Enjoyu the music, have a blast, Merry Christmas

| Monday December 20, 2010 00:00

On that note grab one or two and charm you friends and family.

There are a lot of music hits out there right now to get you into the festive mood in a big way. As they say, music knows no boundaries.

It was no doubt a year of few hits made looking at the local front.  The year end has seen pop stars Vee and Slizer re-appearing with another collaboration album, as well as Ditiro Leero and Gong Master Ketshabile also doing a Makanyane III of sorts, most of the local new releases have been overshadowed by Culture Spears's project, Ekentolo vol 3, with the hit track, Re Sia Le Matebele.   It will be the must-have or the should-have album to really get into the festive season groove.  It is the second year in a row that the Ekentolo has filled music lovers with happiness and given them a wonderful festive time.  Last year, their hit track Chika, was the festive song, no doubt.

 Bujo Mujo's latest release with Liquid Deep-Bojo lution, Activator 1The streets of Gaborone are buzzing with a Liquid/Bojo track from this album.  Its impact is cutting across the age divide.  Yes. Bojo Mujo boys are back on top as the hit makers.  This time around they have joined forces with the likes of DJ Ma-Eli, DJ Tea-Kay, Mashavula, and Liquid Deep of Fairy tale fame, and the result has been a bomb. 

Those who have been following the Bojo Mujo Christmas releases for the last five years will not be disappointed with the hit makers who last year gave them a festive cheer with a sizzler called Thando lwam, which was recently borrowed by our local act Vee, for his Zaza 2010 album

Ha Re Kopane, by Vee and SlizerThe title track on this album is a killer, despite so much noise and dominance by Ekentolo.  This song is a beauty in both instrumentation and vocals by the two local sensations featuring Slizer's son.  Party lovers have also been enjoying a track there featuring Captain Dira and the late Cisco B.  If it does not dominate the agenda during the festive period, it will be mainly due to the suffocation created by the Ekentolo fever.

Sebincholo, another mbaqanga hitThis song by shabby dressed choreographers who appeared in worn out clothes depicting poverty, picked up pace during August as it enjoyed considerable airplay on Botswana Television (Btv) and Radio Botswana (RB). However, the hype has been waning since the arrival of Re sia le matebele.

Pidipidi, by Solly SebotsoFolklore guitarist Solly Sebotso made this song a hit after winning with it in this year's Heritage Month awards. 

Thanks to RB1, which has been blazing the song, a good number of Batswana have shown a lot of appreciation for the song.  But sorry, folks the song is not available in stores, but another version of the Pidipidi song is performed by YouTube stars Ronnie Moipolai of Lentsweletau and his brother KB, on YouTube, if you know the simple tricks, it can be harvested into a memory stick or CD just like any music that plays on youtube.

Stika Sola's returnThe legend of Tswana folk artist, Stika Sola Molefhi made a comeback after joining forces with a new promoter this year, eventually dropping an album, which also has some house mixes of his signature tunes like Kachere. 

RB has been blazing Stika Sola's latest project, and traders around the Gaborone Main Mall stall say it is one of the most sought after items.

Gyptian - Hold YouThis one is not from Botswana.  Gyptian is the new kid on the block, kicking it from the United States of America (US).  He is of Jamaican roots, but his hit track, Hold Yuh Riddim, which, has a sexy video playing on DStv channels, has seen him collaborating with a number of super stars like Nicki Minaj, and several DJs who have come up with their own remixes of the hit track.

Liquid DeepThe fairytale boys are back again with another new release, following right on their massive success of the Fairytale song.  This past weekend they had a concert in Francistown.  Samplers of their debut album, now know what to expect in Liquid Deep's latest offering.

Jezebelle by OskidoIt is one of the late entries into the festive season.  Hardly two months old, and Jezebelle is fast turning into a dance floor anthem from Mzanzi to Gabz.  Check it in Oskido's latest church grooves' installment.

Eminem For the urban music lovers, this rapper has been a revelation over the last three months since the release of his latest work Recovery, with hits such as, I Love The Way You Lie (with Rihanna), No Love (with Lil Wayne), and I'm Not Afraid, it's just a killer, period.

Rhythmic ElementsThey gave us Christmas hits such as 2by2, Hello Mr, have come back yet again with another scorcher, enough to be the contender for Song of the Year.

Rihana-oh na na..What's my nameThe American singer who cemented her fame with the Umbrella song, is not only making waves in Eminem's song, I Like The Way You Lie. Her latest single, What's My Name, featuring rapper Drake, has become one of the anthems for this period of the year, especially in urban areas.

P Square from NigeriaNigerian music is blazing hot, and P-Square, who seem to be dropping one hit after the other lately, are leading the way with a number of tracks dominating the dance floor by these guys.

Bonus album, Eureka's latest hip-hop release, Stageworks, is undoubtedly one of the beautifully woven albums to come out of Botswana this year.  It is also still fresh, having been dropped only in November. Bonus album: Shapa Bafana collaboration: This world cup 2010 compilation has the best of modern kwaito and Durban house music as well as the jazzy, and mbaqanga music of the good old days.  With tracks such as Make The Circle Bigger, by JR, as well as acts such as DJ Cleo, Chomee, Jozi, Skwatta Kamp, any youthful person can grab this one.  It also has something for those who like music of Joe Mafela, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Thandiswa Mazwai, Lucky Dube, Stimela, Mango Groove, Hugh Masekela, Hotstix Mabuse, Vicky Sampson of My African Dream fame, West Nkosi, and Dr Victor of Tswang Tswang Re Mmone, and more.