Before amapiano we had gqom.
What a time it was to be alive.
A newer take on kwaito that was interwoven with elements of House music, this genre and its proponents had the nation in a chokehold but for some reason, this movement lost steam.
This gqom sound was equipped with similar characteristics to amapiano and it garnered heavy rotation on the airwaves as well as international acclaim.
That all faded away abruptly.
There is an intriguing group of creators from KwaZulu-Natal who are known as The Fraternity. They have been described as a groundbreaking music collective. Recently, they released their ISQINSI/GqomTech sub-genre. This collective is poised to introduce the world to the quirky ISQINSI/gqomtech sound which they view as a continuation of gqom, a natural progression towards what the genre should've become.
At the forefront of this group of six are three distinctive music brands – Omagoqa, Dee Traits, and ZVRI. United by a shared passion for the vibrant tapestry of gqom culture, they formed a supergroup with designs to reinstate this genre to its former glory.
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The Fraternity's mission is not merely to be collaborative; it's a movement aimed at redefining the local soundscape.
Their music showcases a take on gqom that they’re calling uThayela, corrugated iron in isiZulu, and is used to describe a rougher sound with harder basslines, tailored to clubs.
Within this posse is housed a duo called Deetraits, a trio called Omagoqa as well as two individual artists that together all form this movement.
Omagoqa comprises of Andile Mazibuko (stage name Ma_A) 25, Franco Makhathini (stage name KB) 24, Njabulo Sibiya (stage name Chase).
Tlhompo Khanya Nqhome, is a solo artist known professionally as ZVRI, (24).
Dee Traits is the duo made up of Sizwe Slimfitmusic Yeni (22) and Sfundo Lwazi Don Trait Gcaba (21).
The Fraternity also has a creative director, Monde BoneZ Mathambo (24), and together this clutch of creatives has been playing the Joburg scene to entice audiences with their experimental sounds.
Omagoqa provides infectious beats and hypnotic rhythms. Dee Traits seamlessly fuses tradition with innovation and ZVRI injects an experimental edge, collectively they have been making music together for 10 years.
“We’ve pioneered sub-genres called ISQINSI/gqomtech. What sets it apart is that we fuse gqom with electronic sounds and Afro-tech. What differs is the balance we’ve found with fusing gqom with Afro tech,” says Slimfits
This group have been together for a decade now but in that time, they have stayed true to the genres they are most comfortable with.
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“We haven’t explored amapiano but we are reinventing the gqom sound and creating our own culture and community through the ISQINSI and gqom/tech sounds,” says Ma A.
The group was drawn towards these sounds as they find this music hypnotic and, an “aggressively hard-hitting base that energises the experience for the crowd. It’s high vibration and more elemental, it redefines the gqom sound”, Don explains.
Their performances are high octane, to say the least, with a near mosh pit feel to the energy they emit on stage and how the crowd engages with it.
“They [audiences] lose their morals. [Our sets are] energised, uplifting and are a mood changer. The feedback from here at home and globally has been amazing, it’s amazing to see how so many people have grown into understanding gqom ISQINSI,” says KB.
“It’s a raw and unforgettable experience with the thundering feel of the hard-knocking base which brings to the listeners a free and happy feeling," creative director Monde chimes.
One of Omagoqa’s best highlights was at the Sonar Festival last summer, it was their first experience playing for so many people.
“The feedback has been exceptional because more people and artists from the local scene are tapping into the sound,” says Chvse who is part of Omagoqa.
The world at large has been a source of inspiration for this clique for a while now and continues to fuel their art.
“I get fascinated by stories and traditional practices; I then implement what I learn from those practices into the production of my music. So, when you listen to African tribal music it has a lot of drums and chants and that’s where I draw my inspiration,” says Slimfitmusic from Dee Traits.
Musical acts, such as DJ Lag, Virgo Deep, Culoe De Song, Swizz Beats and David Guetta, are the perfect role models to emulate, and they certainly do try to.
“We draw inspiration from life, life itself is music, any certain sound that we make in life contributes to how we make and play our music,” KB adds.
A group this large is quite the sight to take in. It’s like what would have happened if American rap group Odd Future made gqom instead of dabbling in hip hop. An operation with so many moving parts has been oddly plagued by issues that smaller groups or solo artists face when looking to break into the music game.
“The promoters at times differ, some are fair, and some are not, bookings are based on agreements and when the agreements are not honoured that’s when relationships tend to break and – with that – there is also accountability that must be taken. So that has been a challenge, being undervalued and of course finances. We see our influence whether we get the credit or not,” says ZVRI.
Their hopes and dreams are summed up aptly by their quiet creative director Monde, “I pray for The Fraternity to inspire the universe.”
They have exciting plans from new music, more international bookings, new merchandise and more events.
They also have a collaboration with Diesel x NTS radio in London (online). OMG will be touring Europe in the summer and members of the collective has also just recently collaborated with DBN Gogo on her latest EP Clickbait on the record iSKOROSKORO.
