Songs for Bafana (Also Known As African Cup of Nations Playlist N°2)

By Njabulo Ngidi

Against expectations South Africa finished top of their group and made it to the quarterfinals. Hopefully the team and coaches will concentrate on the next match and not get carried away like the country’s sports minister after the 2-0 win over Angola last week. (He railed against white supremacy, unpatriotic critics and predicted South Africa would win the tournament.) So what are the South Africans dancing to? Tumi and the Volume’s “Afrique” poetically mentions all African countries, with the exception of South Sudan which didn’t exist when the song was recorded, backed by 340ml in this colossal union:

Vetkuk vs Mahoota ft. Dr Malinga. “Via Orlando”: This is the current anthem from clubs to shebeens with Dr Malinga’s kicks, or is it dance moves, amusing all those who have seen it.

Zubz, “Premier MC”: The Zambian born, Zimbabwe raised and South African-based rapper is at his creative best in this song where he compares a tight MC to a football team dropping some names in between taken from his best album Headphone Music in a Parallel World.

Sifiso Sudan ft. Tumi, “Once Upon A Time in Africa”: Two wordsmiths came together to offer this timeless class where they rap about an Africa of yesteryear with all eyes on the continent, it’s feating to take those watching back a few years to appreciate the present even more.

Spoek Mathambo, “Let Them Talk”: Mathambo has turned into an international hipster superstar with his “engineered” music, infusing different genres from rap to pop to create his unique sound. The title is one Bafana Bafana players should keep in their minds and passing to detractors as they attempt to rewrite their recent history.

* Njabulo Ngidi is a Johannesburg-based football reporter.

Further Reading

No one should be surprised we exist

The documentary film, ‘Rolé—Histórias dos Rolezinhos’ by Afro-Brazilian filmmaker Vladimir Seixas uses sharp commentary to expose social, political, and cultural inequalities within Brazilian society.

Kenya’s stalemate

A fundamental contest between two orders is taking place in Kenya. Will its progressives seize the moment to catalyze a vision for social, economic, and political change?

More than a building

The film ‘No Place But Here’ uses VR or 360 media to immerse a viewer inside a housing occupation in Cape Town. In the process, it wants to challenge gentrification and the capitalist logic of home ownership.