Tik Tok sensation Mehlemamba Ngidi is using social media to sell his passion for maskandi music and traditional Zulu culture.
Born Stefano Di Mauro in Hillcrest, west of Durban, he trends for all the good reasons. But he admits that he does get shaded by social media commentators who disapprove of his love and passion.
The 19-year-old creates videos of himself dancing to maskandi music or showcasing the traditional Zulu attire.
What also impresses Tik Tokers is that Mehlemamba speaks Zulu fluently and his dancing skills are on point with his rhythm and style.
Speaking to Sowetan, the zestful teen said he had been recording the videos since 2015 and his following on Tik Tok is standing at over 600,000.
To prove his popularity with his followers and other social media users, some of his content receives more than 4-million likes.
He got the name Mehlemamba – meaning "eyes of a mamba", referring to the black mamba, the most poisonous snake in SA – from the woman who worked as a helper at his home.
“I was introduced to the language by Mam' Ngidi, who worked at our house. She taught me Zulu and I further studied it at school. Now I speak and write Zulu. She even gave me her surname Ngidi. That is why I am known as Mehlemamba Ngidi.
“Mam' Ngidi gave me the name because I loved to watch Isibaya (a TV drama series) and there was a character of a young inyanga called Mehlemamba. He was my favourite character. Mam' Ngindi said the name Mehlemamba was perfect for me.”
Mehlemamba does not only like maskandi music, he loves the Zulu culture as well.
His fashion sense, which includes fashionable shoes, is inspired by maskandi artists' fashion sense. He also identifies himself as ibhinca, a person who practises traditional Zulu culture.
“I was introduced to the maskandi sound by my friend Minenhle Bhengu and I fell in love with it. I don’t have any specific maskandi favourite but I listen to the music in general. It is one music that makes me happy when I am listening to it.”
Mehlemamba, who still lives in Hillcrest, works for a black-owned security company.
He has a brother and sister who are not fans of maskandi. He says his parents are very supportive of his passion and the person he has become. He uses every minute he gets to shoot his videos.
However, he has not been able to turn his popularity on Tik Tok to earn a living from it like top influencers.
“Yazi ke ngisafuna indlela yokuthi ngithole ukubhatalwa wuTik Tok. (I am still looking for a way to get paid for my trending videos on Tik Tok.) The problem is that I have not found a person who can show me how it works," he said.
"My bigger plan is to own a company that will do various things like security and cleaning.”
bambalelep@sowetan.co.za
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Image: Supplied
Tik Tok sensation Mehlemamba Ngidi is using social media to sell his passion for maskandi music and traditional Zulu culture.
Born Stefano Di Mauro in Hillcrest, west of Durban, he trends for all the good reasons. But he admits that he does get shaded by social media commentators who disapprove of his love and passion.
The 19-year-old creates videos of himself dancing to maskandi music or showcasing the traditional Zulu attire.
What also impresses Tik Tokers is that Mehlemamba speaks Zulu fluently and his dancing skills are on point with his rhythm and style.
Speaking to Sowetan, the zestful teen said he had been recording the videos since 2015 and his following on Tik Tok is standing at over 600,000.
To prove his popularity with his followers and other social media users, some of his content receives more than 4-million likes.
He got the name Mehlemamba – meaning "eyes of a mamba", referring to the black mamba, the most poisonous snake in SA – from the woman who worked as a helper at his home.
“I was introduced to the language by Mam' Ngidi, who worked at our house. She taught me Zulu and I further studied it at school. Now I speak and write Zulu. She even gave me her surname Ngidi. That is why I am known as Mehlemamba Ngidi.
“Mam' Ngidi gave me the name because I loved to watch Isibaya (a TV drama series) and there was a character of a young inyanga called Mehlemamba. He was my favourite character. Mam' Ngindi said the name Mehlemamba was perfect for me.”
Mehlemamba does not only like maskandi music, he loves the Zulu culture as well.
His fashion sense, which includes fashionable shoes, is inspired by maskandi artists' fashion sense. He also identifies himself as ibhinca, a person who practises traditional Zulu culture.
“I was introduced to the maskandi sound by my friend Minenhle Bhengu and I fell in love with it. I don’t have any specific maskandi favourite but I listen to the music in general. It is one music that makes me happy when I am listening to it.”
Mehlemamba, who still lives in Hillcrest, works for a black-owned security company.
He has a brother and sister who are not fans of maskandi. He says his parents are very supportive of his passion and the person he has become. He uses every minute he gets to shoot his videos.
However, he has not been able to turn his popularity on Tik Tok to earn a living from it like top influencers.
“Yazi ke ngisafuna indlela yokuthi ngithole ukubhatalwa wuTik Tok. (I am still looking for a way to get paid for my trending videos on Tik Tok.) The problem is that I have not found a person who can show me how it works," he said.
"My bigger plan is to own a company that will do various things like security and cleaning.”
bambalelep@sowetan.co.za
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