Fellow South Africans, comrades of the continent, daughters and sons of the earth, members of the TVSA community and most importantly the
Fassie Family……allow me to narrate my love for this Mega-Star called
Brenda Fassie….
She was born Brenda Nokuzola Fassie in 1964, lived and grew up in 19 Makana Street kwa Langa in Cape Town. She came to Jozi in 1979. She died on the 9th of May 2004 just b4 5pm.
They called her the Madonna of the townships, I simple called her the “
Queen” of Africa. I fell in love with her at the age of 4 on hearing her music on my uncle’s “Hi-Fi system”. Her music became part of me from a very young age. 9th of May 5 years later as I pay tribute to her unfortunate death, her 1990 hit “
Black President” is still relevant as South Africans will install their 4th Democratic elected President of the Republic, President-Elect Jacob Zuma. If she was alive, she would be singing……”
Let us dance for our President……let us rejoice for our President…”
I still remember very well the activities of the 9th of May 2004. It started as a typical Sunday, was in my little dodgy flat in the late afternoon…..an sms from a good friend of mine arrived just after 5pm saying MaBrrrrrr is no more……..i replied to my friend by saying….”
Please don’t be Papi Moloi and her MetroFM Bosses who declared her dead a week b4 her actual passing”……another SMS came back saying listen to yfm……and yes I tuned in on Yona ke Yona….and the news were confirmed…….i wiped like a child who lost a parent
(mind u, I have no relations with this woman except the fact that like her I’m from the dusty streets of cpt and also her music became a part of a culture I worshiped).
After composing myself, I found the courage to get into my car and drove to Sunninghill hospital. 100m b4 I could get to the hospital gate, what I was hoping to be a joke gone badly, was confirmed by the cars I saw driving towards the hospital. I got there and received the confirmation I was not looking forward to all displayed on Arthur Mafokate, Penny Lebyane, and Mama Winnie Mandela’s faces. The QUEEN was no more………
I saw the very same faces at her Memorial Service is Soweto a couple of days later when Thandiswa Mazwai reminded those who had attended the service, that Brenda was a typical ghetto child like most of us, trying to create a life for her child and family. But today is not about what happened in 2004 or prior…..but it’s about celebrating her wonderful music she left behind.
December Festive is no longer the same without a new Brenda Fassie CD.The picture I still have in my mind of her is one of her impromptu live performances in Times Sq Yeoville in early 2002. Those who stayed in Hillbrow and Yeoville in the late 90s and early 2000s will know what I’m talking about.
Her music was prophetic (
if there’s such a thing)….In 1997 she sang about Paparazzi killing her the same way they killed Princess Diana…..and yes, the media actually pronounced her dead b4 her actual death…..in 1990 she sang about a Black President 4 years b4 South Africans witnessed the inauguration of the first Black President of the Republic.
She released more than 24 Albums(and yes in true MJJ style, I have 20 of those Album and 3 LPs)……My all Top 10 Brenda Fassie Songs are:
Weekend Special, Black President, Higher and Higher, The Lord is My shepherd, Promises, Touch Somebody, You just need someone, I can’t stop Loving you (and yes I’m in love with her music), Life is going on, Nakupenda.
Of course this list of mine changes every year.
A Sowetan Reader paying tribute to Mabrrrrrrr wrote the following using her song titles: Vulindlela because I want to go
Higher and Higher, In
My Zola Budd to meet the people of
Boipatong. To my
Baby Bongani as you can see it’s
Too Late for Mama so
Thola Amadlozi, nyana. And I hope you’get
Imali from Chicco and that I made from
Amalahle. Since
Life is Going On, I need you to gather
Amagents and the
Black President for
Weekend Special imbizo. Sizo groova
Kuyoze Kuyovalwa ngo seven.
Nomakanjani I know I’ve managed to
Touch Somebody because
Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu and It’s
Nice to be with People or kanjani? ……So if u r a family friend and supporter
Vuma ngoba
Siyobonana kwelizayo.
Weekend Special was one of her biggest hits that made it’s way to the Billboard’s Top 100.
In one of her songs she says:
“
Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu, Thank You maAfricaI wouldn’t be where I am without youYou’ve given me the will, the will to succeedThank you for the opportunityNgiyabonga, brothers and sistersFor standing behind me all the wayUmuntu ngumuntu ngabantu No doubt she had a colourful life. MaBrrrrrr, sister of the soul , THANK YOU for leaving behind a legacy of wonderful music, and a son that is equally gifted like you…… ……and yes Life is Going on….but your music lives on……….
Please go ahead and share your memories of this legend..........
Pics : I got the from the web......can't remember from which sites.......