Description:
As the soundtrack to the Oscar-winning film in the 2006 Foreign-Language category, this album documents a number of performers out of South Africa. The film vividly portrays ghetto life in the Soweto Township. Fittingly, the music featured is often a gritty but danceable style of local hip-hop called kwaito. This emerging form is strong on beats with plenty of rapping and sing-along choruses. Zola, who does nine of the 19 tracks, is a superstar of the genre and is such a standout here that he should be able to parlay his soundtrack appearances into a music career outside his homeland. Highlights are the hard-hitting "Mdlw
As the soundtrack to the Oscar-winning film in the 2006 Foreign-Language category, this album documents a number of performers out of South Africa. The film vividly portrays ghetto life in the Soweto Township. Fittingly, the music featured is often a gritty but danceable style of local hip-hop called kwaito. This emerging form is strong on beats with plenty of rapping and sing-along choruses. Zola, who does nine of the 19 tracks, is a superstar of the genre and is such a standout here that he should be able to parlay his soundtrack appearances into a music career outside his homeland. Highlights are the hard-hitting "Mdlwembe," the dancehall-like "It's Your Life" and the infectious "Ehlala." Of the other performers, Pitch Black Afro gets taste points on "Matofotofo" for sampling Screamin' Jay Hawkins' classic "I Put A Spell On You." There are a few mellower tracks too, but really this is an excellent survey of kwaito music and its brightest star. --Tad Hendrickson
Adapted from a novel by Athol Fugard, Tsotsi is set in the ghettos of Johannesburg and its soundtrack reflects the movie's "boyz in the (South African) hood" grittiness (Totsi, the lead character's name, translates as "thug"). The majority of the tracks are contributed by Zola, who also plays a supporting part in the film and offers a hard-driving yet melodic take on kwaito, a genre usually referred to as South Africa' answer to hip-hop. Among the non-Zola highlights are Pitch Black Afro' "Matofotofo," which starts off with a sample from Screaming Jay Hawkins's "I Put a Spell on You" before switching to a shuddering bass line. The CD slows down from the driving kwaito pace only when it inserts a score by Paul Hepker and Mark Kilian. Fortunately these tracks are short and serve as a brief respite before Zola comes back in and delivers a harsh final assault. American fans of hip-hop (and American rappers themselves) would be well-advised to check out this disc. --Elisabeth Vincentelli
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Manufacturer: Milan Records
Release date: 14 February 2006
EAN: 0731383615627 UPC: 731383615627
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