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Manikongo to release second album

Life & Style
South Africa-based award-winning poet and musician, Ruvimbo Nyajinha, popularly as Manikongo, is set to release his second album titled Ancient Radicals. He started his career as a poet and later turned to songwriting, choosing to pursue reggae music. He released his first album titled A New Day, which is a fusion of reggae and Chimurenga […]

South Africa-based award-winning poet and musician, Ruvimbo Nyajinha, popularly as Manikongo, is set to release his second album titled Ancient Radicals.

He started his career as a poet and later turned to songwriting, choosing to pursue reggae music.

He released his first album titled A New Day, which is a fusion of reggae and Chimurenga music.

His new album was recorded at South African State Theatre by the Black Eagle Sound and carries 13 tracks. The musician says it is a continuation of the previous project.

“Ancient Radicals is all about the African reflection of love, consciousness and spirituality,” said Manikongo “The music has some different classical elements since we have used violin and viola on some of the tracks, one of the reasons why it has been well received by the South Africans.

“So far, we have been performing particular songs on this album at our live shows and people are already singing along, a reflection that there are some good tracks”.

Some of the tracks on this album that are already receiving airplay in South Africa’s local stations are Ancient Radicals, which speaks about the reincarnation of the ancient spirits of Africa, Karma — a songs that talks about the need to do unto others as you would love them to do unto you.

Rollercost of Love is a typical love song that basically explains how good love can be.

The album is set for a release this summer while at the moment Manikongo is concentrating on live performances.

“We are still six weeks away from our contracted gigs but in the seventh week we will be putting our final touches on our 13-track album hence preparing for the launch,” he said.

So far Manikongo has worked with a number of international reggae artistes that include Iqular and Jahrod King from Jamaica, and Simon Meki from Mozambique, among others.

On the August 13, he will be performing at the Feast of the Dawn Festival at Burgers Park in Pretoria.

He started his band, Ancient Radicals, with Jahrod King soon after his arrival in South Africa in February. Since then he has made a mark in the country’s music industry.

Manikongo performed at the Harare International Festival of the Arts in 2001 and 2008 and has toured several European countries and his poetry has been published in a lot of social change journals in Southern Africa.