Based: Johannesburg
Afrikan Roots is an international and unique house music band based in the capital city of South Africa, Pretoria. The five member band was founded in 2010 by the versatile percussionist Kenneth “Nyekx” Manyemula and consists of five members. Other music maestros in the band are Disc Jockeys DJ Maspila and Dj Mosco (Musa Mmotsa), pianist Mercedes Boshego and guitarist Sbusiso Masilela, the latter two who goes by their roots names.
In its inception stage, the group started as Black Boyz and later changed its name to Black Motion in 2009. A year later, Nyekx, the founding member of both Black Boys and Black Motion, split with the group to establish the expansive Afrikan Roots to accommodate a new vision espoused on a variety of African rooted instruments such as percussions, guitars, pianos and drums to deliver live performances each time the band is on
stage.
The foundation phase of Afrikan Roots is layered on endurance encountered in the heartless music industry. The band learned valuable lessons from the split with Black Motion and emerged with that rare African identity which is today the lifeblood of the Afrikan Roots.
After Learning between right and wrong through its music journey, Afrikan Roots came with a new sound which the group coined as “Chubba Cabra.” This phase represents the formalisation of the band as a professional house music band. Afrikan Roots entered the commercial music market in South Africa with hit singles “Akuluwo” in 2011/12 and followed that up with “Ko Morago” and from then it has been hit after hit.
The group was earlier signed to Sheer Music (2018), later to 999 Records until they gained their independence in 2016 to establish their own stable named Roots Kooperative.
Today, Afrikan Roots is a house hold name in South Africa and has a unique signature sound of a house music band that performs live music through instruments such as percussions, guitar, and organ mixed with the common DJ mixer board. Over the years, the group has gained popularity in countries such as Portugal, Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana, Angola and Kenya, further highlighting their roots as an African band.
The band’s recent highlight was to perform on three stages in London, United Kingdom in December 2017. Since their performance there, rave reviews have followed them to SA. Since entering the music scene, the group have either featured or being featured by top musician in South African music scenes. Among the musos they have worked with are legendary Dj Ganyani, Dj Sbu, Gloria Bosman, Thebe, Dj Shimza and many more.The band is on an upward spiral and have new music on high rotation in South African radio stations.
