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Final tribute to Shupeng

OLESENG Shupeng's legacy will live on forever. The Mkhukhu gospel singer died in July and his recording company, Cool Spot, has released some of his unreleased songs.

The album, titled Tsa Bofelo, pays a final tribute to a great gospel singer.

Ken Haycock of Cool Spot says: "Many of the songs on Tsa Bofelo came from recordings of artists produced by Oleseng for his label OSSH Music, which was formed in April 2004."

He days the recordings have been re-mixed by Vusi Nkosi.

The messages in the album are truly enticing and in certain songs Shupeng prophesied his own death.

Songs such as Ee Ke Dumetse and Ngoana Hao Ea Sepelang are deeply touching and showcase the singer's talent.

The songNgoana Hao Ea Sepelangis one of the songs that Shupeng recorded, but never completed due to his accident.

"The moment we heard this prophetic song, we knew instinctively that this was the way it should be released, with no backing vocals and with minimal instrumentation," Haycock says. "In it Shupeng foretells of a time when his family is gone. An unmixed version of the song has become a ring-tone hit among fans."

The album also features the African Gospel Singers and Reverend Vusi Gama.

Shupeng career began with the Atteridgeville Happy Boys when they released their first album, Mahlomoleng Aka, in 1992.

With this group he released 22 timeless albums that are still loved today.

In 1998 he kicked off his solo career with the album Segopolo Boikgantsho.

Shupeng was born in Botshabelo near Bloemfontein in 1963.

"Oleseng seldom wrote lyrics or rehearsed.

"It was spontaneous, as the spirit moved him, during recordings. He improvised and skillfully narrated Bible texts," Haycock says.

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