Soweto-born star Mpumi “Supa” Mbele says he is honoured to bring to life the remarkable journey of the founder, leader, and musical visionary behind Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Bhekizizwe Joseph Shabalala.
“Music is My Life: The Story of Joseph Shabalala”, which will air on Monday, August 28, on SABC1 at 9pm, celebrates the life and legacy of the king of isicathamiya, whose influence on the music landscape, not only in South Africa but across the world, is immeasurable.
The documentary aims to inspire, educate and celebrate Shabalala’s achievements and his impact on the world of music.
Mbele says the film will provide a window into the struggles, triumphs and creative processes of Shabalala, who left an indelible impact on society.
“I had the opportunity to work with Bra Hugh (Hugh Masekela) via Thandiswa Mazwai. At the time, I used to direct music videos for Thandiswa, which led to me becoming very close with Bra Hugh, who eventually became my mentor,” Mbele says.
“During one of our conversations, I told Bra Hugh I wanted to tell stories of some of the people who impacted change in South Africa and had asked for his insight on who I should feature. He gave me a list and Ntate Shabalala was on top of that list.”
However, because of Mbele's commitments to directing TV adverts and music videos, he wasn’t able to pursue these stories immediately.
After Masekela’s death, Mbele had an eye-opening experience when he took his 9-year-old son to watch a live performance by Ladysmith Black Mambazo at the Joburg Theatre.
Upon leaving the theatre, his son suggested that Mbele tell the story of Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
This became a turning point for Mbele. He decided to take a break from directing adverts and shifted his focus to telling a story that hadn't been portrayed well in the media – the story of a “black man”.
Mbele's goal was to showcase a different side of the black man's experience that wasn't commonly represented.
He started researching Shabalala, even before acquiring the rights to tell his story.
Mbele discovered that Shabalala was a man of honour and integrity. He saw in Shabalala the embodiment of the kind of black man he wanted to share with the world, someone who was caring, loving, family-oriented and had made a positive impact on his community.
Driven by this newfound purpose, Mbele began developing the story of Joseph Shabalala about six years ago.
This marked the beginning of his journey to create documentaries that would offer a different perspective on the lives of influential black figures and challenge the prevailing stereotypes, aiming to showcase the multifaceted nature of their experiences and contributions.
Mbele also highlighted the significance of preserving the legacy and the history of the African people for future generations.
“There's such a profound statement that Mama Miriam Makeba once said that, ‘if you don't tell your story then your oppressor will tell you a story and they will tell it from their own perspective’.
“If we're not telling our stories, we will constantly be stuck in this blame mindset, pity mindset and negative image of ourselves.
“Shabalala rose above the toughest odds and if he managed to succeed and leave that kind of legacy, not only for his family but for the nation, then nothing should stop you from making your dreams a reality,” he said.
In the process of creating the documentary, Mbele delved into Shabalala's deep connection with music and his spirituality.
Shabalala believed in the significance of dreams. And saw it as a conduit for inspiration and creativity, a belief that enriched his musical journey and contributed to the unique sound and impact of Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
“I got to understand the deeper level of what amaphupho (dreams) mean to us as black people. Ntate Shabalala believed in dreams and he believed that his talent and some of his best songs were brought to him through dreams.
“And now whenever I dream, I just don't take it as just the dream. I value it, question it and meditate upon it.”
Thoko Shabalala, Joseph Shabalala's wife, plays a significant role in the documentary.
She expressed her gratitude for film, “Thank you to all the stakeholders for their hard work and dedication to the fulfilment of this dream. I salute them,” she said.
The documentary has had a successful film festival run locally and globally since it was first released in 2022.
It was also screened in cinemas in the UK and Switzerland.