AMADLOZI

A track description/annotation of a song I wrote as part of the Black Rose Series

18:11. I know this time is inaccurate because my computer always manages to find itself falling further and further behind in soliciting the right time. But then again, who is to say there is even a “right” time? If we don’t know what time it was when the first dude to decide that they would count seconds, minutes and hours with relation to the exposure of sunlight in their given area, then how can we claim to accurately know what time it actually is now? I don’t know how they knew it was 24 hours that it took for the patterns to repeat themselves, nor do I know how they came up with seconds - which make minutes, which make the hours and so on, to begin with. Not that it even matters in the first place.

Time is money, money is power, power is influence �" maybe this time thing is just the influence of our continuous change in perception of the universe. Maybe time is just our minds getting closer to realizing what they actually are. I really don’t know. I’m just wondering about things I really shouldn’t be speculating about. But still, all I can say is that the people that came up with this whole time thing were very smart �" or really creative… or both, because one may be the other. Okay, enough random speculation �" let me get back to the plot.

I assume you’re reading this because you have a certain degree of interest as to what exactly the prospect(s) this song called AMADLOZI entail(s). Yup, I just used brackets to add different dimensions of context for when you read this again… and again… and just one more time for good measure (or) if you get really bored, or whatever. But I digress, again �" you’re probably not reading this to appreciate my fleeking bracket-game �" you want to know about the song. You want to know about AMADLOZI *insert 5 fire emojis here* Well, here goes: AMADLOZI is a song about getting money in the trap with bevies of bad b*****s, doing all sorts of things that would be unsavoury to mention in this piece. Yup, it’s just another rap song about some bullshit that everyone else is already on about. I know, it must be really disappointing but well, such is the nature of the world. Bye.

This is the part where I hope all the people feigning interest in the song, and/or the type of people that I don’t wish to explain myself or my art to �" because they aren’t really in it to appreciate it �" have stopped reading. If you’re still with me by here, you are in it for the long haul and I’m sorry for subjecting you through 500 words of utter debauchery just to sift my audience down to you. But you deserve only esteemed company in knowing what exactly is what with this �" and besides, you’re really special to me. Seriously, you are the person I have written AMADLOZI for, and as such, you are the valued person for whom I will explain it.

Prima facie, AMADLOZI is precisely about what the name suggests �" amadlozi, the ancestors. I rap over a beat (that I, myself, made) where I speak from the point of view of a proponent of African traditional religion. As you can imagine, there is reference to the power of the ancestors over the lives of people but also their place in the whole belief system �" that is, the role of ancestors as intermediaries between the living and the Great Creator, uMvelingqangi. To be honest, I wouldn’t mind if people draw this bare minimum of meaning from this song and carry on with their lives peacefully thereafter �" however, this song is so much more than that.

Firstly, to those who don’t know, I don’t have any definite religious beliefs currently �" although, I will state that if I ever do develop them (again), it will likely be in the lane of traditional African religion. I found out how great this belief system was from a course I did in the first semester of my second year and have since been enthralled by the nature of the belief-system (even if not necessarily philosophically swayed) �" this was probably the root of where the idea to create this song has stemmed from. I also must concede that it is not my aim to be considered as a type of academic accessory to the belief system �" there are people who do, in fact, know more facts and have far more profound intellectual contributions in this given field than I can ever hope to fathom. However, I would like to hereby note that for me, making this song was about the concept I could make of it and not necessarily the particulars. My approach to making the song was first and foremost as an artist and not as a scholar or even a religious believer. With that cleared up �" let me break down this so-called concept that I speak of.

 As beautiful as I think usiko is, and as powerful as the ancestors are known to be, this song isn’t only for/about them �" it’s for us. Okay, I bet you’re wondering this who ‘us’ is. Well, I am primarily referring to the current generation of the emerging (black) middle-class, but more broadly, it can be expounded upon the collective so known as the born-frees.  Random side-note: this part of the human population is always the muse which I write my songs and pieces for and about. The dynamics within this sect are glaring. There is just so much diversity within the youth �" we are the rainbow they were referring to, and it’s not just skin colour that makes us so markedly different �" the various paradigms of thought, the differences in lifestyle as well as discrepancies in beliefs makes the born-free generation a rather anomalous group in terms of knowing where exactly each individual member stands relative to other members of the generation.

This should not be surprising �" we are, after all, millenials growing up amidst a globalizing world that is increasingly being uploaded on to the internet. So many of the things that bring us together as sub-sects paradoxically draw us away from being a cohesive collective. This growing sense of individualism allows us to live more authentic lives than our parents �" for the first time ever, human beings within the black South African condition are compelled to express themselves and ascend to whatever it is they want. Conversely, for the first time in human history, people truly have a chance to be themselves �" or not, if we choose to forfeit this chance (and a lot of people do) because the bounds of selfhood are limitless on the internet and our consumerist culture not only allows, but encourages, us to buy things that can make us alternate versions of ourselves.

