Durban kwaito group AmaTycooler on their musical journey, challenges and collaboration with DJ Tira
Kwaito is not just music. It is an expression and a validation of a way of life; the way South Africans dress, talk and dance.
It has risen out of South Africa's ghettos to become the international sound of a post-apartheid generation.
Kwaito music has always been a reflection of what’s happening in Mzansi streets and the township. It’s been the dominant genre in SA, roughly between 1997–2011.
Since then, it has been on a downward spiral and some would say it has become extinct in modern times.
On the other hand, some say the genre has simply evolved and influenced new genres like gqom and amapiano.
This has been evident from the latest sounds by DJ Tira, Babes Wodumo, Big Nuz, DJ Cleo and Killorbeezbeatz, to name a few.
The past few years have seen the golden era of kwaito with sounds like Durban-kwaito emerging strong. These artists are at the forefront of evolving the genre, moving away from the simple and repetitive lyrics to actually telling deeper and meaningful stories.
Speaking of Durban kwaito, new kids on the block AmaTycooler have arrived and are preparing to take the music industry by storm.
The group of three is comprised of Bhekithemba Magwaza, Sandile Mthethwa and Banele Ngcobo, who hail from the Ndwedwe Township in KwaZulu-Natal.
Speaking to Independent Media Lifestyle, Magwaza said the group was formed in 2014 when they were still in high school at Lihlithemba Technical High School.
He said as friends they saw that each of them had a musical talent and were passionate about music so they decided to form a group.
Magwaza said as aspiring artists, they were inspired by DJ Tira and Big Nuz and that today it is a dream come true to be working with them on various projects.
“Back in the day, we used to attend a lot of concerts and talent shows to showcase our talents. We pushed so hard to prove ourselves. We experienced challenges along the way; one being introducing our sound to the people.
“We also had to juggle school and music and with the lack of bookings, money was just not coming in.
“Little did we know that in a few years to come we would be working with Afrotainment – the people we admired the most when it came to our music,” he said.
Magwaza said when they met DJ Tira in 2023, everything changed for the better.
“Working with DJ Tira helped us get more bookings, and we have improved as artists. Our lives have changed since we had these collaborations.
“We are now able to provide for our families, and we now have the power to do other things we were not able to do like hosting our own events.
“Working with him has been good and enlightening. He takes very good care of us and we thank him for the opportunity he has given us,” Magwaza added.
AmaTycooler currently has a new song titled “Bekungeke” available on digital platforms.
“Bekungeke” is a follow-up track from their previous hit songs “Uyena”, which surpassed over 3 million views on YouTube and "Kubuhlungu”, which also gained wide attention and streams on digital platforms.
Magwaza said fans could be on the lookout for their new album, which will drop in October. He said the album will feature the likes of DJ Tira, Big Nuz, Focus Magazi, Mr Thela, Qwabe Twins and Mjolisi, among others.