Joseph Shabalala Biography

Joseph Shabalala

Joseph Shabalala (born 28 August 1941), born Bhekizizwe Joseph Siphatimandla Mxoveni Mshengu Bigboy Shabalala, is the founder and musical director of the South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Joseph was born in the town of Ladysmith (eMnambithi district) in the KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa. His parents, Jonathan Mluwane Shabalala and Nomandla Elina Shabalala, raised Joseph and his six siblings on a white-owned farm called Tugela. His father died in the late 1940s; Joseph, being the eldest, had to take care of the family. He left the farm, however, in 1958 to search for work in the nearby town of Durban.

In 1986, Paul Simon travelled to South Africa to collaborate with South African artists for his upcoming Graceland album. Simon collaborated with Shabalala and the group, and co-composed the now-famous song, Homeless. The group’s popularity spread all over the world, and since then they have sold records popular enough to earn platinum disc certification. In 1987, the group won their first solo Grammy Award for Shaka Zulu. Since then, they have won one more and have been nominated over ten times. Following the worldwide success of Graceland, Joseph began composing more songs in English (prior to this they had only recorded two in English and one in German).

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On the night of 10 December 1991, Joseph’s brother and fellow member Headman Shabalala was killed by an off-duty white security guard near the town of Ladysmith. The death of Shabalala was thought to be a racial murder. Joseph, helped by his beliefs, persevered, and the group continued; the members now included Joseph’s brother Jockey, close relatives Albert and Abednego Mazibuko, Russel Mthembu and Jabulani Dubazana and Joseph’s sons Sibongiseni, Thamsanqa, Thulani and Msizi. Nevertheless, tragedy returned. In May 2002, Joseph’s wife of 30 years, Nellie, was shot and killed by an assailant outside the couple’s home in Kloof, KwaZulu-Natal. Joseph’s hand was wounded in his attempt to protect his wife. Mboneni Mdunge was convicted of the murder and sentenced to life in prison. At the same trial, Joseph Shabalala’s son Nkosinathi Vivian Shabalala (Nellie’s stepson) was charged, tried and acquitted on charges of having paid Mdunge for Nellie’s murder.