Tsakani Mhinga
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Tsakani "TK" Mhinga (1979 - 27 February 2006) was a SAMA award-winning South African R&B and kwaito artist who went by the stage name of TK. She was a princess of the baTsonga tribe of the Limpopo Province, as well as the niece of veteran South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka.
Her singing style was sometimes compared to that of Mariah Carey[citation needed], and her voluptuous looks and charismatic stage presence reminded some of Beyoncé Knowles[citation needed].
She was found dead in a Bryanston, Johannesburg hotel room by hotel staff on 27 February 2006, of what seemed to be either a drug overdose or a drug-induced suicide.
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[edit] Life & Career
Mhinga was the eldest child of Chief Shilungwa and Tebogo Mhinga of the baTsonga tribe of the Limpopo province, growing up in Soweto, Johannesburg. Her first taste of the music industry came from her electric, chemistry driven collaborations with rapper Mizchif. TK then launched her musical career in 2000 after recording her debut album TKO without telling her family, after her father made it clear that he was against her being a singer.
This was followed in 2001 by a second album, Tsakani that included the club hit Eject yo’ ass.
In 2002 TK performed with international act Foxy Brown at the Gauteng R&B Hip Hop Festival and opened for Keith Sweat and Deborah Cox on their South African concerts. She caused minor tremors posing nude for local women’s magazine Pace, while pregnant. TK was also a participant in Celebrity Big Brother UK during this year.
Her third and last album, Black Butterfly (2003) was considered her best[citation needed], and TK’s vocals on the title track (which was written and recorded in only one day) have been compared to that of Mariah Carey[citation needed]. It also includes a poignant rendition of Somewhere over the Rainbow, of which TK professed a certain fondness, given it was the first song she ever sang in public, aged 12, at a talent competition. In celebration of this album, TK’s record company suggested she have a butterfly tattooed onto her left arm, which she was very happy with eventually, having them phone her mother for permission first!
TK received three South African Music Awards (the SA equivalent of the Grammy) for “Best R&B album”, one for each of her albums. She was also nominated for two MTN MetroFM music awards, for “Best R&B Artist” and “Best Female Artist” respectively.
[edit] Legal & Contractual Battles
During her short career, TK had some considerable legal wrangles, the first; surrounding her stage name TK, with that of similar sounding Kwaito group TKZ. The second turned out to be disappointing, when she was offered a seven-record deal with UK based label Polydor shortly after the release of her first album. This deal was quickly revoked after threats from the local producers of the album.
Despite being the celebrated artist, none of TK’s albums sold more than 25 000 copies, though she still hoped to reach a worldwide audience, by infusing her style of Rhythm & Blues with an indigenous African flavour.
[edit] Musical Style
In the inlay of TKO Mhinga wrote “I am holding my breath whilst writing my thank yous”. This she explained as fears of the reception of her musical style, for which she was often criticized and ridiculed.[1]
Black Butterfly is a good example of her fusion of styles, with tracks ranging from upbeat hip-hop to sultry R&B ballads with some kwaito remixes thrown in.
[edit] Personal life
Though her first name “Tsakani” means “to be happy”, the singer’s life was often less so. Mhinga’s relationships with men seemed to have been disappointing, starting with her father, whom she described as being “more like a visitor to our home” with her mother raising her and her three siblings mostly alone.[2]
Her own life later echoed this, since she was raising her son Oratile, as a single parent. She refused to reveal the identity of her son’s father, who left her before the birth, saying that only the baby needs to know who his father is.[citation needed] TK’s single Mind yo’ business off her debut album speaks of the realities of life where a Prince Charming doesn’t exist.[3]
Her last relationship ended sometime around Valentine’s Day, two weeks before her death, after which she subsequently moved into a hotel in Bryanston, while looking for a new home.
[edit] Death & Speculations
Circumstances surrounding Mhinga’s death are not clear, since the autopsy report has not yet been released, furthering police investigation. Apparently she was entertaining a few friends, including kwaito star Mandoza, on Sunday February 26th, at the hotel where she was staying. The gathering subsequently turned into a late-night party in her hotel room.
At around 10:00 on Monday February 27th she spoke on the phone with her manager, and at around 11:00 a friend dropped by, wanting to take her to lunch. She declined, saying she was going to take a bath.
Mhinga was found dead at approximately 13:30 by hotel staff, after she failed to answer their calls.
Speculation that someone else was in the room with her is derived from the fact that her partially dressed body was found covered with a sheet.
Police have stated though, that her body did not have any marks on it, and that there was no sign of forced entry into her room.[citation needed]
The most common assumption is that the cause of death was either a drug overdose or a drug-induced suicide.
[edit] Conclusion
Mhinga was working on her fourth album at the time of her death. EMI records plans to release a compilation of her work. A trust has also been established for her 3 year old son.
Local newspapers were quick to make comparisons between Tsakani Mhinga’s death and that of other 27-year-old musicians Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain.
TK had a considerable following under the South African gay community, based on her sassy vocals, cheeky lyrics and the grinding beats of her tracks. When asked which woman she would hypothetically pursue a relationship with if she were gay and given a choice, she replied that it would probably be Alyssa Milano for her beauty and seemingly fun personality.
[edit] References
- A Diva Silenced. Mamba Online (March, 2006). Retrieved on March 24, 2006.
- Young, gifted and dicing with death. allAfrica.com (March, 2006). Retrieved on March 24, 2006.
- TK Biography. Musica.co.za (2002). Retrieved on March 24, 2006.
- Tsakani Mhinga passes away. Music Industry Online (February, 2006). Retrieved on March 11, 2006.
- South African singer found dead. BBC News (February, 2006). Retrieved on March 11, 2006.