 The exciting part of all this is that it begins with us. With AMADLOZI, I wanted to make a metaphoric point that we have the opportunity to stand alone but this doesn’t negate the need for us to exhibit power through our collective voice. The greatest example was the #FeesMustFall campaign that brought the world to a standstill �" that’s how powerful we are when we stand together, and this is by no means a forfeiture of our individualistic natures. What I had in mind was the ancestors standing as a metaphor for ourselves as a fledgling demographic in a rather turbulent world looking out for each other (as well as seeking the guidance of some of our predecessors) for getting as reasonably close as possible to seeing our dreams unfold. Much like in the belief system, where we find that the ancestors are often held in a collective regard, I was alluding to our collective power as the first generation of born-frees to grow up in a world containing many more opportunities than that which our parents found themselves in.

Also, notice how amadlozi are our biological ancestors �" and how that sense of relation entails the fact that they care about us and are thus often portrayed to act in our best interests. The way I see it �" our ancestors being biologically related to us means that we’re an extension of them, and they are foregone versions of ourselves and, as such, we live in their interests as much as they advance ours. We represent our families as well as our people as we start to branch out into our world. Perhaps the answer to getting our branches as a demographic more sunlight, amidst this forest, is hidden in the roots. It is my duty to my family name to advance it, much like the duty I have to myself to become the best version of myself I can be �" which, in turn, allows for my siblings and descendants to be able to aspire towards the same.

AMADLOZI should be seen as a call for it to be our collective duty to ourselves as a generation to transcend our differences and facilitate the making of the world we want to live in, and a world that allows our potential to be fully utilized and realized in our lifetimes. Imagine what can be done by us as a generation if we viewed our compatriot’s interests as our own and helped each other in the name of collective advancement. In short, this is basically a song about (black) unity and youth solidarity. And yes, I know, I could have chosen many other things to speak in poetic form about, in order to allude to this unity and solidarity �" but there is one more subtle point I was trying to make with this.

I know for sure that the content of the song is controversial for at least some people �" chiefly because many of us have been raised with a non-tolerant view (most commonly instilled by Christianity.) The Church made people believe that the belief system of their ancestors is inferior and completely opposed to the adopted Christian virtues �" which is evidently NOT the case. In all honesty, my true aim with this piece of music isn’t mainstream acclaim or whatever it is people make random singles for nowadays. There will be the attempts at club-bangers and viral-bait songs, but for me, with AMADLOZI all I wanted was to begin a discussion as to why it is the case that our traditional African beliefs came to be demonized and separated from all that is virtuous. The second verse especially serves the purpose of asking why we even allowed this demonization of our own beliefs. The thing is: in the end, I don’t want my children believing that paying homage to their ancestors (and thus their Africanness) has any demonic connotations as their grandmother had tried to instil into my head when I was younger and less-wise to the historical implications of religion.

 *RANDOM DISCLAIMER** Please note that this, however, does not make me or the song in any way antagonistic to Christianity �" for those who hold faith in the religious practices of Christianity, it is fine to listen to and like AMADLOZI because it does not, in any way, seek to usurp your belief. This song was made with pure intentions of unity and solidarity in view �" and it will be a great tragedy to the bigger picture I have illustrated if you decide to narrow the meaning in upholding dogma against culture.

Lastly, please note that this song is NOT a conscious rap song, that’s not what I am trying to do �" this song aims to transcend mere genre-based conventions. From the sound, to the words, to their meaning, to the roll-out �" I am not trying to do what everyone else is trying to do. I just want to create a content experience with layers of substance, you know… because Kanye. I sincerely hope you appreciate the artistry and craft which went into this song �" and if you don’t, at least you read this long piece and heard the song. It all took time, and I hope this was worth yours. It certainly was worth mine. Maybe those smart people that came up with time were actually our ancestors. Maybe that was the point of this.

Either way, I just sent a wave of positive vibrations to your very being because you’re still valued. You are welcome to write me a scathing track-review or piece-reply detailing where exactly I went wrong with what I had aimed or whatever.

P.S: I would like to extend thanks to everyone that helped make and inspire this piece of content �" Bongo Muffin for making a song called ‘Amadlozi’ which inspired me greatly, Cedric Dladla for the cover art, Senzo Mthembu for the final mixing and mastering, and all the good people at The Floral Tribe and our affiliates for no particular reason except creating a situation where we choose to advance culture. You guys are froze. Also, most thanks to MYSELF because I deserve it �" and, most of all, thanks to YOU: the valued consumer of this content experience I aimed to create and share.

 AMADLOZI AS’BHEKILE!!!!!

Author's Note

Consume. Understand. Share.

Reviews

[Vincent Makhathini]

:p That emoticon is enough (of) a comment or review.