Edward Tsumele

Edward Tsumele

Just when many people have concluded that kwaito is no longer popular and the in-music genres are house tunes and rap, as far as the youth is concerned, a musician comes along and proves them all wrong.

You, of course, know about the kwaito exploits of Brickz, the controversial kwaito exponent, and how this year he won the kwaito album category of the Samas.

And you also know about those Durban-based guys Derango and Big Nuz, who a lot of people thought would walk away with the Best Kwaito Album at the Samas at Sun City.

This simply shows that kwaito, against all predictions by fundis, is refusing to die. And now there is a new kid on the kwaito scene. It's Baby Man and he has just released his debut kwaito album called Kwaito Executive.

Newly founded record label Tsotsi Records has signed the Mpumalanga-born Khulani Hopewell Ngoma aka Baby Man. His debut album was released this month.

Baby Man was born in 1981 and raised by his grandmother. He had a religious upbringing and started singing in church from the age of 10. He joined a gospel group called Jubilee Mass Choir and after that started a band called Yadda.

Members of his church encouraged Baby Manto to pursue a career in gospel music so he paid a visit to a friend in Johannesburg for help and advice to realise his dream . That put him on the path to success.

But in 2007, Baby Man became disillusioned and he started smoking and drinking. And sadly, the company he chose was also not the best.

All that is behind him now. Based in Auckland Park in Johannesburg, he is ready to conquer the world.

Using his talent, Baby Man is bringing the good times back with his kwaito-kasi grooves.

"Kwaito is here to stay. I am not bothered by people who think that kwaito is gone because it is not. This is the sound of the people and in fact as far as I am concerned, other genres such as hip-hop are influenced by kwaito."