By Neo Kolane
The 46 year-old Mpho Molikeng is bidding to pay homage to Lesotho’s praise poet extraordinaire Letsema Matšela with a song he will be releasing tomorrow.
The song is titled ‘Likhomo Matšela’.
Matšela is a poet who at the height of American and European 70s and 80s pop music, stuck to his guns and taught Basotho the music of Lihoba.
Speaking in an interview with theReporter, the multifaceted artist, curator and musician explained that Lucky Monama of Gallo Africa and Radio Bantu (Lesedi FM) aided him in spreading the gospel of the music of Basotho.
Molikeng said that at the time of his passing, Matṧela had released at least 10 biographical albums.
The story teller and street performer plies his trade in Johannesburg, playing a host of Southern Africa indigenous music instruments. He saw a need to revive the voice of the forgotten heroes of Basotho with Matšela’s hit ‘Majoro’.
Molikeng’s ultimate dream of teaching Africa and the rest of the world the culture of Basotho comes in comes to the fore in the track, as the adaptation introduces the kudu horn.
He arranged the kolia-malla (war cry) of Matšela’s ‘Majoro’ over the amazing hip-hop production of Msolanka with some glitters of the ‘malipompo (mountain whistle) which is linked mostly with the indigenous groups such as the herd boys, initiates and traditional healers.
“‘Likhomo Matšela’ is everybody’s feel of good music that encourages the younger generation to take pride in their culture in these ever changing times, in order to preserve that which Basotho cherish.
“This song is a plea to Lesotho’s authorities to erect a statue and rename the national highway from Maseru through the norther districts of Berea, Leribe, Butha-Buthe, after Letsema Matšela in recognition of his courage in helping preserve Basotho culture when it was unfashionable to do so,” Molikeng said.
The track will be available for purchase on https://mphomolikeng.bandcamp.com/ and on tunecore.com and its affiliated digital platforms starting from this weekend.
