Last year, when Mahoota celebrated his “50th” birthday party, 3 000 people turned up at an elite club. “They were still queuing at 3am,” recalls the kwaito artist, producer, DJ and director of Kalawa Jazmee.
Spurred on by the success of his so-called 50th celebrations, Mahoota will celebrate his “51st” birthday at Taboo tomorrow with the first Carnival Madness party.
He says: “There will be girls in wings, real samba dancers. But I also want to celebrate South African music culture which we only really do during award times.”
He also claims it doesn’t faze him that the MTN South African Music Awards’ (Samas) nominations party will take place at the venue the night before. The Kalawa peeps have never really taken the awards ceremony that seriously.
“This is going to be big. We are taking over the adjacent venue, Cocoon, and will also be turning the parking lot upstairs next to Taboo into a VIP area. This will accommodate much more people.”
Although his group Trompies are on the verge of releasing new material, Mahoota says they will not be performing on the night, neither will he be on the decks as he will have too many other things to worry about and, besides which, he also wants to take time out to enjoy his birthday celebrations.
There will be live performances from artists in his stable as well as the Durban kwaito kings, Mafikizolo, Professor, Big Nuz, L’Vovo, Uhuru, Black Motion and his close friend Spikiri.
The DJ line-up is extensive as there will be many dance floors.
Mahoota has also chosen a variety of DJs to represent the sub- genres of dance music. Mo Flava, Heavy K, Lulo Cafe and Warras will represent the younger crew, while Ganyani, Oskido, Glenzito and Vinny da Vinci will represent the older crowd. Tira, Sox and Bongz will represent Durban.
The doors will open at 9pm and it’s best to get there before midnight to reserve a cool space. It will be full.
Mahoota has also decided that March is his birthday month. Carnival Madness goes to Polokwane’s Waterland on Saturday and Sedibeng in Soweto on Sunday.
He is also extending the parties to Port Elizabeth, the Vaal River and Bloemfontein before ending it all at The Rock on Sunday, March 30 and the VMC Chesan-yama in the Vaal on March 31.