Group on the rise

Ntsako Mabunda

LIMPOPO – AWARD-winning house music group, Limpopo Roots has performed in so many places around the country that hardly any invitation surprises them.

However, when they were invited to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa’s (EPCSA) 140th year anniversary gospel festival, they were a little taken back at the prospect of performing at a religious occasion.

The festival was held at the Polokwane Cricket Club recently.

“Seeing religious people dance along to our tunes shows that we are doing good music and that we are well-recognised and accepted everywhere,” said Thembhani ‘Sgodas’ Mashau. Sgodas, founding member and manager of Limpopo Roots, admitted that the group came a long way from the days when they started making beats using his computer and working with DJ Dee-R and DJ Nascent on their first hit track, Xigogo with DJ Gami.

The track was nominated for a Munghana Lonene FM Award in 2012 for best house track.

The four-member group comprises of Sgodas from Giyani, Bongani ‘Bongz’ Maluleke from Atteridgeville, Lesego ‘Da Box’ Chauke, as well as the only female member, Twarisani ‘Twari’ Mabasa from Mtititi village outside Malamulele.

Between them, the members share the responsibilities of managing, producing, writing, playing musical instruments and singing the songs.

Sgodas stated that piracy and technology created a challenge for them in that people hardly bought music, and that they earned money through performances such as the recent gospel festival.

Twari, who is a school teacher by day, remembered the day they won the award for best house song at the 2014 Munghana Lonene FM Awards.

The winning song was Mali ya Mina produced together with DJ Casanno and Costo from their second album, The Best, which is still recieving great reviews from places as far as Angola.

Limpopo Roots has a third album out, Road of Love, where their first single, a collaboration with Benny Mayengani, is already enjoying massive airplay.