“When I first listened to Malombo sideman and master drummer Mabi Gabriel Thobejane’s song Shapedi with its ceremonial drums and rhythms, I felt deeply connected.

I grew up in Soshanguve, the neighbouring Township where the Pedi drummer used to live.

 

Meropa, with Grandpa Stiff Pap co-producing, is our tribute to the late Bra Biza. I think the 3 tracks on the “Meropa” EP (The Legend of Zwara, Meropa Ya Bra Biza & Sanou with Tarang Cissokho) relate to the phrase quite well because when you listen to the composition of the music you will notice there is a lot of emphasis on African Tribal Drums and percussions which form part of “Meropa”.

 

If you listen even more carefully you will hear and feel the sub bass playing right where the “gwababa" (subconscious) resides in your chest, which represents "maikutlo" (emotions/feelings).

Short bass notes with different velocities (like heartbeats) - some so low that they seem like illusions and lead you to seek deeply within the soul of the music.

Simply breaking down the composition in High, Mid and Low frequency ranges, the Meropa (small and large percussion) play in the mid and high ranges while the maikutlo(emotions) play in the sub bass ranges of the frequency spectrum."

Dazz-B MusiQ -December 2025

 

MABI GABRIEL THOBEJANE MASTER SOUTH AFRICAN DRUMMER

Raised in the township of Mamelodi Mabi absorbed the rural, neo-traditional, urban folk and Sepedi jive drum and dance-song forms that commingled in the streets and backyards. (David Coplan)
In his childhood Mabi Gabriel Thobejane watched and learned from the drummers of the Balobedu (Lobedu) tribe  gathering in his neighbourhood.
He watched them carefully, noticing not only how they hit the drums, but where. That way he learned to visualise the way a drum is struck from the tone of the beat it produces, discovering how to truly hear music.
He learned not just how to hit the drum, but more importantly where to hit it to evoke the Spirit of the Drum.

Mabi went on to revolutionise South African percussion and collaborate with artists worldwide, from Dr Philip Tabane (Malombo), Mandala Kunene, Sakhile, Sipho Gumede, Amampondo, Jose Luis Quintana aka Changuito to sharing the stage with Miles Davis and to British psytrance and electronic group Juno Reactor.

Juno Reactor's founder Ben Watkins was there at the time when (South) African traditional- or World Music influenced tribal rhythms and global percussion burst on the international dance scene. Right at the forefront were Mabi Gabriel Thobejane and members of Amampondo who regularly toured with Juno Reactor.

Little did the folks back home in South Africa know about his involvement in creating some of the legendary soundtracks for the Matrix Trilogy, the Animatrix, and the Mortal Kombat game — all showcasing Ben Watkins and Mabi’s cinematic sound quality."

THE LEGEND OF ZWARA By Grandpa Stiff Pap

The original recording that was later named Zwara took place around 2000 in Kommetjie (Cape Town).  I organised for Mabi to join us at Gabi’s studio and we were laying track after track of shakers, small percussion instruments, timbale, sangoma drum, congas, bongos, traditional Zulu drum, Surdo and his self made African drum. On the second day Mabi was joined by Soweto based Sangoma Suzan Hendricks who overdubbed  vocals of a traditional song. A couple of weeks later back in the UK I played the recording to Ben Watkinks of JUNO REACTOR who asked for permission to de-couple the vocal part only and to release his own JUNO REACTOR version.  Named ZWARA the song became part of Mabi’s powerful performance- a part of JUNO’s live set to bless a global audience from London to Tokyo.

Fast forward to 2025 in Durban, South Africa. We were joined by Dazz-B MusiQ - a young producer from the township of Soshanguve. A place not easy to find on the map, but famous in the music industry as the origin of influential artists in Amapiano and House music, with a vibrant local hip-hop and Bacardi scene.

 

Some of the best known artists like DJ Maphorisa were raised in Soshanguve. He's a prominent figure credited with helping to popularize Amapiano music globally through hit collaborations and his work as part of the "Scorpion Kings" duo with Kabza De Small. Black Motion - an internationally recognized house and tribal house duo - started their careers in a backyard tin shack in Soshanguve. Kabza De Small, the "King of Amapiano," worked extensively with Soshanguve artists, including DJ Maphorisa, to produce many defining tracks of the genre.

 

Bacardi is the township's well-known local music genre, and there's a strong local hip-hop culture. The area also boasts a rich musical heritage that includes jazz, with artists like Thandi Ntuli.

 

Knowing of Dazz-B MusiQ’s passion for percussion, drum and sub bass I introduced him to Mabi and pointed him to the recordings of SHAPEDI and ZWARA and I’m happy to say that our collaborative work on these songs are a true and emotional TRIBUTE TO THE LATE BRA BIZA.

 

Thank you Obakeng

 

Drum Samples

Vocal samples used on THE LEGEND OF ZWARA are from the disc DRUM SPIRIT(available on Bandcamp)  and from live gigs - courtesy of JUNO REACTOR’s Ben Watkins.

 

THE ROLE OF THE HONORABLE PERSON - THE ESSENCE OF GRIOT TRADITION

The griot tradition is passed down through family lineages. You are born into this role rather than choosing it, inheriting both the knowledge and the responsibility from your ancestors. This hereditary system has ensured the continuity of oral history across centuries.

“Sanou - L’homme Honorable” a song by Tarang Cissokho

 

"For this remix Dazz-B MusiQ used parts of the song which was originally recorded as part of the Forest Jam project in February 2015 at the Cullinan Farm (Ginokeng, South Africa).

 

I feel obliged and honored to present you with the full lyrics Tarang’s grandfather kindly translated for us in Dakar. The song is about universal human values, respect for tradition, and the sacred duty of truthful storytelling (especially now in the age of fake news !) - timeless themes that transcend any particular historical moment. It's a beautiful piece that really captures the moral and educational role of griot music."  GRANDPA STIFF PAP - CO PRODUCER

LYRICS OF FULL SONG 

Sanou is a child who was brought into the world,

Wary is also a child who was brought into the world.

Sanou is a child who was brought into the world,

Wary is also a child who was brought into the world.

Verses:

Forbidden things (taboos) must not be done.

Blood must not be shed.

Prohibitions must be respected.

The honorable manwho respects the words of his ancestors,

the one who protects the truth,

the one who maintains peace in the community,

will be recognized and respected.

 

Repeated Chorus:

Forbidden things must not be done.

Blood must not be shed.

 

Prohibitions must be respected.

 

Final verse:

He who knows the history of families,

he who knows the history of lineages,

he who knows the history of families,

he who knows the history of lineages,

must not distort it,

must not misrepresent it.