Jabu Khanyile
Bio
Jabu Khanyile: The Voice That United Africa
Jabu Khanyile was born in Soweto on 28 February 1957. His father sang in the isicathamiya style, and his brother John played in a reggae and soul band, shaping the foundation of Khanyile’s sound.
He began with The Daffodils, and later joined The Editions as drummer and vocalist, then moved to The Movers before rising to fame with Bayete in 1984. Bayete fused Afro-jazz and reggae, with Khanyile’s commanding voice becoming its signature.
After the band split in 1992, he launched a solo career as Jabu Khanyile & Bayete. International acclaim came in 1996 with a Royal Gala performance in honour of Nelson Mandela. He won the Kora Award for Best Southern African Artist twice and performed with Youssou N’Dour, Angelique Kidjo, and Papa Wemba. Known for his Zulu attire and fly-whisk, he celebrated African unity through music.
Khanyile's final appearance was at the “Africa Calling” ceremony during the 2006 World Cup in Berlin. He passed away on 12 November 2006 after battling diabetes and prostate cancer, leaving a lasting legacy in African music.
His Albums include Mmalo-We ,Africa Unite ,Umkhaya-Lo ,The Prince’ Jabu Khanyile's last album was
Hiyo Lento ,released in 2005.
Photo by Kajabi
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