Another phase for local House music!

Something interesting has happened to the local House music industry. Just in a space of a decade, South Africa has become a country where dance music is hugely supported. As the demand for dance music grows, along the way, another style of House music has been born and has become popularly known as Pretoria House. It has become the favorite amongst many local music lovers and this trend has threatened much of the foreign dance music that has dominated the South African dance scene for years. But where did all these sounds come from originally and how does the future look?

After many years of international House enjoying the limelight in SA, at the turn of the millennium, a new sound was cooked up by Pretoria’s master music chefs and it became popularly known as Pretoria House. The new sound started out as a rather light-hearted affair.  

Bringing this new style of urban House to the industry, it can be said that Pretoria House was originated predominantly by the Mamelodi, Attridgeville and Soshanguve producers.  At that stage, the likes of Bojo Mujo, Mujava, DJ Killer, DJ Sly, DJ Tsala, DJ Ghost and MaChance would put out House records that had a different musical feel from what people were already exposed to.  This style of House would normally have a few catchy beats accompanied by non-stop rolling snare and simple sing-along vernacular vocals – a sound that some people call typical township House.

One problem that seemed to have dimmed the wide exposure for this style was that, there were not any distribution channels to get the music to the people.  The only marketing or promotional method at the producer’s disposal was through taxis and a few Pretoria community radio stations. 

Around 2002, Pretoria House music was starting to be the “in thing” in and outside of the city, getting attention mainly from ordinary black teenagers, tertiary students and middle aged party-people. The music was being played at parties, township clubs and bashes.  With the support of taxi drivers pumping any Pretoria House material they were given, things started falling into place.  But, promotional marketing issues were not the only  obstacles in the way.  For them to generate enough sales, their music needed to also get popular radio airplay, a task which proved very difficult.  The radio stations that came forward and supported this evolution were a few community radio stations.

Although the music was not being largely distributed or sold, the fact that there was an up-to-the-minute House music style meant something.  This was the beginning of a new musical era, a journey that would in a few years have a great impact on SA urban music.

Only through willing community radio stations and taxis, Pretoria House eventually managed to hit a number of music lovers and the response was overwhelming.  But since there was no distributor or any major label willing to tie a deal with Pretoria producers, the guys would have to sell their records on street corners; at bashes and any other place they had an opportunity to do so.  Over the past years, Pretoria House has been mainly spreading around by word of mouth.

It’s been more that six years since this style of House has been on the market and bit by bit, the music has eventually spread throughout the country.   House music lover, Keaobaka Tiny Jarvis said Pretoria House has a unique rhythm with beats being totally different from what people are familiar with.  “Pretoria House has its own originality especially with the fact that they use vernacular lyrics in their music,” said Jarvis.

Due to the demand that the style has gained, the likes of Bojo Mujo, DJ Killer, MaChance and Mujava have become Household names that one can only associate with the Pretoria sound.  And recently the sound has been getting recognition and airplay from various major radio stations including most of the SABC Radios.  The trend has grown phenomenally and has seen an independent label, House Therapy, printing, distributing, marketing and managing artists such as Bojo Mujo and Mujava successfully.

According to DJ Kent of the trio, Kentphonik, Pretoria House has gained huge popularity over the years and as a DJ there are times that he simply has to play the songs because people want to hear them.  “I do throw Pretoria beats in my mix here and there but I normally don’t play the whole song, I just take the part I want,” said Kent.

Thus far, though there are still a number of music retailers that do not stock Pretoria projects, Bojo Mujo’s first release, featuring the hit ‘Shiwelele’, has seen him become a successful DJ, producer and brand.  And due to the demand that his music has created, the artist has been recently enjoying much attention, resulting in his music video being played on the SABC 1 music TV show, Live. Furthermore, the artist’s songs, such as ‘Summer Rain’ have gained a lot of momentum on the dance scene, alongside, Mujava and MaChance’s music both of who are said to be doing strikingly well in their limited market.

And so up to now, Pretoria House seems to be the happening sound with some of the top DJs and producers having shown their interest in the style.  Amongst them is DJ Cleo who did a song, ‘Ndiya Ndiya’ which is on the album Es’khaleni Zone 3.  The song is identical to that of the Pretoria House beats compositional style and lyrically the song features Pretoria artist Zulu Naja who became famous after he worked on a song, ‘Naja’ with DJ Killer.  ‘Naja’ became very popular, resulting in it being reworked by kwaito outfit Brothers of Peace and being titled ‘BOP Killer’.  BOP is made up of well established and known music gurus Oscar ‘DJ Oskido’ Mdlongwa and Bruce ‘Dope’ Sebitlo.   Not only have DJ Cleo and BOP made their move to the sound, DJ Fresh featured DJ Mujava’s song, ‘Township Funk’ on his release, Definition of House 3.

Even though Pretoria House still stands on its own without full support from the major labels and radio stations, the style has won many hearts regardless. One thing is clear though, the future does indeed look brighter for Pretoria House.  And as a matter of fact, it is evident that people are getting down to it as it has already energized the local music scene!

 

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