Last September, we had the amazing opportunity to travel to South Africa with Bobbito Garcia for a week of music, sneakers and basketball for Africa’s first sneaker conference STR.CRD. Little did we know, along the way, at a lovely dinner party with friends, we would meet KHETHI. At first the conversation was all about the amazing homemade food, delicious local wine and even some discussion of local politics, until the background music was so captivating it was no longer ‘background.’ In one of those “yo, what are we listening to?” moments, it was brought to Bob’s attention that the soul stirring voice we were falling in love with belonged to the woman chatting with us across the table – Khethi!! (pronounced like Katie, but put some umph on the K and T.)
She’s so good Kool Bob Love made a point to bring her voice stateside, currently in the form of a 7″ vinyl release on his new imprint Álala Records.
via FatBeats.com:
Khethukubonga “Khethi” Ntshangase exemplifies African Evolution. She was aptly born on Africa Day, May 25, 1980, in the city of Pietermaritzburg, KZN, and was raised by Johannesburg’s lively underground poetry scene. She came of age in quaint Tanzania.
Inspired by soulful Jazz Blues giants like Miriam Makeba, Sibongile Khumalo and Nina Simone, Khethi has trailed Africa in search of cures to the continent’s social ills. With a powerful voice, potent writing skills and deep conscience as her catalyst, Khethi has found that the biggest clue lies in traveling and gaining a deeper knowledge of self.Khethi on the song “Rainbow”:
“The words, ‘Lelalizwe lali lingiwe’ refer to the African continent inclusive of its people. Our greatest potential as a nation lives in our unity. Home is my pot of gold, my treasured space, where I will always return. Rainbows always fill me with pride because the future feels warm and bright.”
Khethi joins DJ Bobbito Garcia’s Álala Records family with a licensed 7″ of “Umqombothi” and “Rainbow” (originally released in 2010 on the lp Exemplify on Gallo Music Group, South Africa).BUY NOW! (Pre Order Ship Date 3/8)
Kheti’s full length album Exemplify is available now.
Official website: www.khethi.com
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Yebo. Was blessed to travel with Diva Khethi Jo-burg – KwaZulu Natal, back to Johannesburg in VW Beetle. Run a google on “Khethi camera13″ to get some essential fan info.
camera13 is happy to announce that Khethi’s Poetry and some music shall be included in a Climate Film, as a built up to COP 17 Durban Climate Conference.