Ever heard of the world famous South African female rapper, singer, songwriter, actress poet, Journalist – Sho Madjozi?
She started on Instagram with rap music in 2016 or thereabouts before she independently released her debut in 2018.
She performed a song titled “John Cena” rapped in Swahili last year and has since then become “a new kind of global
pop star” just as the New York Times one put it. She was recently featured in a song titled “I Like It” by Tanzanian rapper
Darassa in Febraury2020. She is one of the South Africa’s biggest breakthrough stars that raps using a combination of
her first language, Xitsonga (Southern Bantu language), English and Swahili. She performed at the Global Citizen Festival
in 2018 “sharing a bill with Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran”. With just one album, she is regarded as one of the best
performers in Africa and that got me tempting to say can she beat our very own mama Africa to her game? LOL!
Sho Madjozi is a bunch of talent and creative. Sho Madjoz’s personality has influenced her kind of music using her
strength in performance, poetry, journalism, screenplays among others to explore many creative areas that cut across
continents and genres. She has worked with prominent acts in the industry talking Khuli Chana, DJ Maphorisa,
OkMalumKoolKat, Ycee, and several others. She’s won the BET Awards among other awards. Without jumping the gun,
let’s start off with her journey into music ASAP!
Maya Christinah Xichavo Wegerif known professionally as Sho Madjozi was born on 9th May 1992 (27) in Shirley Village,
Elim, Limpopo in SA. Her mother is an African-American, her father is Caucasian – European. She has four siblings.
Although she was mainly brought up by her mother since her parents divorced at an early age but Madjozi had
opportunities to travel with her father regularly. As teenager, she followed her father to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania where
he worked for a charitable organisation. She lived in Tanzania and Senegal; after graduating high school at the
International School of Tanganyika in Tanzania, Madjozi was offered a scholarship to Mount Holyoke College in South
Hadley, Massachusetts, US to study creative writing and African studies. While in the US, she started writing poems
under a pen name of MayaThePoet.
The poems were about politics, identity and race. Madjozi returned to South Africa where she took up a fellowship in
studying at the University of South Africa, Johannesburg. She also ventured into songwriting for other local artists and
subsequently began rapping and composing music under her stage name "Sho Madjozi". She became famous after she
had a collaboration with rapper Okmalumkoolkat on the track "Ngiyashisa Bhe" and the hit single, "Gqi". In April 2017,
Madjozi released her debut single, "Dumi HiPhone" featuring PS DJz and it was well received by the public. In March
2018, she released the lead single "Huku" that preceded her debut album release.
No 4: Huku (it follows with a gqom beat. The song's music video was released on 18 May 2018 on YouTube. The video
was nominated at the 2019 South African Music Awards in the category Best Music Video)
In December 2018, Madjozi dropped her debut studio album Limpopo Champions League. It is very a diverse album that
comprises hip hop, qgom, shangaan electro, trap, afrobeats, house, pop, reggae, dancehall, R&B, and EDM. Madjozi
primarily uses the languages Tsonga and English for her vocals, while Zulu, Swahili and Tsotsitaal as featured languages.
In June 2019, Madjozi clinched Best Female Album at the 25th edition of South African Music Awards and more win in
other categories. The two songs pre-released by Sho Madjozi in supporting the album were "Huku" (March) and
"Wakanda Forever" (November) in 2018 while third single "Idhom" was released along with its accompanying music
video in June that year.
On 15 August 2019, Madjozi was featured on the global music platform COLORS, where she performed her (yet-to-
release) gqom-genre song "John Cena"- a song made about the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.) professional
wrestler John Cena. Madjozi was praised for the song by many notable people, including rapper Missy Elliott who she
retweeted her video on her Twitter page. The wrestler John Cena himself posted Madjozi on his Instagram account.
She later released the song as single through Flourish & Multiply Records on 27 September 2019, after being performed
on the global music platform. Madjozi said it was a dream of hers to meet Cena himself, hence the reason she composed
a song in his name. On 7 November 2019, Madjozi appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show to talk about the song. While
performing as a guest, something happen. Does that have to do with her dream or not? We’ll tell you that much later
after #3 and #2
No. 3: "Idhom" (according to Madjozi is about a former partner who left her heartbroken and is now regretting for
leaving her. It’s the second track and third single released on 2nd June, along with its accompanying music video. It’s a
fussion of qgom and house music. It was nominated at the 2019 AFRIMA award in the category Video of The Year.)
No. 2: Kona (off her debut album, “Limpopo Champions League. official music video dropped in December 2020)
We’ve talking Sho Madjozi music- the S.A fast rising rapper, singer, poet who has carved out a niche for herself by
incorporating the Tsonga culture through her music and public image. Before the tip off segment we played you great
music: at #4, we play you…#3 and #2…Now, Madjozi finally met John Cena in November 2019 performing as a guest on
the Kelly Clarkson Show. He came from backstage to surprise her. What a dream come true!
The South African female rapper known for releasing mind blowing hits. She is one of the artists that have taken South
African sounds to the rest of the World. Madjozi had a wonderful run in 2019 meeting John Cena while December 2018
will forever linger in her history of her performances. She performed at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 which
was headlined by Beyonce and Jay-Z.
No. 1: John Cena (written by Sho Madjozi and produced by Tboy Daflame. The song before official release trended in
South Africa reaching two-million views – a favourable success for the [COLOURS] music platform where it was first
performed)
Understanding the value of her skills and experiences across entertainment and media industry has helped speed up her
career in music. Apart from being a rapper that promotes Tsonga culture and inspires young Africans to be proud of
their roots,
In an interview with Africori reported by sheleadsafrica.org, Sho Madjozi explained that “African artists need to
understand that they are very hot in the market right now and need to negotiate their value appropriately”. Who says
you can’t actualize that dream . In 2019, she tweeted with her verified twitter account #SenaAla✔ @ShoMadjozi saying:
“I’m so proud of myself. Nominated for 4 SAMAs and a BET Award. With no label so far. Just a team I built from scratch
and fans that support me buy my stuff ������”
This is not to say collaboration is not important. Remember she started off with that. Do collabs! Do covers to music! Be
deliberate about your success. Go for it! Visit ww.theboxshowafrica.com for more
FACT
– Through her collaboration with the retail brand, she launched her first clothing line at the same time as her
album.
– It wasn’t all rosy at some point, so she had spend some time selling clothes at markets in Senegal during 2016 to
provide for family.
– She once disclosed that in South Africa, where she’s from, the name Madjozi means braids. She said: “You can
ask for them in a hair salon. They’ll know what you’re talking about.” (nytimes.com July 2019)
– On 27 June 2018, Trace Urban South Africa announced their partnership with Madjozi, making her the
ambassador for their mobile pre-paid provider TRACE Mobile.
AWARD AND NOMINATION
– On 1 June 2019, Madjozi earned two wins at the 25th edition of South African Music Awards for Newcomer of
the Year and for Best Female Album. She also received nominees for categories: Best Music Video for "Huku"
and for Best Kwaito, Gqom & AmaPiano Album for Limpopo Champions League.
– Madjozi received a BET Award for Best New International Act at the BET Awards 2019.
