Latest news with #ZakesBantwini
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
When Liquideep and Teargas ruled the airwaves: Zakes Bantwini's nostalgic tweet strikes a chord
Who can forget the time when Liquideep was playing in every corner of Mzansi, from backyard braais to the loudest taxis after school? The beats were smooth, the lyrics were deep, and let's be honest, their songs were the soundtrack to many of our memories. Recently, award-winning producer and musician Zakes Bantwini tweeted that he missed the music of Liquideep and Teargas. 'Man, I really miss Teargas and Liquideep's music,' the "Osama" hitmaker wrote, and just like that, he had the timeline in their feels. It was a time when tracks like "Fairytale", "Alone", and "Settle for Less" by Liquideep were playing everywhere – from family gatherings and high school dances to those long taxi rides home. And who could forget "BBM"? The song arrived just as BlackBerry Messenger was at its peak, giving us the perfect anthem to go with our dramatic BBM statuses. Yes, those were the days. Liquideep, made up of singer Ziyon and producer Ryzor, came onto the scene with their soulful house sound in the late 2000s. Their 2010 album "Fabrics of the Heart" became a national favourite, earning the group several South African Music Awards (Samas), including Album of the Year. Their music peaked in popularity between 2009 and 2012, a time when house music was deeply embedded in Mzansi's cultural life: weddings, clubs, even your cousin's mixtape CD. Liquideep stood out for their emotional songwriting and international-quality production, helping to elevate South African house music on the global stage. At the same time, hip hop trio Teargas, made up of K.O, Ma-E, and Ntukza, was making waves of its own. The group debuted in 2006 with "K'shubile K'bovu", followed by the critically acclaimed "Wafa Wafa" and "Dark or Blue". Their blend of social commentary, streetwise lyrics, and catchy hooks turned them into one of SA's most influential hip hop acts of the time. Teargas earned several accolades, including Sama nominations and an MTV Africa Music Award nod. With tracks like "Chance", "Party 101", and "Champions", the group gave voice to township youth and tackled real issues while still delivering club bangers.
News24
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Nandi Madida creates safe haven for women on The Motherhood Network podcast
Motherhood is no walk in the park. Every stage of it brings different challenges and struggles just as it brings out-of-this-world joy. Many women wear the title with pride while others even draw strength from it. One best known to slay motherhood is media personality and mother of two, Nandi Madida. To her, motherhood is 'humanity'. 'It's knowing that you have a contribution to create what hopefully will be incredibly human beings in this earth and that responsibility is an honour. We really hold humanity, we give birth to humanity, it's everything.' Contrary to what's dominating in the public domain currently, Nandi has always wanted to be a mother. 'I loved journaling growing up and I recently found the journal I used when I was in grade 11, 21 years ago. I was going through it with my husband, and it was so funny because I came across a part where I said I'd like to have a son called Shaka.' She chuckles as she tells Drum that years later, like Queen Nandi of the Zulu kingdom, she has a Shaka who's almost nine years old, just as she manifested it. With both her pregnancy with Shaka and Nefertiti, she admits that her life has changed for the better. Although they both came as surprises, she was ecstatic about carrying her blessings. Reminiscing on her pregnancy with Nefertiti, she shares with Drum how she was in the bathroom in her old house when her husband, Zakes Bantwini gave her the biggest hug and told her how he wishes it would be a girl so that they wrap up the package of blessings. Her biggest challenges on her motherhood journey have included digging deep within herself to work on her emotional intelligence while trying as much as possible to keep the romantic spark alive with her spouse, especially in the early stages, just after birth. 'After finding that rhythm, you feel like a winner. From a medical perspective, there's having to seek advice when you realise that you have a child who has a different way of thinking and doing things. I wouldn't say it's a challenge, but it is more of an awakening,' she adds. Having been someone who's lived with ADHD, she's learned a lot about neurodivergence and was more than happy to take on the task of mothering children living with autism and ADHD. 'I've always been transparent about my daughter mainly because I also wanted to normalise it. You'd be shocked to learn that a lot of people are undiagnosed neurodivergent. There's a whole world of people who haven't been diagnosed and there's a whole lot of diagnoses now with more information at their disposal. Me opening up, unintentionally made a lot of other parents comfortable with opening up about their journeys.' That brought a sense of comfort as she became a haven and sounding board for a lot of parents out there. Despite being the one leading the conversation about her children's conditions, there's nothing she wants more than for both of them to own their stories one day and tell them to inspire people. Through it all, her own mother, Thandeka Mngoma poured into her cup. 'She has naturally been a key figure in my life and I'm forever grateful for that. I love how honest she was about both the negative and positive sides of motherhood. She always provided a space for us to have uncomfortable conversations, and I really appreciated that.' It is from this that she saw it befitting to launch a podcast focused on motherhood, titled The Motherhood Network which premiered on Mother's Day, 11 May with media mogul, Basetsana Kumalo joining her as the first guest. 'It's long overdue from my side. I was interested in launching something during covid, but I felt like I hadn't been a mother long enough. I just wanted to experience longer and have a sense of comfort in being able to impart knowledge from not only my experiences but also other people's experiences, in a more mature, motherly perspective. 'As much as we're celebrating mothers, we'll also speak about the reality that comes with having triggers like not having a mother who was healthy for them, who was there for them, so we speak about the mother wound as well. I'm passionate about that as much as I am about celebrating incredible mothers who've been able to inspire the next generation as well,' she adds. Dr. Judy Dlamini, Chancellor of Wits University and author and Dr. Nellie Balfour, one of South Africa's leading paediatricians are some of the guests that will be coming up on the podcast as people embrace the navigation of motherhood on the podcast.
