Introducing: Willing Listeners Forum

A manifestation of the township and homelands, KZN-native Willing Listeners Forum, is a revered wordsmith in South Africa's Hip-Hop underground scene. One of the select few acts that have embraced direct-to-fan platforms to distribute and monetise his music, the bantu rapper is carving his own lane – and he is taking his collaborators with him. A part of the ever growing 4PM movement, uMabonga is known for his social commentary and wittiness. Personally, I believe there is a lingering trail of consciousness and insight preceding an artist that is able to weave archival skits and clips in their music which allows you to geographically place them. I am yet to come across an artist that embodies this notion better than Willing Listeners Forum!

Throughout the rollout of CODE NAME: AZANIA, a collaborative project between him and Lucho Gazpacho which released today, the lyricist has been sharing clips that serve as fragmented contributions to contextualise the concept of the project. Beaming with eager to tune in to the offering, we had an opportunity to open an explorative dialogue with the skilled artist. In the interview we touch on his upbringing, the value of family, thhe significance of language, his character uMabonga, and importance of cultivating a pro-purchasing fan base.

The conversation undocumented as follows:

Image: Mabonga

I want to start with the name, Willing Listeners Forum, that's one of the most unique pseudonyms I've ever come across. What inspired it?

THE AIM WAS TO BE UNIQUE VELE IN THE FIRST PLACE BUT ABOVE ALL ELSE IT IS A CALL TO FORM COMMUNITY AMONGST THE MUSIC REALM. IT CANNOT BE A FORUM WITH ONE ENTITY, SO IT TAKES THE MUSICIAN (MYSELF) AND THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO LISTEN (YOU) IN ORDER FOR THE FORUM TO BE COMPLETE, NGINGABA YINI NGAPHANDLE KWENU? ALSO, I LOVE TLAs (THREE LETTER ACRONYMS)

How has your upbringing in KZN shaped your sound and lyrical themes?

MY MOTHER IS FROM THE HOMELANDS, MY FATHER FROM THE TOWNSHIP - THE CROSS-SECTION OF SUCH HAS IMMERSED ITSELF KIMI HENCE MY MUSIC IS VAST IN THE WAY ENGILOBA NGAYO, I USE BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL ZULU IN MY MUSIC, TOUCHING BASE ON THE AZANIAN MAN'S PLIGHT NOMA NGABE WAKHULELA KUPHI. GROWING UP IN SUBURBIA BUT ALWAYS VISITING THE TOWNSHIP AND THE HOMELANDS HAS HAD A GREAT IMPACT ON HOW I LOOK AT THINGS AND HOW CERTAIN MORALS OR ETHOS ARE IMPORTANT NGOKUHLUKA DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE. INKULISO YAMI AYIHLUBUKI KWINDLELA ENGIKHETHA UKULOBA NGAYO, KUYAVELA UKUTHI IMFUNDISO NGAYNICELA KUPHI MAWULALELA THE MUSIC THAT I MAKE.

Were there any pivotal moments in your early life that hinted at your future as an artist?

NGANGIYI-PANTSULA NGIKHULA HAHA. STARTED DANCING STRAIGHT AFTER I LEARNT HOW TO WALK - WAS DANCING IN WEDDINGS AND OTHER EVENTS FROM GRADE 1. EVEN THOUGH I NEVER NOTICED IT - YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE RYTHMICAL STRUCTURE OF A SONG IN ORDER TO COME UP WITH CHOREOGRAPHY. THAT'S WHEN I STARTED STUDYING MUSIC BECAUSE I KNEW I HAD A DIFFERENT TASTE WHEN IT CAME TO THE SONGS I CHOSE TO DANCE TO. THIS IS WHEN I KNEW I HAD A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH MUSIC BECAUSE I HEARD IT IN A WAY NO ONE COULD, NOT ONLY AMONGST MY PEERS BUT EVEN WITH OLDER PEOPLE.

