Skwatta Kamp ends 27-year run

After 27 years of existence, iconic hip-hop group Skwatta Kamp is closing the book on its musical journey with the final album, SVN.

Skwatta Kamp, which took South African hip-hop by storm when they released Khut En Joyn in 2001, has released its last offering, SVN, which is an abbreviation of Seven on Freedom Day.

The group’s debut, which sold gold status (25 000 units) was followed by other hit albums such as Umkhukhu Funkshen, Washumkhukhu, among others.

The group was founded in 1996 by Infa, Nish, Shugasmakx, Flabba, Nemza, Slikour, and Bozza and later Refiloe “Relo” Makhubo.
Speaking to Sowetan this week, Siyabonga Metane, popularly known as Slikour, said SVN is a tribute to the group’s long-time friendship, experiences, dreams, shared conversations and a continued commitment to speaking one’s truth by all members.

“As much as this is our last project together, it does not mean that we will not perform together when we get booked. This is our last album.

“We feel it is important to bring closure to people who grew up following us and listening to our music. People have been asking themselves what happened to us.

We are ending the journey together because we just wanted to control the narrative that are we still together or not.”
“It’s not the end of our companionship. Music is space, time and phase. And we were that space, phase and time. Right now there is a new space, phase and time. But this does not mean we can’t create something for fun.

“We are still going to be around in the industry. If you grew up listening to us, this is our farewell; this is our thank you. We acknowledge that there are new people. We’re encouraging young artistes to get to a level where they close off their journey.”

Over the years, the group lost two members, Nkululeko “Flabba” Habedi and Musawenkosi Molefe, aka Nish. Habedi died in 2015 after being stabbed by his girlfriend, while Molefe died in 2021 after showing signs of Covid-19.

As the group folds the music book, members will continue with their journeys as they did in the past years.
Metane has likened the group’s journey to alchemy.

“Imagine this, six guys who come from different townships in SA. Later, a girl from Thokoza also joined them. They never grew up in the same community, but they have one goal.

When they met they agreed to do music together. Their music becomes famous, turning them into stars. This was not our own doing, but the universe put us together.”

Bozza, real name Nkosana Nkosi, said their journey had been very spiritual:
“We never got into this to make money. We never understood the reasons of doing it until it started to happen.

We loved the music and we were passionate about each other’s talent. When we got to meet each other we started realising that there are different levels to each one of us. That made us connect in a different way.”

Nkosi said the secret of their longevity and staying together all these years was their common ambition.
“We fought, offended each other but we were able to sit down and fix things. When one of us is doing better we congratulate him or her and when you do wrong you are told. We knew that transparency and honesty is important.” – Sowetan