Culture Spears break-up
Monkagedi Gaothobogwe | Monday May 18, 2015 16:31
Kabelo Mogwe is not only crying for a stolen wife. Charma Gal has disappeared with their famed Ekentolo brand, and their latest release, “Sekuta saga” Charma Gal, which is being solely distributed by Charma Gal.
Despite singing sweet things about her husband whom he refers to as Hard rock in the opening song of the latest Ekentolo release, it is the opposite story in reality.
Mogwe now feels like a fool after composing a couple of songs in the album only to return from a Kasane trip to find that it was selling in the market without his knowledge.
What has hurt Kabelo Mogwe most is the realisation that the wife has now staked claim to the brand Ekentolo when she decided to go solo under controversial circumstances.
The manner in which Charma Gal planned things behind the husband’s back weeks leading to the release of the album has left Kabelo Mogwe traumatised. He just wants to salvage the Ekentolo brand.
Interestingly uncharacteristic of any Kulenyane studio’s release, the latest Charma Gal album does not mention who is the executive producer, who is the producer, or who composed the songs, or where the music was recorded, although Kulenyane sources tell The Monitor that the album was started and completed at the Kulenyane studio with the help of the husband.
As if she was determined to breakaway from the shadows of Mogwe, Charma Gal ditched a mpacanga instrumental suggested by Mogwe, to go for a full-fledged kwasakwasa production this time around as she performed lead vocalist in all the songs this time around.
The decision by Charma gal to run away with the Ekentolo brand has got Mogwe worried that wife has taken away a precious brand he took a decade to popularise.
Contacted for comment, Mogwe was reluctant to discuss the breakup yesterday, but confirmed there are some unresolved issues regarding the latest release.
The Monitor has been alerted to another dramatic episode in which Kabelo Mogwe failed to turn up for a show where Ekentolo and Culture Spears were scheduled to perform at Glen Valley on May 8, as Charma Gal appeared on stage alone for the first time.
Shocked sources at Culture Spears say Mogwe’s failure to appear at the Glen Valley show was a revenge on Charma Gal after she had failed to share a bag of money from a Ghanzi show, also early May. The Monitor sources say Charma Gal had left with the money bag on the understanding that it would be shared the following day, only to use it alone.
Mogwe confirmed that the group has not performed since May 8, but said he hoped things will be normal as bookings come in. “Whatever happens we are business people; it is business that brought us together, I don’t see how other things can break the group, Magdeline also knows that,” said a rather diplomatic Mogwe.
Since they burst into the scene through hits like Mmadikokwana, Culture Spears have lost lead singers such as Jelinah Mokgwatheng and Thembeni Ramosetheng, with Charma Gal, now completing the big collapse of the group, should she decide to pursue the Ekentolo project and completely abandon Culture Spears.