Uma kukhulunywa ngomculo wesintu ikakhulukazi umculo kaMaskandi kusuke kukhulunywa ngoKhulekani Kwakhe Khumalo sesisho iBhova likaMaskandi. Akekho umuntu owazi ngomculo kaMaskandi ongalazi igama likaMgqumeni Khumalo. Noma ngabe inini uma kukhulunywa ngengqwele yalomculo igama lakhe lihamba phambili futhi nakhona kufanele ngoba ubugagu bekuyinto yakhe, iphimbo lokucula ephiwe lona, ngisho nokubhala izingoma imbala ubezihambela yedwa nje. Namanje singakusho kugcwale umlomo ukuthi uMgqumeni uyena nkosi yangampela kulomculo futhi nje uyena ohambe emhlabeni ebambe iqhulu.
UMgqumeni Kwakhe iBhova likaDikadika iDlamanzi “the King of Maskandi” wazalwa ngomhlaka 03 Januwari 1981, wabe esedlula emhlabeni ngomhlaka 19 Disemba 2009, wahamba washiya izingane zakhe eziyishumi nambili. Kuzokhumbuleka ukuthi ngeminyaka yama-2000 umculo kaMaskandi ububukeleka phansi futhi kungumculo nje othandwa kakhulu ngabantu basemakhaya abaphila isintu. UMgqumeni ngelinye lamaciko asebenze kakhulu nje ukudumisa lomculo nokuthi ube lapha okhona njengamanje. Ukuphuma kwecwecwe lakhe iJukebox kwashintsha kakhulu indlela uMaskandi obukwa ngayo abantu. Lelicwecwe lagila izimanga kakhulu ngoba waze wanqoba nendondo yeBest Maskandi ngayo kumaSAMA Awards. Ziningi ke nezinye izindondo ahlabane ngazo njengawo nawo amaSATMA Awards.
Akagcinanga ukuhlabana nge-album yeJukebox kuphela njengoba neMagic idayise ngaphezu kwamakhophi angu-78 000 ngenyanga eyayiphume ngayo. Maningi ke namaqembu abenawo okubalwa kuwo Amagcokama, UMgqumeni, Abakwethu, Ogezoo, IDlamanzi, Ithwasa Lami, Amaduma Amahle, uQondani, Amalanda Amhlophe, Izinsimbi kanye namanye. Endimeni yomculo ufike ngomalume wakhe uMahawukela naye obecula uMaskandi waqala kuMatshitshi Amhlophe, Ubuhle begubazi obekuyiwona amaqembu kaMahawukela ngaphambi kokuba azimele. Uma nje sibeka uhlu loMaskandi abahamba phambili uMgqumeni uyena ingqwele yabo bonke ngoba ngisho engasekho emhlabeni kodwa igama lakhe lisematheni kubantu.
Brief overview
When we talk of timelessness, talent, maskandi trends, style, and just swag, there is not better maskandi artist to refer to than Khulekani Khumalo, famously known as uMgqumeni. He is the guy who made maskandi fashionable in the early 2000s when it was not that commercial. His storytelling in his songs is one of the purest among others; he is one of the few artists who could sing in different tunes in different albums and made it natural. uMgqumeni is the undisputed king of maskandi music. Under his leadership and influence, he molded artists such as uMtshengiseni, Ichalaha, Khangelani DSD Mhlongo, Dlubheke, Jaiva Zimnike, and many others.
Siboniso Langa is a content generator, researcher and practising poet. His work focuses on Zulu oral and material culture, its promotion and preservation. He holds an Honours degree in Community and Development studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).