The insight you relay from personal experiences and observations of socio-economic issues affecting the country display your social acuity. I can imagine this leads to a wide range of topic that you can touch on in your music. How do you choose to the themes and concepts for your songs and projects?

IT IS VERY EASY; I DO NOT CHOOSE TOPICS - I JUST REFLECT ON WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND ME AT A CERTAIN TIME. NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, WORD ON THE STREET, PERSONAL RESEARCH AND TOPICS THAT ME AND MY KAFFIRS TACKLE WHILE DOWNING DOUBLE MALT UNDER A TREE. KUYAZENZEKELA, I RAP ABOUT CERTAIN STRUGGLES BECAUSE I MYSELF AM STRUGGLING WITH THEM IN REAL TIME. HOW I THEME TAPES SUCH AS "MABONGA UMONGAMELI" OR "AYIKHO IMALI YOUPHUZA" ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THAT TIME. "MABONGA UMONGAMELI" DROPPED AROUND ELECTION TIME AND I FELT LIKE ARTISTS SEEM TO REMOVE THEMSELVES FROM POLITICTS EVEN THOUGH ESITHINTA SONKE, THE LATTER IS SELF EXPLANATORY HAHA YAYINGEKHO IMALI YOKUPHUZA.

Currently, who are your musical influences, and how have they shaped your sound?

THIS IS THE TYPE OF QUESTION THAT WILL GET A DIFFERENT ANSWER ALL THE TIME SIMPLY BECAUSE I AM INFLUENCED BY ALL THAT I HAVE LISTENED TO, GOOD OR BAD, BUT TO PUT IT NGENDLELA EHLAFUNEKAYO - THE CURRENT SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC ECOSYSTEM THAT I AM INVOLVED IN. THERE'S SO MANY OF US AND THE TALENT IS UNDENIABLE AND WE ARE STARTING TO SEE UKUTHI BEGGING TO BREAK THROUGH IN A DYING INDUSTRY HAS NO BENIFIT TO US, WE ARE DOING IT ON OUR OWN BECAUSE THE POWER IS WITHIN US. THAT IS MY BIGGEST INFLUENCE, MY PEERS.

Beyond rap, what non-musical influences forged your perspective as a writer?

MY FAMILY, ANGIYILUTHO NGAPHANDLE KOMNDENI WAMI - I CANNOT PUT IT IN WORDS AS TO HOW THEY FUNDAMENTALLY SHAPE ME AS A WRITER BUT THEY DO. ALTHOUGH, ONE EXAMPLE I CAN THINK OF IS ME LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF PROFANITY WITHIN MY LYRICS BECAUSE AT TIMES I RECORD IN THE LIVING ROOM WITH EVERYONE PRESENT. I HAVE 4 SISTERS (1 PASSED AWAY) SO YOU REALLY WON'T CATCH ME TALKING ILL ABOUT INZALABANTU. MY MOM BEING FROM ENKANDLA AND HER BEING A PROUD WOMAN FROM EMAKHAYA HAS SHAPED THE WORDS I CHOOSE TO USE IN MY MUSIC, FROM IZAGA TO IZISHO, NAMI NGIYAZIGQAZA NGOB'ZULU BAMI AND IT SHOWS IN THE MUSIC.

You and Eyazebozi have continually worked together this decade - your visual branding being the biggest standout from this ongoing collaboration. How do you interpret the value of locking in with one artist to create and maintain consistent visual branding?

