July 9, 2010

Mpho Skeef



Holla!

Prolific jammers & members
back in the days it was all Goapele and Now I present to you:

Mpho Skeef: (her name meaning gift in South Sotho ) was born of a mixed couple in South Africa at the height of the struggle against apartheid. She then spent her first birthday in jail when her mother was arrested. Her biological father is none other than renowned South African musician Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse. Mpho or should I say "Mphoza" grew up listening to a wide variety of artists from Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, and John Coltrane, to Parliament, Prince and Fela Kuti. Alongside this premier list her parents encouraged her love of World Music (modern electronica and pop music, a staple diet including hip hop and R&B artists from KRS1 to NWA, Chaka Khan to Mary J as well as Rock) and Electronica from Daft Punk to Kate Bush.

In the 80's, her mother and stepfather (percussionist Eugene Skeef) fled to South of London; Brixton where Mpho still lives. After leaving secondary school she joined the newly opened Brits Academy. Fellow students during the two-year period included the late Lynden David Hall, and Floetry. She has appeared alongside artists such as Ty, The great: Eska, Terri Walker as well as mainstream artists like Ms Dynamite and Natasha Beddingfield. Most recently she provided the lead vocals for the Bugz In The Attic smash “Booty La La”, (voted record of the year 2004 by listeners of Giles Petersons World Wide show ) She is also featured on the ColdCut album “Sound Mirrors”. In 2005 she released the “Don't Like You” EP to critical acclaim, and this year she follows up with her debut.

sky is no limit for this wonderful song bird.

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