Chronicle Editor
Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent
UNITED Kingdom-based Hip Hop artiste Xolani Tshongwe known previously in the music circles as Mazia has rebranded to Xosti and made a comeback with a single featuring South African music giant DJ Tira.
The gqom track titled Imali Ingenile was produced by Afrotainment’s Prince Bulo while the visuals were shot in Durban by Fortune Films. Interestingly, Mazia was given the name Xosti DJ Tira as a way of rebranding and appealing to younger music lovers.
Xosti’s music career dates back to 2004 when he worked with Ingwe Studios which was part of Radio Dialogue on his debut album “Ughev’omnyama” under the stage name Mazia.
Through the album, he managed to make a name for himself as the tracks were played on radio stations including Power FM which at the time was at its peak.
Xosti who hails from Bulawayo then relocated to South Africa in 2004 where he continued with his passion for music and managed to share the stage with the likes of Mzekezeke, Zola 7 and Brown Dash while he also featured on Trompies video Fohloza as a dancer.
Still, on a quest for greener pastures, he relocated to London in 2007 where he temporarily stopped making music until 2018 when he released a single titled “Obhengayo”. Since then, his passion for music was re-ignited.
The collaboration with DJ Tira, Xosti says, was inspired by a conversation he had with UMalume in Birmingham (UK) in 2019. But due to Covid-19, the duo did not manage to do the track together until early this year.
“Working with DJ Tira and Prince Bulo is something that I can count as a career achievement based on the fact that I haven’t done much in the gqom genre. This first track in the genre features highly profiled names in the industry.
“A hit was made and we had to immediately arrange for visuals seeing the weight the project carried. What the public is seeing now are the fruits of hard work and united artistes pushing together,” said Xosti.
He said the single is now available on various digital stores including iTunes and Spotify urging people to rally behind him, as he regains his exposure.
“It’s been a while as I haven’t been in the game, but I’m pleading with my fans to stick around as this time, I’m back with a bang.
“This is just a start of great things as seen with how I’m slowly diversifying as an artiste to other genres,” he said. – @mthabisi_mthire
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