EYASEBOZI! NGAMUPHIWA INKOSI LOMLISA, LOCKING IN WITH ONE ARTIST IS SOMETHING I'VE BEEN DOING EVEN PRIOR TO EYASEBOZI NGOBA UKUBAMBISANA NGIYAKHOLELWA KUKHO KEPHA KULELI PHUZU ANGIGXILE KIMI NO EYASEBOZI. WE FOUND EACH OTHER ON THE INTERNET, AND FUNNY ENOUGH I AM YET TO SHAKE HIS HAND MHLA NGIMUBONA NGAWENYAMA. WE CLICKED INSTANTLY BECAUSE HIS INSTRUMENTALS JUST MADE IT EASY FOR ME TO WRITE WHAT I FELT AT THE TIME AND HIM BEING A VISUAL ARTIST WAS AN ADDED BONUS BECAUSE WE ALMOST HAVE THE SAME THINKING METHODS SO HE JUST DOES WHAT HE DOES AND I DO WHAT I DO. WE NEVER PLAN STUFF IT JUST HAPPENS NGENDALO BECUSE THERE IS A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN MINA NAYE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WANT OUT OF THIS - MAKING PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE IN THE MOST CREATIVE WAY HAHA. THERE IS A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO START AT EVERY END OF A PROJECT. VISUALLY, I HAVE AND STILL AM WORKING WITH AN ARRAY OF ARTISTS UKUTHI EYASEBOZI IS ALWAYS CREATING SO THAT'S WHY I HAVE MORE COLLABORATIONS WITH HIM MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE.

At first glance you can pick up certain elements about the character uMabonga, such as ethnicity. Are there not so obvious factors about the character that a passive listener may miss due to not having extensive knowledge of your catalogue?

uMABONGA - ALL THAT YOU HAVE NOT PICKED UP FROM HIM USAZOWANQAKA KHULULEKA THIS CHARACTER IS STILL EVOLVING, LEARNING AND GROWING KWA MANJE. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PLAY THE ENTIRE CATALOGUE (EVEN THOUGH IT IS ENCOURAGED) TO UNDERSTAND THE BASIS OF MABONGA BECAUSE HE IS MERELY BUT A VESSEL OR A CONDUIT THAT REFLECTS THE TIMES.

When it comes to delivery, I have found your bars to be more impactful when you articulate them in vernacular, especially your more satirical bars. Is this approach intentional? Do you actively consider through which language you will deliver your bars during your writing process?

COLONIALISM - HAHA THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I RAP IN ENGLISH AND ZULU, UKUBE KUYA NGAMI I WOULD RAP IN AZANIAN LANGUAGES ONLY KEPHA NGEBHADI NANGESHWA ISINGISI SESABA YIMPOQO EMPILWENI, WE ARE CONDUCTING THIS INTERVIEW IN ENGLISH. IT TOOK ME MANY YEARS TO INCORPORATE MY NATIVE TONGUE INTO MY RAPS BECAUSE AT ONE TIME I THOUGHT THE HIGHEST FORM OF RAP HAD TO DO WITH IT SOUNDING AS AMERICAN AS POSSIBLE. SESADLULA LAPHO, AND NOW I WRITE LIKE HOW I TALK, A COLONISED ZULU WHO CAN CODE SWITCH AT WILL WITHOUT EVEN THINKING TWICE. THOUGHT I SHOULD SAY THIS, THE ZULU PARTS IN MY WRITING ARE VERY INTENTIONAL.

The current political landscape in our country is one riddled with corruption and poor service delivery. How important is it for you to educate your listeners on ongoing issues within the country and use your voice as a declaration of resistance and advocacy against government's conduct?

"MABONG UMONGAMELI IT WAS UNANIMOUS NGOKHETHO" TO "ASK MY PEOPLE IF THEY F* WITH THE SAPS" TO "SIHAMBA NGOBUMNYAMA U-RAMA RAMA USENZA BUSY" - HAHA THESE ARE POLITICAL STATEMENTS YES BUT IN THE SAME BREATH THESE ARE JUST DAY TO DAY LIVINGS IN AZANIA - IN MOST CASES I CHOOSE TO USE NEWS SKITS, VIDEO SNIPPETS, AND VISUAL ART TO CONVEY MY POLITICAL VIEWS, NINGAZE NITHI "UMABONGA WATHI" HAHA. THESE TOPICS ARE ON THE NEWS DAILY, I JUST PAIR THEM WITH MY MUSIC.

