Profile sourced from: JahKongo Music
JAH KONGO also known as THE AFRICAN WARRIOR, was born
Mandla Qotsini on 01 July 1985 in Soweto, Jozi. He moved to Cape Town,
Khayelitsha with his family when he was a baby and there he fell in love with
music from a very young age. He started performing in the church choir singing tenor
and enjoyed it greatly. At age 13 he was hanging around a famous local reggae
artist known as Mega, and that’s where he met Zorro and Red Stone at Mega’s
house, there he fell in love with reggae music. He enjoyed the melody, the
harmony and it’s lyrics. So inspired, in the same year, him and friend Thabiso
started their first group called Chuck T after Kongo’s then stage name, Chuck,
and T from Thabiso.The group did well in local road shows and high school
shows.
At that time Jah Kongo’s taste in music was changing and
growing further from the usual R’nB sound to ska and reggae sounds of Toots
and The Maytals, Lucky Dube, The Wailers, Capleton and he later started
listening, learning and enjoying local afro-jazz sounds of Hugh Masekela,
Mzwake Mbuli, Lebo Mathosa, and Brenda Fassie amongst many.
In 1999 after a chance visit to a Rasta Church with
friends while living in Welkom, he started taking bible studies on a daily
basis and learned more about Rastafari. The Rasta way of life changed his
perspective of life and took his music to a different direction to what Chuck T
used to do.
In 2001 back in Cape Town, Jah Kongo started a group called DUNGEON AFFAIR with friends Blaq Supreme, Judgement Son, Mic Herbalist and Judahka. They were a young group who had a vision of becoming a household name. The group did so well, performing all over Cape Town’s
clubs and major festivals. In 2003 it had grown to a 20-member group consisting
of artists such as Black Coal, Lady Sunshine and D.J. Sensi. After 6 good years with Dungeon Affair, Jah Kongo went
solo and started his own company called Queen Sheba Entertainment (QSE) hosting
shows such as the annual Ladies Night and Lions Fest, which coincides with Jah
Kongo's birthday.
Jah Kongo worked with Scratch Israel, Ricky Bushula and
Isaac kalako on producing his December 2008 EP called, All I want. The EP
featured artists such as Maxhoseni and Black B on a love song called My love
for you. He featured Scratch Israel on two tracks called Seven Days and I don’t
care. Baby Scrujah on Hustlin and Big Head on Crime, Jah Kongo marketed the EP
himself and it has sold ova a thousand copies since it’s release date. The EP exposed Jah Kongo to a wider audience, taking him
on national tours and negotiating international deals.
He has shared a stage with his childhood hero’s such as
Jamaica’s I Qulah, Anthony B and London based artists, Prince Mallachi and
Peter Spence, also with the late sis Brenda Fassie. He has also performed with South Africa’s most recognised
reggae band Azania. He also collaborated with Sista Cassie from USA on two
successful tracks called What for and Crime rate too high and also collaborated
with Miss Sunshyne from Dublin, Ireland and many more artists. Jah Kongo has
worked with France base producer Yoan Minkoff from Major Yo productions. Since the release of the EP, he has collaborated with
many more producers and his voice is heard on many mixtapes that are doing well
in the streets of Cape Town and Johannesburg.
2012 saw Jah Kongo featuring on his own music video for
one of his most beloved song, 1st Night which will be released at a later
stage. Another music video for Bambulele is in pre-production. In May he
released a mixtape with his long time friends Ras Melody and Xisto called Total
Take Over under Coded Records.
Jah Kongo is well loved for his humble personality and
his direct approach to matters of life in his music. He is named the African
Warrior for good reasons. He’s an inspiration to his community’s youth and
hopes to keep uplifting many people, young and old, through his music.
Monwabisi Sun-splash
Sunny Ocean Reggae Festival
National Arts Festival
Cape Town Festival
Youth day Celebration
Jahkongo pon Tour …and many more.
Hit songs he has recorded to date include: -
Bambulele
What ForCrime Rate Too High
Why
The biggest songs are:
I never
Mountain Top
U for me, Me for U
Thank You Mama and many more.
Jah Kongo's EP and Album are available now.
For bookings and sales call
079 147 4210
BBM 232776d2
Also check out:
Youtube: Jahkongomuzik
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jahkongomuzik
Also on Facebook: Jahkongo pon Tour/jahkongomuzik.
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