AFRI-MAN ON

THEREare several facets to the genius that is Kabomo Vilakazi. Coming out as a poet several years ago and an underground hip hop artist, nothing prepared us for what the man has become this year. In his spare time (he is a permanent cast member on Mzansi Magic’s Zabalaza), he released an album, Sekusile, his third, and it seems as if he’s hit the right notes.

“I am feeling great. I guess I am relaxed because people are more familiar with me. The amount of people who also bought the album on the night of the launch was incredible. We sold all the copies that we had. We had a box saved for the media, but had to ask them to wait for their CDs,” he said.

“A week after my release, I am a lot less anxious than I was with my other albums. That’s a good thing,” he added.

The album follows the success of his debut neo-soul effort, All Things Grey, and its Samawinning sophomore entry, Memory Remains. With that history, Sekusile found Kabomo with a lot on his mind.

“When you become popular, you have a responsibility to talk about things that matter. I never chose to be a role model, I just wanted to make music. But there is a responsibility that you have which you can’t deny. People want to listen to what you have to say, whether you like it or not. I didn’t come here to be the voice of reason, but thanks to my influence I have to say something meaningful.”

One of the topics he discusses on his new album is the scourge of xenophobia and how the attacks earlier this year affected him.

“I was ashamed when the xenophobia attacks happened. I was embarrassed to be South African and scared for my friends in the country. I can’t begin to think of my life as a musician without Zubz (a Zambian, raised in Zimbabwe, resident here). He influenced my writing as an emcee and I could mention a lot of people who have done the same for me over the years. So I did a song on the album that addressed how I felt about xenophobia. It came from real pain and is not a jump on the