Not limiting it to just politics, we also are a country that is rich in history. Do you view rap as an artform that can serve as a tool to educate people about their history? And, do you think it is a stance that should be embraced by more rappers?

TO EACH HIS OWN - MAWUKETHA UKUZIBA ISIMO SEZWE OPHILA KULO AKUKHO ESINGAKUSHO THINA, ALSO, WE CAN'T ALL BE RAPPING ABOUT POLITICS AND HERITAGE. PEOPLE WANT TO TWERK BABA AND PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE MUSIC THAT GETS PEOPLE TWERKING. I JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT STANCE. NGIFUNA SIZIQHENYE NGEMVELAPHI YETHU FUTHI SINGEZWA NGABANTU UKUTHI SINAMANDLA KANGAKANANI, ASIZIBONELE THINA. I AM CURRENTLY READING UP ON "DABULAMANZI" WHO WAS A GREAT ZULU WARRIOR AND SOON ENOUGH THAT KNOWLEDGE WILL REFLECT IN MY MUSIC - SHOUT OUT TONY DANGLER WHO IS ISIZUKULWANA SAKHE AND HE ALSO USED HIS IMAGE IN A PROJECT HE RECENTLY DROPPED CALLED "IKIGAI." ALL FORMS OF MUSIC ARE EDUCATION, IT JUST DEPENDS ON YOU AS THE STUDENT UKUTHI UFUNA UKUFUNDA INI.

I believe your political philosophy also spills over to how you decide to package and distribute your music. You have actively rejected the traditional method of utilising streaming platforms for your music. How has positioning yourself in this manner helped your branding and how you engage with your listeners?

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE PERSON TO LOOK FOR OTHER WAYS TO DO THINGS, WAYS THAT ALIGN WITH MY PHILOSOPHY - I WAS EXPOSED TO MUSIC AT A VERY YOUNG AGE BY AUDIOPHILES THAT TOOK PRIDE IN BUYING ACTUAL RECORDS AND THE PROPER SOUND SYSTEM TO PLAY THEM ON. I'VE SEEN MY FATHER OWN AN ALBUM FROM VINYL TO CASSETTE TO CD BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH HE LOVED IT. BUYING OF MUSIC IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF MY UPBRINGING. I STILL REMEMBER THE 1ST CD MY MOM BOUGHT ME AS A KID - AN ALASKA ALBUM (NGIYI PANSTULA NJE!)

IT'S A NO BRAINER TO ME AS SOMEONE WHO HAS ALWAYS BOUGHT MUSIC AND STILL DOES UKUTHI UMCULO WAMI TO BE ON THE SAME PARADIGM, UMCULO OTHENGWAYO!

I'M NOT DOING IT TO SEEM DIFFERENT OR TO BE ANTI-STREAM, IM JUST PRO PURCHASE. I STREAM TONS OF MUSIC BUT IF AN OPTION TO BUY IT IS AVAILABLE THEN I DO THAT AS IT GETS THE MUSICIAN A GREATER CUT, SONKE SIFUNA ISINKWA.

MY LISTENERS ARE THE BEST PEOPLE, ME NOT BEING A BIG ARTIST (OKWAMANJE) MEANS I GET TO CHAT AND TEXT WITH MY AUDIENCE ON A REGULAR BASIS AND GET TO ANSWER CERTAIN QUESTIONS AND WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS THAT ONCE NGIBACHAZELA KAHLE UKUTHI ISIMO SOMCULO SIMI KANJANI THEY COMPLETLY UNDERSTAND AND SUPPORT MY CHOICE OF BEING PRO-PURCHASE (SEE HOW WE ARE NOT NAME CALLING?).

With the uprise in more artist-centric models, are there particular platforms you hope to embrace soon?

