’Matšei Moloi
MASERU — Molibeli “Stlofa” Mokake, a member of the award-winning musical group Lefate, is set to release his maiden solo album this week.
The dreadlocked artiste — widely regarded as one of Lesotho’s most talented musicians of his generation — has been part of Lefate since 1996, alongside Lephatha “Damario” Tikiso. Together the duo won a national music award in 2007.
But Mokake told the Xpress People on Thursday he would be launching his first solo album entitled Ha ho Poho Peli at the Hope Inn in Butha-Buthe on Saturday evening.
Mokake told Xpress People the 13-track album, produced by one Negah, is “modernised Mokorotlo” — albeit still retaining a traditional identity.
“The album took me just two weeks to produce because I went to the studio ready and raring to go,” Mokake said.
He insisted while his music has become modernised, it still maintained its distinctive, traditional Mokorotlo beat. “The reason why I decided to sing Mokorotlo in the first place was because it is the original Basotho music. I don’t want Mokorotlo, our forefathers’ music, to die. It should live on,” he said.
Stlofa has singled out the title track as his favourite on the album, saying it conveys a personal message.
“Ha ho Poho Peli shows that I’m a strong character. I am the one. It shows that I’m a really capable musician,” he said.
“This is my first solo album after two others with Lefate and I really wanted to prove myself as an individual.”
Mokake maintains the new album did not mean the demise of Lefate, dismissing widespread speculation that the group had disbanded due to personal differences between him and Damario.
“I remain a member of Lefate. Lefate still exists as a group. We have agreed to release an album as Lefate in 2010, but I felt next year would be too late because I was ready and feeling quite hot,” Stlofa explained.
He said people should expect “mass destruction” in Ha ho Poho Peli, insisting the album is “a bomb”.
