Jahkongo

JAH KONGO, aka THE AFRICAN WARRIOR, was born Mandla Qotsini on 01 July in Soweto, Jozi. He moved to Cape Town, Khayelitsha, with his family when he was a baby, and there he fell in love with music at a very young age. He started performing in the church choir, singing tenor and enjoying it greatly. At age 13, he was spending time with the famous local Reggae artist, Mega. That’s where he met Zorro and Red Stone, and there he fell in love with Reggae music. He enjoyed the melody, the harmony and the lyrics. Inspired, that same year he and his friend Thabiso started their first group called Chuck T after Kongo’s then stage name, Chuckie, and T from Thabiso. The group did well in local road shows and high school shows.

Jah Kongo’s taste in music continued to change, growing further from the usual R’nB sound to the ska and Reggae sounds of Toots and The Maytals, Lucky Dube, The Wailers, and Capleton. Later, he started listening, learning and enjoying local afro-jazz sounds of Hugh Masekela, Mzwake Mbuli, Lebo Mathosa, Brenda Fassie, and more.

In 1999, after a chance visit to a Rasta Church with friends while living in Welkom, he started studying the bible on a daily basis and learned more about Rastafari. The Rasta way of life changed his perspective and took his music in a different direction.

In 2001, back in Cape Town, Jah Kongo started a group called DUNGEON AFFAIR with friends Blaq Supreme, Judgement Son, Mic Herbalist and Judahka. They were a young group who had a vision of becoming a household name. The group did very well, performing all over Cape Town’s clubs and major festivals. In 2003, it had grown to a 20-member group consisting of artists such as Black Coal, Lady Sunshine and D.J. Sensi.

After 6 good years with Dungeon Affair, Jah Kongo went solo and started his own company called Queen Sheba Entertainment (QSE) hosting shows such as the annual Ladies Night and Lions Fest, which coincides with Jah Kongo's birthday.

Jah Kongo worked with Scratch Israel, Ricky Bushula and Isaac kalako on producing his December 2008, EP called, “All I Want.” The EP featured artists such as Maxhoseni and Black B on a love song called, “My Love For You.” He featured Scratch Israel on two tracks called, “Seven Days,” and, “I don’t care;” Baby Scrujah on, “Hustlin,” and Big Head on, “Crime.” Jah Kongo marketed the EP himself and it has sold over 2,500 copies. The EP exposed Jah Kongo to a wider audience, taking him on national tours and continental tours while negotiating international deals.

He has shared a stage with such childhood hero’s as Jamaica’s I Qulah and Anthony B, as well as London-based artists Prince Mallachi , Jah Mason , Lutan Fyah , Empress Askala , Tydal Kamawu , Ras Jabulani and Peter Spence, also with the late sis Brenda Fassie. He has performed with South Africa’s most recognized Reggae band...