Nozinja is a South African musician, producer and DJ, credited with the creation and popularisation of the ' shangaan electro' genre of African dance music, influenced by traditional folk, Tsonga disco, Kwaito house and township backstreet dance styles from the

Limpopo Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. It is named after the Limpopo River, which forms the province's western and northern borders. The capital and largest city in the province is Polokwane, while the provincial legislature ...

region of South Africa.

Biography

Born Richard Mthetwa in

Gyani A gyani or giani (Punjabi: ਗਿਆਨੀ ) is an honorific Sikh title used by someone learned in the Sikh religion and who often leads the congregation in prayers, such as Ardas, or in singing (kirtan). The word means "knowledge" in Punjabi, ...

, Nozinja has since moved to

Soweto Soweto () is a township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for ''South Western Townships''. Formerly a ...

and spent time running a string of successful mobile phone repair shops before noticing the size of crowds at local Sowetan Shangaan dances and becoming the producer, artist, video director and promoter of the Shangaan style for which he is now known. Shangaan electro was born in Soweto, however takes its name from the Shangaan people who moved to Soweto largely for work, including Nozinja, also known simply as 'Dog'. The 'shangaan electro' sound has found a particular kinship with electronic producers and DJs such as

Caribou Reindeer (in North American English, known as caribou if wild and ''reindeer'' if domesticated) are deer in the genus ''Rangifer''. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, ''Rangifer tarandus'', with about 10 subspe ...

, Ben UFO,

Mount Kimbie Mount Kimbie is an English electronic music duo consisting of Dominic Maker and Kai Campos. Formed in 2008, the duo expanded on the musical template of the UK dubstep scene, releasing early EPs '' Maybes'' and '' Sketch on Glass'' to critical ...

and Pearson Sound consistently championing the style. A high-profile series of 12"s on Honest Jon's capitalised on this with

Theo Parrish Theo Parrish (born 1972) is an American DJ and record producer based in Detroit, Michigan, and known for his genre-spanning DJ sets and unconventional house productions. He is an owner of the Sound Signature record label. Biography Theo Parri ...

, Rashad & Spinn, Ricardo Villalobos,

Hype Williams Harold Williams (born August 1, 1970) is an American music video director, film director, film producer, and screenwriter. Early life Williams was born in Queens, New York. He is of mixed African-American and Honduran descent. He attended Ade ...

and others remixing Shangaan tracks, which were subsequently compiled on the 'Shangaan Shake' double CD. 2013 saw the release of 2 brand new Nozinja cuts (under various pseudonyms) on Dan Snaith's Jiaolong label. A year after announcing that Nozinja had signed with the UK's

Warp Records Warp Records (or simply Warp) is a British independent record label founded in Sheffield in 1989 by record store employees Steve Beckett and Rob Mitchell and record producer Robert Gordon.Southern, Richard (2003) "Label of Love: WARP", X-RAY, ...

, a debut full-length album was announced with the title Nozinja Lodge. The album track list features ‘Tsekeleke’ which was also released separately on 24 April 2014.

Discography

Releases

* '' Nozinja Lodge'' by Nozinja (2015,

) * "Heke Heke / Hoza" by Xitsonga Dance (2013, Jialong) * "Bafana Bafana / Dyambu" by Tshetsha Boys (2013, Jialong) * "Shangaan Shake" (2012,

Honest Jon's Honest Jon's is a British independent record shop based on Portobello Road in Ladbroke Grove, London, operating since 1974. The shop is owned and run by Mark Ainley and Alan Scholefield, who took over from one of the original proprietors, "Hone ...

) * ''Tshe-Tsha'' (2008, Nozinja Music) * "Ndzi Teke Riendzo" by Foster Manganyi (2008, Honest Jon's) * ''Shangaan Electro – New Wave Dance Music From South Africa'' (2010, Honest Jon's)

Remixes

* Pollyn – "How Small We Are (Nozinja's Shangaan Electro Remix)" from ''How Small We Are EP'' (2011) * Pollyn – "How Small We Are (Nozinja's Shangaan Electro Version)" from ''Pieces in Patterns EP'' (2012) * Nacho Patrol – "Lineas Angola (Nozinja's Shangaan Electro 'Sansana' Remix)" from ''Lineas Angola'' (2013)

Singles

* "Tsekeleke" (2014, Warp Records)

Nozinja Music

Nozinja is also involved with other artists in South Africa, that he A&R's, records, produces and releases across South Africa through 'Nozinja Music'. * Nkata Mawewe – ''Khulumani'' * Xitsonga Dance – ''Vomaseve Vol. 6'' * Lucy Shivambo – ''Wamina hi Wihi'' * Tshe-Tsha Boys – ''Xolo / Ka Buti'' * Tshe-Tsha Boys – ''Tshe-Tsha'' * Tiyiselani Vomaseve – ''Vanghana'' * Ni Vhona Khombo – ''Mancingelani Vol. 2'' * Vuyelwa – ''Mosimana Wa Dikgom'' * Mapostoli – ''Mapostoli'' * Mario Chauke – ''Avanga Hembi Vol. 3'' * Tshe-Tsha Boys – ''ni famba na wena'' * MC Mabasa Na Shigombe Sisters (No. 17) – ''Ritaboxeka Thumba''

References

External links

Nozinja on YouTube

Nozinja Hotel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nozinja Year of birth missing (living people) Living people People from Greater Giyani Local Municipality Tsonga people South African musicians South African record producers South African DJs Electronic dance music DJs