He's a part of something special. DJs Maphorisa and Kabza De Small, also known as Scorpion Kings, have made a return and created something unique on their collaborative album with Afro-pop musician Tresor Riziki called Rumble In The Jungle.
Tresor describes the 14-track Amapiano experience as “a sonic roar”.
“It is a cultural bridge breaking all barriers and bringing our people together through music. We are fusing the incredible South African rhythm of Amapiano with Swahili, French, Congolese sounds and melodies, as well as west African chants with Afrobeats elements. It’s boldly authentic, unapologetic, energetic, and raw,” Tresor says.
It is particularly special for him because it represents a bold statement of pride in the diversity of African culture, embracing the rich musical landscape of our home. “We went back to the source and tapped into sounds from all over the continent for this album,” Tresor says.
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The multi-platinum selling artist and three-time award winner for Best Pop Album at the SAMAs shares a bit of his life with Drum.
1: The name Tresor means “treasure” in French. The On Ve Bouger singer is fluent in English, French, and Swahili amongst other African languages, but his favourite language is “music”.
“Music is a universal language and does not need translation to be felt,” he says.
2: Born in Goma, the capital city of North Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tresor was orphaned at 17 years old when his parents died.
In 2007, he arrived in Durban to pursue a career in music but ended up being a car guard by day, and a security guard by night.
“I left home to pursue a music dream. I took a risk and travelled throughout Africa by foot, sometimes I got a lift, or I would catch the train,” he says. But he wormed his way into the Durban music scene.
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3: The Zwakala singer is currently dating Dr. Langa Mngoma. They've been together for almost four years, she is the younger sister of media personality Nandi Madida. Tresor met Nandi many years ago, and when he eventually met her sister, it was love at first sight. Their first date was at a music concert where Tresor had been handpicked by UK artist Seal to perform at his event and he invited Langa to be his date.
4: His fashion sense is a fusion of African influences and Western.
“I can wear a tailored suit and add a touch of African in the print. But everything I wear has a meaning, history or tells a story about my life,” he says.
5: Rumble In The Jungle is one of the first Amapiano albums to have continental appeal in its multi-lingual space, he says, and takes the genre to the next level. The unique three-headed artwork is to convey this unique collaboration, and Tresor becomes the honorary scorpion king.