"EVEN BIZ" - THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER PLATFORM THAT JAMES BLAKE IS BEHIND SO I'M TRYNG TO DABBLE INTO THAT AS WELL WHILE I'M FINDING MY WAY. THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO GET MY OWN WEBSITE WHERE I CAN SET UP THINGS HOW I WANT AND DICTATE PRICES HOW I FEEL WITHOUT ANY INDUSTRY PRESSURE. I'M NOT HERE TO COMPETE, NGIZOKHANDA IMPILO.

Reflecting on your journey so far, what have been some of the highlights and challenges of your career that you would like to share?

"AVERAGE" - WHICH IS MY 1ST RAP TAPE THAT I DROPPED IN 2013 AFTER I DROPPED OUT OF TERTIARY, GOT LOCKED OUT MY PLACE WITH ALL MY STUFF AND WAS BUMMING OFF A CLOSE FRIEND FOR A FEW MONTHS BEFORE HEADING BACK HOME.

"MISTO EP" - IN THE FINAL STAGES, MY SPOT GOT ROBBED BUT FORTUNATELY I HAD SENT IT TO A FEW OF MY FRIENDS. THEY ALSO CAME WITH RECORDING EQUIPMENT TO HELP ME FINISH OFF THE TAPE AND I GOT TO DROP IT ON MY FATHERS BIRTHDAY BUT BANDCAMP NOTED IT AS THE DAY AFTER (TIME ZONE SHANDIS)

I HAVE HAD A LOT OF HARDSHIPS IN MY JOURNEY, A LOT, BOTH PERSONAL AND MUSICALLY RELATED. IT STILL DOESN'T AMOUNT TO THE JOY AND HAPINESS THIS THING BRINGS ME. SEEING MY SISTER AT ONE OF MY PERFORMANCES LAST YEAR BROUGHT ME TO TEARS MAN. SHARING THE STAGE WITH ORAKILL AND HEATWAVE DENIRO WILL FORVER BE IN MY HEART.

What does immortality through art mean to you? Is it about lyrics dissected decades from now and still resonating, or impacting someone's life today?

THE BIG GUNS HAHA, IDEAS ARE IMMORTAL. I AM BUT MY ANCESTORS' WILDEST DREAMS. ME BEING THE WAY I AM IS PROOF THAT AN IDEA DOES LAST FOREVER AND ENERGY NEVER DIES - MY MUSIC SERVES AS THE SAME THING, IT IS A DRIVING FORCE FOR A CERTAIN IDEA, AN IDEA THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN HERE. I AM A CONTINUATION OF AN IDEA AND IT SHALL REMAIN LONG AFTER I AM GONE.

I DO NOT CONCERN MYSELF WITH BEING DISSECTED YEARS LATER BY SOMEONE WHO'S PROBABLY JUST TRYING TO MAKE CONTENT, DISSECTING MY BARS NOW IS ALSO SOMETHING I PAY NO MIND TO (EVEN THOUGH IT IS APPRECIATED). THE IMPACT IS MY MAIN CONCERN AND THE IMPACT SHOULD BE NOW AND FOREVER.

Finally, what is non-negotiable in your pursuit for what you plan to accomplish with your artistry?

MY USE OF THE WORD KAFFIR - ONLY UP UNTIL WE REALLY TALK ABOUT IT THEN MAYBE I MIGHT EASE UP WITH IT.

LANGUAGE CAN BE USED AS A WEAPON BUT ALSO AS A SEED TO PLANT A CERTAIN IDEA THAT COULD CRUMBLE EMPIRES AND CRIPPLE THE "STRONG" - I AM UNCOMPROMISING WHEN IT COME TO MY USE OF LANGUAGE. MA WAKHOKHA IMALI ENINGI KABI NGIFUNDA. 

The rapper has two projects which released today, which you can support via his Bandcamp profile.

Written by Kamohelo More