Interview with Bongo Maffin

The wait is over! After a 13-year hiatus from the studio, Bongo Maffin has reconstituted the music institution that gave South Africa memorable soundtracks at the most pivotal periods. Stoan, Thandiswa and Jahseed have reunited with Speedy to become the formidable quartet that dished out both timeless club bangers and conscious soul stirring ballads. They are back to claim their rightful place at the top of the charts with their latest release, Harare. Rooted in the Afrobeat/soul influences, it’s an invigorating track which is as much about the Zimbabwean capital city as it is about one’s state of mind. The band interprets Harare from its Shona origins which means ha ba robale (in Setswana) or they don’t sleep. The last time Speedy was in studio with Bongo Maffin was in 2000. He started performing with them for corporate and on other stages in 2014. “I was the nagging one who wanted us to record again. It was all about timing and here we are. ‘This is long overdue. The fans have been demanding it for years and years’, remarks Stoan. Thandiswa says they quickly found their bearings when they got in studio. ‘This has been a long friendship and getting back together was easy...The song is about our seamless engagement with other African countries, especially Zimbabwe where Jahseed is from. It’s a reminder that these borders were made to separate us. Ours is a unifying message. African cities don’t sleep.” Facebook | @expressoshow.sabc3 |   / expressoshow.sabc3   Twitter | @expressoshow |   / expressoshow   Instagram | @expressoshow |   / expressoshow   Pinterest | @expressomorning |   / expressomorning   Snapchat | @expressoshow | https://www.snapchat.com Website | http://www.expressoshow.com