Last week Thursday the New Street pub, Olde 65 was packed full of people who came to see reggae singer Jah Kongo.
Last week Thursday the New Street pub, Olde 65 was packed full of people who came to see reggae singer Jah Kongo.
Even a man from Limpopo and two men and a woman from Zambia were there, and at the door, the bouncer shared a joke with a couple coming in.
Dancehall reggae was the flavour of the night, and this genre of music is people-orientated and creates a sense of unity and community, said Kongo. He described his style as modern reggae that “has a feel-good and fast beat”, and he performs regularly at Olde 65 as part of Maninja Thursday – an event that features hip hop DJs and dancehall musicians. Kongo, originally from Soweto, is now based in Grahamstown. His interest in reggae started in 1999 when he was living in Cape Town, where he became a popular artist in 2005.
Last year he moved to Grahamstown, where “people appreciate my music,” he said. Dancehall reggae originates from the traditional type of Jamaican reggae by Bob Marley, called roots reggae.
Kongo sees reggae as revolutionary music that liberates people mentally, spiritually and politically. He believes that it speaks for marginalised people and those who cannot speak for themselves, he said. Love is Kongo's greatest inspiration, and his lyrics speak out against hateful acts like war and violence against women.
In one of his songs he even tries to picture himself as an abused woman, and through this song he reminds the woman of her beauty and refers to her as a princess. He has been honoured to be the only male musician invited to perform at the Royal Woman & Pride Festival in Johannesburg on 28 August.
He will be performing alongside Nkuli Dube, daughter of the late legendary reggae artist Lucky Dube. “I always try to give hope to the people,” Kongo said after his gig last week. He said his desire is to touch people’s hearts and make them see the light – so they may know that they are on earth for a purpose. He likens his experience on stage to that of a teacher and the crowd as his students.
“On stage I feel like I am in charge; it feels like I am teaching the audience,” he said. Kongo has performed around South Africa, and is currently touring in Zimbabwe and Lesotho.
