Friends remember Grootman of Kwaito
The original Grootman took his last bow this Sunday. A musical genius, an icon with a distinctive voice, Thabo M Ntirang, fondly called Mapetla in music circles, was a cut above the rest. As his family and the rest of the nation grapples with his passing, many are holding tightly to the memories he has created, courtesy of his unique sound in music. At a time when Kwaito was still something new in Botswana, Mapetla entered the music industry with his unique sound, a fusion of Kwaito, and other genres which appealed to an array of audiences.
Over the course of his career in music, Mapetla had a good collection of hits that includes Aah, that song of his which was pumped in every household. This is one of those songs that cemented his stay in music. Years after the song was released, most still recall the video for the hit, which had him and girls emerging out of a big tyre. His other hits include Jorotane, Uyasala wena, skhokho, Gumba fire and so many others. His recent body of music includes, Thaba tshweu, as well as Pelo featuring his dear little sister, Dato Seiko. Besides his love for Kwaito, and singing, Mapetla, the songwriter, entrepreneur, record producer, and tv presenter, was also an avid and passionate traditional music dancer. After completion of his studies, he would go on to pursue his love for dancing with one of Botswana’s legendary traditional dance groups, namely Ditholwana, touring with the group to countries such as China.
As a dancer, he would teach and train the likes of Shumba Ratshega and Charma Gal. “It was a God given talent, and natural. I would be possessed when I was on stage,” he said in one of the interviews. In another previous interviews, Mapetla spoke of how his talent for music was his calling which started back in the early 2000. When he started, he featured on a song titled Kaisara by Dyvine, a female group which was under Mr Tagg’s record label. He ventured into his solo career in 2005. He held the belief that he was called to minister, inspire and comfort. “It is spiritual, it is a God given talent,” he said on a Local Corner Multimedia production. His influence for Kwaito, was cultivated by his roots in Lobatse.
Growing up in Lobatse, he has previously said in the Podicast Podcast that sgubu music was the main thing in Lobatse. “When you sleep, Makhendlas, and Arthur Mafokate, would be pumping. Lobatse people even have their own lingo. That thing grew on me, and I got my big break in 2005, after dancing for Mr Tagg for a year and a half,” he said in that interview recently. Mapetla got the name Mapetla from his love of football. He used to love to dribble, and show off his skills on and off the football pitch. The name was inspired by one soccer player in South Africa, and one day while he was showing off those skills someone commented that there was a similarity between Skhokho and Mapetla, the football player. Reaching out to his brothers, and friends in music circles is not an easy thing. Some are still paining, and feel they do not have the strength to talk about the legend. Others such as his good friend, Ghavorr want time before they can colour the giant that Mapetla really was. One of those who had a lot to say about the legend happened to be P-Mag, one of the artists who knew him before he became the artist that he was today. P-Mag and Mapetla met around 1997, in Lobatse.
The two happened to be very passionate about traditional dance music, and when they met, Mapetla was dancing for Pitikwe Junior School (in Lobatse), while P-Mag was doing his Form 3 at Lobatse Senior Secondary. That year, Lobatse was hosting the regional competitions. "I was attracted to him because of how he danced. He was very passionate about traditional dance,” he explained. He also explained that the duo would later meet again. Mapetla had completed his education, and that sometimes in 2002-2003 he relocated to South Africa. When he returned to Botswana, they reunited. It was during that time that P-Mag, Ghavorr, Touch, and Mreppa formed a group called Level 12. That group would enjoy some performances including a performance for a certain poet from the USA called Tony Blackman. The invitation came through YOHO. He explains that at the time they were using Banjo Mosele’s sound, who was greatly impressed.
Around 2004, Mapetla worked with Real Deal, which was Mr Tagg’s record label. When Dyvine broke that’s when the enigma that Skhokho emerged. He further explains that him (P-Mag), Ghavorr, and Skazzo who were all pursuing the same genre worked with each other. “We had the experience, and we used the stage to showcase our talent,” he explains noting that initially when Mapetla started out, he used the name T-Bos. “He felt that T-Bos was very common. And he wanted to stand out,” says P-Mag. He also noted that Mapetla had five or six albums under his belt. They were currently working on an EP which was due for release. "I believe that it was going to be a hit,” he says. P-Mag also explains that one thing that made Kwaito special, was how they fused it.
It was a fusion of an array of genres, which meant that it appealed to more people. "It was a fusion of a lot of genres while staying true to the identity of Kasi,” he says, adding that his album, Phezulu saw him tapping into a wider audience. Something that he wishes many people can get is that while many misunderstood him, as they assumed that he was arrogant, what they didn’t know was that he was a funny character, always ready to share a joke or two. “He was a funny character, and when we toured under Petla’s tavern, we had fun in those trips,” he says. “He believed that as a brand, you needed to behave a certain way. He also believed that people needed to be thirsty to see you, and build anticipation amongst people,” he says adding that he believed that respect is earned and that a brand must be paid its worth.
One of the biggest lessons that he got from him was that one must avoid instances that might put them or their brands at risk. Giving a personal testimony, he says that when he lost a parent, he developed serious anger issues. “He was always there, and he always said that, don’t forget that you are P-Mag. When I had an altercation with some youth, and I was attacked and I retaliated, he advised me that I should avoid people as they might get you into trouble which might cost you dearly,” he explains. For his part, another longtime colleague of his, Skazzo Wizzo has good memories to share about the legend. Skazzo and Mapetla worked together for years, and with songs such as Abaswe. He shares with Style that they met in 2003, in one of the recording studios of that time. He explains that he got to experience Mapetla for who he was one day when he, Skazzo was working on one of his songs. In the middle of working on the song in studio, he stepped outside to take a short trip to the tuckshop.
Mapetla, who had been hanging around during that time, was intrigued by this particular song, so much that he decided to add his magic. Upon return, Skazzo was surprised to discover that Mapetla had added something to the song. That song did wonders. “That was the birth of our relationship. When one of us was working on a project, the other one would come and assist,” he says, adding that the two of them, alongside Ghavorr, and P-Mag were inseparable. He further says that his favourite album by Mapetla happens to be Shaya ma get down. He also admires Mapetla for what he did with Aah, and how it brought about a new sound wave. "It had different beats, and Kenny had a different sound,” he explains. He further says that alongside Ghavorr, Mapetla and P-Mag, they still had some unreleased bodies of work. “He never stopped recording or working,” he reveals.