TKZee
TKZee is a South African kwaito music group formed by three school friends, Tokollo Tshabalala, Kabelo Mabalane, and Zwai Bala. The group shot to prominence in late 1997 and early 1998 with their hit singles Palafala and Shibobo.
1996 their debut album was released titled Take It Easy,unfortunately this album provided low sales units.December 1997 the group released Palafala, sampling Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi. The song became a hit, with the CD single selling over 100 000 units. The group's next big release was in the run-up to the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In collaboration with Bafana Bafana and then-Ajax striker Benni McCarthy, the group produced Shibobo in June 1998. The song, which contained samples of Europe's The Final Countdown and featured McCarthy rapping on some of the lyrics, was an instant success. Sales topped the 100 000 mark in just over a month, a feat which made Shibobo the fastest and biggest selling CD single by a South African recording artist in history. They quickly became household names not just in South Africa but across the continent.
Later in 1998, they TKZee released their first full album, Halloween, which became a huge hit with smash singles "Dlala Mapansula" "Mambotjie" & "We Love This Place". The album went Platinum and earning them SAMA (South African Music Awards) awards for Best Kwaito Album, Best Duo/Group, Best Single and Best Kwaito Single. In 1999 they produced Guz 2001, a compilation album by TKZee Family, consisting of the original TKZee members alongside other names on their record label TKZ Wrekords, including Gwyza, Loyiso, 2 shot and Dr Mageu sharing the musical stage with Kutlwano Masote and jazz genius Moses Taiwa Molelekwa.
They performed their hit single Shibobo at the opening ceremony of the 2010 FIFA World Cup at Soccer City (FNB stadium) in Johannesburg.
Discography
Singles
- "Take It Easy" (1996)
- "Phalafala" (1997)
- "Masimbela" (1997)
- "Shibobo" (1998)
- "Dlala Mapansula" (1998)
- "Mambotjie/We Love This Place"(1999)
- "Fiasco" (1999)
- "Izinja Zam" (2000)
- "Ibola lethu" (2002)
- "S'dudla" (2009)
- "Dikakapa" (2010)
Albums
- 1996: Take It Eazy
- 1997: "Phalafala"
- 1998: Shibobo
- 1998: Halloween
- 1999: Guz 2001 (TKZee family)
- 2002: Trinity
- 2004 Guz hits
- 2009 Coming Home