Castro B

Castro B, born Mphodisa Frans Boshomane, is a South African singer, songwriter and producer whose first release on MELT Africa / MELT 2000 signalled a new creative phase for the label. His debut album Fidelity (MZA 047, 2007) introduced a contemporary Afro-soul sound rooted in township rhythm and modern R&B, recorded with the same audiophile care that had defined Robert Trunz’s productions since the B&W Music years.

The album’s booklet describes Fidelity as “an exploration of love, trust, and loyalty,” written and produced by Castro B with contributions from South African session players and engineers from the MELT Africa network

CASTRO booklet

Its polished mix of English and vernacular lyrics, layered vocal harmonies and live-band warmth set it apart from the electronic pop dominating local radio at the time.

Released in both South Africa and Europe through MELT 2000’s international distribution, Fidelity positioned Castro B as a fresh voice who could bridge African soul with urban sophistication. Tracks such as Fidelity, Love Is You, and Ndikhumbule highlighted his smooth phrasing and emotional directness, while the overall production reflected the label’s ongoing commitment to high-fidelity sound and cross-cultural reach.

In the years that followed, Castro B’s collaboration with DJ Sprite evolved into the project Deeper Kings, officially formed in 2018 but rooted in their earlier studio work dating back to 2000. Signed to M2KR (MELT 2000 Revisited), the duo have since become integral to the label’s remix and production catalogue, offering deep-house interpretations of classic MELT 2000 material. Their standout releases include:

• Busi Mhlongo – Awuku Muzi (Deeper Kings Master Mix) – M2KR0048 (2024)

• Moses Taiwa Molelekwa – Wa Mpona Maputo 2 (Deeper Kings Master Mix) – M2KR (2023)

• Madala Kunene – Umvelinqange (Deeper Kings Master Mix) – M2KR (2024)

Alongside this, Castro B revisited his original recordings through Fidelity 2010 Vol. 1 (2023) and Fidelity 2 – The Lost Tapes (2023) — companion releases on M2KR that restored unreleased sessions and refreshed the production with new arrangements. Together, these albums trace a musical arc from the warm, analog intimacy of Fidelity to the digital re-imaginings of M2KR, showing an artist who has grown with the label’s evolving sound.

Today, Castro B stands as one of the key voices linking the classic and contemporary eras of MELT 2000 — an artist whose work embodies the label’s enduring vision of Musical Energy and Loud Truth beyond 2000.