I was born and raised on the slopes of Signal Hill, and while the Bo-Kaap is known to many for its bright colourful houses, narrow cobblestone streets, the Noon Gun and plethora of mosques, for me, this is simply home.
The slopes were my playground; the streets weren’t great for playing “gatties” but we made it work.
To me, the Bo-Kaap expresses a different sense of freedom.
The significance of my upbringing is that it is filled with a rich heritage, a culture that sees hustle and bustle as a norm, sharing that with a very unique kind of people, who have laid the foundation for many of us.
Part of that solid grounding was everything Bo-Kaap had to offer: the people, the Malay choirs, the Kaapse Klopse, samoosas, koesiesters, hertzoggies, breyani, daltjies and so much more.
I’ve played in the streets, watched the Malay choir bands go by on Oujaarsaand, and on Tweede Nuwe Jaar we dressed down in Saturn gears, or we dressed up in sequins with the klopse.
I performed as a both juvenile and adult sentimental singer and proudly won a couple of trophies.
I have trained many juvenile singers and coached teams to master their performances for the stadium. I’m sure you can tell that I enjoy the culture that is so richly entrenched in me.
I was born in Lion Street, at St. Monica’s Home, which serves as a frail-care centre today.
Many tourists have tried to purchase this land but the community has stopped this numerous times, thanks to the City of Cape Town for making it a heritage site.
My first home was at 199 Longmarket Street, and I started singing at the age of eight; I was exposed to a whole new world, with amazing opportunities.
My first performance was at the old Green Point Stadium, packed with more than 10 000 people. I sang for the Woodstock Starlights and got paid for winning.
This money would help my parents with whatever was needed in the home.
The next year I was approached by a few klopse teams to perform again, but I chose the one who would pay for me to go to music school. I did theory and vocal training for three years.
At this stage I was offered a contract to perform in Europe. My excited father broke the news to me but mom declined the opportunity for me to travel with strangers. Looking back, I believe it was a blessing in disguise.
I’ve gone from singing in local stadiums and halls, to performing for the king of Malaysia, in China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Dubai and so many more, while also working with US stars like Tevin Campbell and All-4-One.
This “Boy from the Bo-Kaap” has produced many concerts in Gauteng and the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape.
Locally, I’ve worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, Zayn Adam, Terry Fortune, Taliep Petersen, Sophia Foster, Emo Adams, Loukmaan Adams, to name but a few.
My heritage means more than words to me, it’s who I am. I held on tightly to the hand of my dad when we got the first opportunity to vote in 1994. I felt the light of possibilities shine brightly on my face, this is my heritage , you, me, together .
It’s been 25 years of promoting, producing, directing and performing, so I’m excited to announce that I will speak to you through this amazing platform with encouragement and honesty.
Together with our incredible community, my focus is to unearth all the rich cultural aspects and reveal them to those who are unaware of an incomparable culture.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za