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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
STIFF frontman, Diliza, is cooking something in the studio, an Amapiano-inspired track which he will release on June 11 to honour his mentor – the late Joe Maseko who was born on that day.
Maseko, a renowned music producer who operated the House of Rising Sounds studio in Bulawayo, died on November 10 last year after succumbing to bronchitis.
Titled Ongenamali, the song is a collaboration between Diliza and Kaplas (real name Nkosinathi Moyo), artistes who both worked with the late Maseko at the beginning of their careers. Going with the new wave of house music, the track will have an Amapiano sound, which is a blend of deep house and Gqom mixed with the jazzy and soulful sound of a piano.
Speaking from his Johannesburg base, Diliza said he was hard at work producing the track with South Africa producer, Da Louf.
He said releasing the song on Maseko’s (who would have been 45 this year) birthday, was a way of thanking him for assisting him.
“Bra Joe did a lot for Kaplas and I. He shaped our careers and touched our lives so it’s befitting that we release the track on his birthday as a way of thanking him,” said Diliza.
He said every time he visited Zimbabwe, Maseko would ask him how Kaplas was.
“This is what Maseko wanted (Diliza collaborating with Kaplas). Every time I came to Zimbabwe, the first thing he would ask was ‘how is Kaplas?’ He would also say ‘please Dee, if there’s something which will make me happy, is to see you two collaborating’.”
Last month, Diliza whose Stiff Kwaito group is signed under Professor’s Proper Files label, said he had stopped doing live performances because of a medical condition.
He, however, said he is feeling better, but this does not mean he will be on stage anytime soon.
“I’m going for a check up next week. I’m feeling much better now but still won’t be performing,” said Diliza.
Online Reporter