Table of contents
Reviewing modern classics of Xitsonga music.
By Nyarhi ya Vahlengwe, FanaThePurp
Album title
- Xitlhavi.
Album artist
Album release
- December 08, 2024.
Album tracklist
- Yingwe
- Swiendlekile feat. Magoda
- Ku Biha
- Swo Swi Nyana feat. Blissbouy
- Dzunga Nenge
- Ka Rivala
- Xikwembu feat. Themba Nyathi
- Salimina feat. Xisomisana
- Khale ka Mina
- Va Sesi feat. Makhadzi, XamaCcombo wa Mhana Vafana & Sho Madjozi
- Xitlhavi (Interlude)
- Ka Nyamazani
Album sequence
A sequence is a narrative of an album; it guides the listening experience and messaging of the project. Every element is deliberate and exists to affirm the concept of the album. Xitlhavi is exactly that, a well thought out album designed for a live performance. Xitlhavi is the soundtrack of John J’s ascension to the throne and the story of his grandfather, Kokwani Xitlhavi, living to see him be a music star. A dream his father was unable to attain is now a reality… because his grandfather did not allow music to die in the family. He gifted him a music keyboard, and for that, today we have John J The Big Baby.
The sequence reads as a rapper addressing the game;
I am him. (Yingwe)
I told you I’d make it. (Swiendlekile)
You’re lucky I bled along the way. (Ku biha)
Now I’m coming for everyone. (Swo swi nyana)
I’m here to set it off. (Dzunga Nenge)
Your girl is mine too, but it’s a secret. (Ka Rivala)
If you believe, God will do for you that He has done for me. (Xikwembu)
Only baddies can play me, not you boys. (Salimina)
And tell your girl to move on. I already did. (Khale ka mina)
I’m now into working class chicks who pay their own lobola. (Va Sesi)
Entertained? Good. Meet my hero. (Xitlhavi)
Who can doubt me now? I’m gone. So long! (Ka Nyamazani)
Album background
I’ve lived with this album for a year, trying to make sense of how to review ya Xigaza. These new age acts are deliberate with their art compared to the old guard of Mindzhumba. John J and his counterparts come from Hiphop, they approach Xitsonga music as they would do as rappers. Their Hiphop is Xigaza music. Their English i Xitsonga. They are the new cool. The first generation of brand conscious musicians.
See, Xitlhavi is a special album. It’s the only body of work of John J with more than two undeniable hits.
On Mr Kalashaka, only Darl stood out from 12 songs. It made a name for him. However, he still had not found his sound despite killing on features and singles. On Xigiza he delivered (out of 5) Xiwele nkuweni and Swibiyani, and they both took off eSwiseveseveni and on Tiktok. On Goodbye Xigaza, he was ready to give up but still squeezed out two hits (out of 6), Mihlolo yale Tembisa and Xilala (Goodbye). Even On Ma Fela Ndleleni he kept to the same hit rate and only delivered (out of 11) on Nivhel Niku Wow. Then came the 8th of December 2024 and John J put his buts on the table, a ku na mina ni kona!
December is not for small boys. Dr. Thomas Chauke na Xinyori Sisters can release an album ivi i nyuma. December is for big guns who compete for the soundtrack of the holiday season. This is the album that is played on repeat on every sound system available in the village. I pfuka makhelwani a humesi xipikara. Loko wa ha hlamba matino, ku hundza gayisa ra golf blasting it. Loko i fika makuleni na vona va le ku yi tlangeni. A tavern hi yona. Tiktok. Facebook. Insta. Twitter.
Hambi di maan a nga teka baby yena wena, wa yi tlangisa loko a tisa n’wana.
Even if you don’t have the album, you will know at least one song word for word.
Hi December ku tlangiwa Champions League. Genge must rest and watch vinyi va game show them how it’s done. But, the big boys of Mindzhumba did not anticipate that ma2000 were going drop an album that would cement Xigaza is the no.1 Xitsonga genre in South Africa. Xitlhavi stood toe to toe with Mahlasela, Benny Mayengani‘s song declaring himself the winner of his beef with Mr Post, who dropped Munhu Un’we Ntsena two days before Xitlhavi; declaring himself the King of the dancefloor.
What’s winning a beef when he has the people dancing to his tunes?
With that said, Ma2000 were like; keep the beef and give us the market.
John J had more hits than everyone that December, and he took off.
On the 13th of November 2024 Lekker Stylist and Salani The Producer drop Nkombela i Chuza featuring him and Papa Rhulani. From here the rest was history. John J became last number of Xigaza music. He had an album full of hits (10 out 12), a collective of hit singles and features, and social media presence.
Album review of Xitlhavi [Part 1]
See, John J and his team studied what makes a successful Xitsonga album. This was an effort to make an album for all instead of an album for ma2000 ntsena. It’s as if he knew that with Xitlhavi he wasn’t going to miss. He had his chest out the whole album, it was a showcase of his talent, use of language, and flows.
Yingwe
John J leads with a slowed down war song presented as a life lesson that encourages his audience to guard their souls and dreams from people who once crossed them, because… an enemy once revealed is an enemy forever. Proverbs 27:12 yi vula tano, “the prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty [nyoka yo yi vona a yi lumi, kambe nhlarhu n’wananga yi ta ku minta].
However, FIFA yi ri this album did not need Yingwe.
As an opening track it sets a tone that Xitlhavi i album ya swicele, when it is not. Xitlhavi is a tale of breakthrough. A testimony of a dreamer. A triumphant story of the boy who carried his father’s dream across the finish line. John J should have led with the interlude of Xitlhavi as his first track. It sets a stronger emotive tone, it’s a heartwarming voice note. Then comes Swiendlekile to kick off the party.
Also, John J i tateli ngopfu. He did not allow the words to breath. It’s proverb after proverb. Yingwe is a show off to his peers that he can make a song with depth using top shelf Xitsonga. However, the song has no purpose, especially as an opening. Why lead with a betrayal song? Ego. Thus, he says, lava va nga ta gonya ntshava laha ku nga gonya mina, va ta vuya va ri swidumbu.
![Album Review of "Xitlhavi" by John J The Big Baby [Part 2]](https://xitsonga.org/wp-content/plugins/contextual-related-posts/default.png "Album Review of \"Xitlhavi\" by John J The Big Baby [Part 2]")
