Local reggae star Mpho Mahovha, known in the music industry as “Bongo Natty,” has finished recording his fifth album, titled Ndi ite mini?, which can be loosely translated as “What should I do?”

Mahovha said one of the songs on the album, titled Ndo vhuya, was dedicated to his ancestors. He nearly died last year after suffering from a mysterious illness and believes that Jawa came to his rescue. “The song talks about my spiritual journey in the reggae music industry, until I was attacked by evil spirits last year, and how my ancestors had to intervene and saved my life,” he said.

He added that the album was a must-buy for those who believed in African spirituality, as it takes listeners back to ancient times when faith was the foundation of African life, while also highlighting the history of reggae music.

Mahovha’s music journey began in 2008 with the release of his debut album, Zwivhuya. Reflecting on its success, he noted that it did well, considering that fact that reggae does not enjoy the same media and radio publicity as other music genres.

“Rastas talk about sensitive things that affect the poor in the communities every day, and the media don’t like that. Journalists are all searching for sound, not lyrics. They still treat us as troublemakers who incite the masses to revolt against corrupt political leaders, so reggae music is given very little space on air and in newspapers,” he said.

His latest music offering is set to be released early next year. He said the new album would not be much different from his previous ones in terms of addressing issues of poverty and the lack of service delivery, which are causes he feels strongly about. “We have to stand up and fight for our rights,” he concluded.