Grammys honour Ladysmith Black Mambazo yet again

The South African a capella group was awarded for their album Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration, which was releases on 10 January 2017 as a tribute to their 1987 album Shaka Zulu, which won a Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Recording a year later.

WE WON THE GRAMMY AWARD FOR BEST WORLD MUSIC ALBUM!! SHAKA ZULU REVISITED. Our 5th Grammy Award. Such an honor. Thank U Grammy Awards. Thank U fans and friends. Thank U South Africa!! pic.twitter.com/1lsqGQiM23

— Ladysmith Black Mambazo (@therealmambazo) January 28, 2018

After their 1988 win, the group won three more Grammy awards for Raise Your Spirit Higher in 2004 (Best Tradtional World Music Album), Ilembe: Honouring Shaka Zulu in2009 (Best Tradtional World Music Album) and Singing for Peace Around the World in 2014 (Best World Music Album for Live).

Last night’s win is the fifth Grammy the 10-member group has received out of the 17 times it has been nominated at the Grammys.   

Fans took to social media after the announcement that the ‘Homeless’ hitmakers had won.

this group don't just represent South Africa,  they represent the whole Africa. Congratulations #GRAMMYs

— D6 RELOADED (@sbonelo1458) January 28, 2018

Another Twitter user said:

Ladysmith Black Mambazo might as well have that Grammy named after them. #GRAMMYs

— Oulike Klong (@Roaree) January 29, 2018

LBM was also nominated for Best Children’s Album, which was taken by American singer Lisa Loeb for her album Feel What U Feel.

LBM was founded by Joseph Shabalala in Ladysmith, Kwazulu-Natal, in the 1960s. He was the main composer of the choral group Blacks. Shabalala created his own music style when he blended Christian with traditional elements. The Blacks did not take kindly to the sonic tinkering and LBM was formed as a result.

The group consisted of Shabalala's brothers, Headman and Enoch Shabalala, cousins Albert, Milton, Funokwakhe, Abednego and Joseph Mazibuko, as well as close friends Matovoti Msimanga and Walter Malinga. The roster of members has changed over the years with the current line-up comprising Shabalala's sons Thulani, Thamsanqa, Sibongiseni and Msizi as well as Pius Shezi, Sabelo Mthembu, Mfanafuthi Dlamini, Albert Mazibuko and Abednego Mazibuko.

The group released their debut album Amabutho under Gallo Music in 1973. The group went on to receive international acclaim when it collaborated with American singer-songwriter Paul Simon on his Graceland album and tour in 1987. To date LBM has released 50 albums.

It is my great pleasure to congratulate Ladysmith Black Mambazo @therealmambazo for winning the Grammy Award for the Best World Music Album 2017. Thank you for flying our flag high & demonstrating the potency of authenticity to future generations of African musicians. #Grammys pic.twitter.com/wSTWhSbsDl

— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) January 29, 2018

Other Africans who were up for a Grammy included Malian band Tinariwen, which won the Best World Music Award in 2012. African compilation albums Sweet As Broken Dates: Lost Somali Tapes from the Horn of Africa and Bobo Yéyé: Belle Époque in Upper Volta (Burkina Faso) were nominated in the Best Historical Album category but lost out to Leonard Bernstein's Leonard Bernstein – The Composer.

Bobo Yéyé: Belle Époque in Upper Volta was also nominated for the Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package Award but was beaten by Lawrence Azerrad, Timothy Dali and David Pescovitz for The Voyager Golden Record: 40th Anniversary, a compilation of sounds from earth that were taken into Space in the form of golden phonograph records in 1977.