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Travel The Gravel
Released Jun 2, 2006
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Story
Quick Facts
Born
1974
1974
From
South Africa
South Africa
Journey
Makhosini Henry Xaba, famously known as Joe Nina, is a cornerstone of South African music history. Born on June 12, 1974, in Kwa-Thema, Springs, Nina was destined for the stage. Raised by musical parents his father a saxophonist and his mother a backing vocalist he mastered the drums and keyboards before he was a teenager. Despite his father’s initial hope that he would become a doctor, Nina’s raw talent led him to the recording studio at just sixteen years old.
In the early 1990s, Nina became a pioneer of the Kwaito movement. His collaboration with Arthur Mafokate sparked a revolution in the "township pop" scene, but it was his 1994 solo hit, "Ding Dong (Maria Podesta)," that turned him into a household name. Unlike many of his peers, Nina was more than just a vocalist; he was a sophisticated producer and multi-instrumentalist who blended the grit of Kwaito with the smoothness of Jazz and traditional African rhythms.
Throughout his three-decade career, Nina has released over twenty albums, including classics like Sbali and Mababaza. He also became a sought-after producer, crafting hits for legends like Brenda Fassie and Steve Kekana. Beyond the charts, his work has always carried a message of social unity. Today, Joe Nina is celebrated as a "Living Legend," a title earned through his unwavering commitment to the South African sound and his ability to evolve from a teenage pop star into a respected elder statesman of African Adult Contemporary music
