a certain degree even bigger than Hip Hop”.

Teargas latest album will be released in August.

Listen to The Mzansi Show featuring Teargas on future radio 96.9 FM or on line at www.futureradio.co.uk. If you missed the show then catchup at www.kwaito.co.uk/themzansishow