''Thokozile'' is an album by the

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

n mbaqanga group

Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens (also known as Mahlathini Nezintombi Zomgqashiyo and Mahlathini and the Girls of Mgqashiyo) were a South African ''mbaqanga'' Supergroup (music), supergroup made up of the three musical acts linked together by ...

, released in 1987. The album was a reunion of

Mahlathini Simon "Mahlathini" Nkabinde (1937 or 1938 – 27 July 1999) was a South African ''mbaqanga'' singer. Known as the "Lion of Soweto", Nkabinde is the acknowledged exponent of the deep-voiced, basso profundo "groaning" style that came to symboliz ...

with the backing

Makgona Tsohle Band The Makgona Tsohle Band was a South African instrumental band that is noted for creating the mbaqanga music style. Mbaqanga is an acculturated popular South African music that emerged in the 19th century. Mbaqanga is also referred to as towns ...

and three of the original Queens,

Hilda Tloubatla Hilda Semola Tloubatla (born 1942) is a South African ''mbaqanga'' singer, and the lead singer of the acclaimed group the Mahotella Queens. Tloubatla was born in Payneville, South Africa before moving to kwaThema township in 1951 as a result of ...

Nobesuthu Mbadu Nobesuthu Gertrude Mbadu Shawe (26 April 1945 – 31 August 2021) was a South African ''mbaqanga'' singer, and a singer in the acclaimed group the Mahotella Queens. Early life Mbadu was born in Durban, South Africa and was raised by her father ...

and Mildred Mangxola. The album (#Gallo-GRC BL 590) featured re-recordings of older songs such as "Umculo Kawupheli" (heard here as "Sibuyile") and "Sithunyiwe" ("Thokozile"). The album propelled the group into immediate international stardom when it was issued internationally on the Earthworks label.

Critical reception

Robert Christgau deemed the album "professional dance music at its finest and roughest." ''

The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...

'' wrote that "the music is dense with intertwining melody lines and urgent choruses." ''

The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...

'' called ''Thokozile'' "a typically infectious set of township jive, though the production tends towards sterility."

Track listing

# "Thokozile" ("Praise/Be Happy") # "Lilizela Mlilizeli" ("Ululate/Applaud") # "Sibuyile" ("We Are Back") # "Nina Majuba" ("You Pigeons") # "I Wanna Dance" # "Uyavutha Umlilo" ("Music Inferno") # "Sengikhala Ngiyabaleka" ("I'm Crying and Running Away") # "Izulu Liyaduduma" ("Thunderstorm")

References

{{Authority control Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens albums 1987 albums