For better or worse, Sandy B has always been an artist ahead of his time. In 1994, the Durban-based artist released Amajovi Jovi — an infectious lo-fi kwaito number with the laconic flow and thumping basslines that would go on to typify kwaito. It was kwaito before the genre even existed.

“That record has followed me wherever I go,” Sandy B says. “In the years that have followed, I’ve released a deep house album and an Afro-pop album but people still refer to me as a kwaito artist. I can’t seem to run away from that record.”

For the unacquainted, the story goes something like this: the success of Amajovi Jovi led to a meeting with Oskido and Don Laka, shortly after they founded Kalawa Jazmee Records.

“Oskido was crazy about Amajovi Jovi. He organised the meeting with the rest of Kalawa and had me come down to Don Laka’s flat in Johannesburg to play the album for everyone.

“They liked it but they were still busy working on a Mango Groove record. So they suggested I wait until the beginning of 1996 so we could start working together.”

The proposed deal with Kalawa fell through but Oskido passed on Sandy B’s contacts to House Afrika founder Tim White, who asked him for more material to put into an album. “At that point, I’d only recorded Amajovi Jovi, so I had to go back and record a few more songs that we could turn into an album.”

Read the full article on Mail and Guardian’s website.