Black Motion have just released their latest album, Fortune Teller. They took Tonight on a tour of their home township, Soshanguve.
It was a moment, when you come across someone’s thoughts in the midst of silence. Black Motion’s Smol was staring through the darkened window into the tin shack where he and DJ Murda first made music. The sun in Soshanguve is so hot that even the birds are quiet. Smol’s thoughts were palpable in the thick heat. They were memories of dreams; dreams of success, of travelling the world playing music.
Perhaps it was the giddy realisation of those dreams coming true that made him suddenly turn around. Our eyes met and we started to laugh. Yup, young man, I heard your thoughts and they were as beautiful as the music you make.
Black Motion have always stated how important growing up in Soshanguve is to them as musicians, so important that I had to go with them and discover their roots.
But, hot damn, the place is far. Since signing to Kalawa Jazmee and their subsequent success with Dr Malinga (Father to Be) and Oskido (Banane Mavuko) as well as their first two albums, the duo have travelled the continent and the world on the back of the success of their music.
However, their hearts are still in Soshanguve. So meeting them in Midrand, DJ Murda, Smol, Star photographer, Bongiwe Mchunu, and myself drive off to this township which was created by the apartheid government in the early ’70s. It is an acronym for Sotho, Shangaan, Nguni and Venda which are the dominant language groups of the area. But, yoh, Soshanguve is far (if I haven’t said it already). Drive through Pretoria and then carry on and on and on and on some more.
“Soshanguve is a mixture of everything,” says DJ Murda. “That’s why we are influenced by the drum because it is all drum culture- based.”
The soundtrack to the adventure is their third album, Fortune Teller. It contains that beautiful, beautiful summer song, Rainbow. That track is possibly the most feminine song to be released since Liquideep’s Fairytale.
When we finally arrive, DJ Murda and Smol take us to an upmarket tavern called Short Left. It has a special place in their hearts because it is one of the first venues they played. It is also the first time they met their hero, Black Coffee.
To the backdrop of continually hooting taxis they tell the story. When Short Left hosts a bash they close down the street.
“We were booked to play and it was the time when that Banane Mavuko was big,” recalls Murda.
“We were supposed to play after Black Coffee. His last track was one of our songs which was weird. He did not know we were there. We were so nervous to play, but we had home advantage. We introduced ourselves and then we started hanging out together. We have always been inspired by his music.”
Our next stop on the Black Motion tour of Soshanguve is a take-out where they sell kotas. The menu names are based on the PSL and I choose an Amazulu which comprises chips and polony in bread topped with atchar.
“When we were hustling we would take R5 and share a kota,” says Smol as he tucks into his Pirates kota. “At that time we were playing taverns. Our first cheque was for R500.
“We were paid on a Sunday and we had a seven-colour Sunday with our families.
“Most people don’t have enough money for an extravagant dinner every night, but Sundays it must be a bit wow and it must include ice cream and jelly or custard and jelly.”
Then it’s time for a visit to Murda’s barber whom he has been going to since 1999. The place also doubles as a car wash outside and is spotless inside. There are the obligatory hangers-on chilling outside. While Murda has his hair shaped, Smol chats with his buddies outside. The conversation moves to their fashion sense which is more rock star than rap superstar.
“We call it Rock Amish,” smiles Smol. “It’s a mixture of that Amish look with the hats and it has to have black and white in it and then we spice it up with some tight ripped jeans and studs and chains.”
I marvel at how two kids from Soshanguve could come up with a fashion style called Rock Amish. But then again, Smol and Murda are not your average young men. Their house music dictates that they think outside the box. It is very African-beat driven with Smol collecting drums on their tours around Africa. Their live act, unlike other house DJs and producers, is just that – live. Smol incorporates his collection of drums, beating them with a furious flourish, while Murda rocks it on the decks.
Our final destination is Murda’s mother’s house which he is still building for her. Outside, at the back of the house, is that famous shack where their careers began. It literally is a tin shack, but they refuse to get rid of it as they rightly regard it as part of their history.
“There are a lot of memories in that shack. In fact, our last song we recorded in that shack was Rainbow,” smiles Smol.
Inside, Murda’s mother and a few other family members are pottering around doing chores. Murda proudly shows me around and says that he was the main designer of the house. His mother beams at him with even more pride.
“We realised that we had to work hard for our success,” he explains. “We have played Africa, Chicago, New York, Europe, Washington and will be playing Brazil soon.”
It was while he was saying his goodbyes to his family that I stumbled upon Smol and his thoughts.
“In Soshanguve there is nobody who is more important than anyone else,” he says.
“It’s about how people love you. That is what is important.”