Two of the country’s most iconic Ma/gaisa groups will be headlining tomorrow night’s Rumble in the City show set to take place at the Zoo Park in the capital.
The legendary Raphael and Pele will be facing off with T-Bozz and Staika for what many have been waiting to see in such a long time, especially when it comes to Namibia’s favourite genre.
Lead organiser Sndelly !Gonteb told VIBEZ! that his company, Hoadadi Trading, has always emphasised the importance of keeping the Namibian music culture alive.
“So, we decided, why not elevate the music industry with an explosive Ma/gaisa event, where we bring together two of the country’s legendary and iconic duos of Raphael & Pele alongside T-bozz and Staika, performing together for the first time ever. The event will be hosted by Webster aka Webzito and Che The Goddess,” he said.
!Gonteb said that Ma/gaisa music carries a lot of weight and has, over the years, cemented its place as one of the most followed music genres.
“This event caters to both the old school and new school generations, which adds even more flavour to the event.
The last event, the Ma/gaisa Old School vs New School Showdown, hosted in July, was a massive success. It prompted us to give our followers this one, which will go down in history”.
Some would say that most Namibian genres have lost their touch since the emergence of other dominating African sounds, which are now hugely favoured and mostly attended when local promoters opt to use South African artists or DJs, something that Hoadadi Trading is trying to change.
“The stage has always been very difficult for most artists. The platform on which to perform has declined due to minimal interests from corporate entities with regard to the genre. This has motivated us to push ourselves to keep this culture alive for generations to come,” he said.
“Raphael and Pele have undoubtedly been one of the masterminds of Ma/gaisa music for many in the past. Tbozz and Staika entered the music industry by storm and have maintained consistency over the past 15 years. They are currently in the studio together, working on new music, which we may get a glimpse of at the event,” he revealed.
!Gonteb said another show is planned towards the end of the year to close the local entertainment calendar slated for the coast.
“At the conclusion of this event, we are looking to close off the year with the Rumble in the Coast edition sometime in December. Keep an eye on that one. We will be giving the audience a show to remember. Alongside the main acts, we will also have supporting acts from the likes of Jericho, Jaliza, Georgie !Obogos, Just Moxy, Prezz and Hatibalo and a variety of exciting DJs,” he said.
-slunyangwe@nepc.com.na