KENZHERO, KID FONQUE & MARIA McCLOY PRESENT TONGHT FT STOGIE T & MELO B JONES LIVE SATURDAY, 17 JUNE AT AND, 39 GWI GWI MRWEBI STREET, NEWTOWN, 9PM.

KENZHERO, KID FONQUE & MARIA McCLOY PRESENT TONGHT FT STOGIE T & MELO B JONES LIVE

 SATURDAY, 17 JUNE AT AND, 39 GWI GWI MRWEBI STREET, NEWTOWN, 9PM.

 Tickets R100 at door

Heat up your winter night at the third edition of TONGHT. The party is brought to you by Kenzhero, Kid Fonque and Maria McCloy at Club And in Newtown Johannesburg on Saturday the 17^th of June. Fresh from his recent SAMA nomination, Hip Hop legend Stogie T will be blessing the mic with his seasoned live act. Warming the stage up for him will be singer on the rise Melo B Jones. Serving the grown and sexy crowd an eclectic mix of sounds will be Kenzhero, Kid Fonque and Maria McCloy on the decks.

“Don’t hate the player, hate the game” is a common catch phrase in the hip-hop community, it reflects the reality of the competitive landscape of the top tier in Mzansi’s hip-hop music business. Stogie T shows commitment to the art of the game

to the extent that he has never missed a season. Since 2004 the artist formally known as Tumi consistently released an album every year, whether solo or with Tumi And The Volume or a side project, Stogie T keeps consistent in delivering the highest

quality musical offerings in this genre pedigree, season after season, with constant improvement and evolution through each offering. Stogie T is not only a major player of SA hip-hop music but he’s consistently pushed the game to new heights, his latest self titled latest album is no exception.

Why the name change? Tumi’s latest incarnation as Stogie T is as real as keepin' it real can get. He's not the same man he was 10 years ago. And he's brave; almost too brave, if ever there's such. Willing to dispense of a decade-plus worth of labour as an artist, producer, label owner; rocking shows solo or with his former band The Volume; dropping knowledge by the busloads on Mzansi and overseas audiences. Under the new moniker, the artist brings a reinvention that speaks to “The new  generation with a sound inspired by today’s finest talent in hip-hop, production and lyricism.”

Before Stogie T takes to the TONGHT (pronounced Tonight) stage, Melo  B Jones will serve up a taste of tracks off The Start, her EP coming out at the end of the month on Kid Fonque’s label Stay True Sounds . She categorises her sound as “Boom Bap Soul” – which takes the raw elements of old school and contemporary Hip Hop and puts it together with the sweet and sultry elements of Soul.  Having performed alongside and collaborated with acts such as electro-house collective, Crazy White Boy (with the hit single “Show Me The Way” from Electro Candi II) and Cape Town based group, Ill Skillz, her body of work expands from House music, to R&B to Hip Hop. She has featured on a Kenzhero compilation and performed in Switzerland alongside Kid Fonque , so is certainly a TONGHT family member.

It’s sure to be a great night out at the third installation of this party series curated by acclaimed DJs, radio personalities and party promoters, Kenzhero (The Rhythm Sessions Kaya FM Saturdays 2- 6pm) and Kid Fonque (Selective Styles 5PM Sundays 5 – 7) , who joined forces with urban culture specialist, publicist and designer, Maria McCloy. “We  started this in february to fill the gap in the party market that barely caters to a crowd aged between 28 and 45 or so” she says. This party will happen at And in Newtown three more times in 2017.  Kenzhero comments“People love the music and the atmosphere. People tell us it feels like something different on the Joburg scene.” Adds Kid Fonque, “They dug coming to an unfamiliar venue, that the crowd is grown up and even the fact that no phone photos are allowed on the dance floor.” 

STOGIE T BIO

The artist formerly known as Tumi is back as ‘Stogie T’ with a self-titled album that signifies the powerful SA Hip Hop Movement.

Why the name change? Tumi’s latest incarnation as Stogie T is as real as keepin' it real can get. He's not the same man he was 10 years ago. And he's brave; almost too brave, if ever there's such. Willing to dispense of a decade-plus worth of labour as an artist, producer, label owner; rocking shows solo or with his former band The Volume; dropping knowledge by the busloads on Mzansi and overseas audiences.

Stogie T has shed some of the seriousness he has been known for since 2004 when he began releasing albums, but on his new album he says he still offers a perfect balance of “Depth, consciousness and entertaining new generation Mzansi Hip-Hop. This offering is a true indicator of the success of the genre in South Africa and beyond.”

Under the new moniker, the artist brings a reinvention that speaks to “The new generation with a sound inspired by today’s finest talent in hip-hop, production and lyricism.” Stogie T features Emtee, Yanga , AKA, Nadia Nakai and Da LES. Hit

makers Tweezy (famous for producing AKA’s ‘Baddest’ and ‘All Eyes On Me’ plus tracks for L-Tido and Cassper Nyovest) and Tru Hitz (behind songs for Stilo Magolidie, Riky Rick and Boyz n Bucks) provided the beats.

Working with fresh talent is not something new for him. As a hip-hop artist Stogie T contributed to shaping today’s urban Mzansi sound not only with his unique style and consistency, but also through his label Motif Records, having developed artists such

as Reason, Riky Rick and co-signing The Soil, AKA and Nasty C in their early come- up days.

“Don’t hate the player, hate the game” is a common catch phrase in the hip-hop community, it reflects the reality of the competitive landscape of the top tier in Mzansi’s hip-hop music business. Stogie T shows commitment to the art of the game

to the extent that he has never missed a season. Since 2004 the artist formally known as Tumi consistently released an album every year, whether solo or with Tumi And The Volume or a side project, Stogie T keeps consistent in delivering the highest

quality musical offerings in this genre pedigree, season after season, with constant improvement and evolution through each offering. Stogie T is not only a major player of SA hip-hop music but he’s consistently pushed the game to new heights, the new

album is no exception.

Freedom remains the underlying motif tying all kicks, snares, orchestralarrangements and swirling melodic sensibilities together on Stogie T. The album’s lyrical themes steer towards an economic freedom. This means booking holidays at off-shore hotels and affording whatever his partner wants, as he tells us in the lead single ‘Diamond Walk’ and ‘Big Dreams’, or zoning in on the life his mother carved out for him by highlighting her cause. “I see your sacrifice in my children’s eyes. They were born free. Incredible!” he exclaims in the intro to “Son of a soldier”. This goes a long way to humanize a concept that mainly exists in a vacuum, obscured from actuality by smoke screens, haunted by a legacy of stale and regurgitated tales told by former slaves who are now oppressive masters.

Past collaborators AKA and Da LES appear on “Ms. Joburg” and “Freakend” respectively. The songs are twin tales of love and lust in a city known more for its gold than its tendency to crush grown men to a pulp under the pressure to turn their carbon-soaked dreams into diamonds. New generation hit makers Emtee, Nadia Nakai and Nasty C register momentous

guest appearances, the former two’s spots shared, respectively, with emcee Yanga on “By any means” and Tribal, who provides the swooning hook to “#FF”, the musical equivalent of what gets discussed in the Twilight hour’s Twitter DMs before

manifesting as coy cues in Whatsapp conversations, and then getting enacted in real life.

In 2016, Stogie T's not content with his story alone; not anymore. He wants to be a repository for all our stories, and he wishes to tell them with only the skill he can master. In order to achieve that, he needs to be true to – and to reflect -- his own

reality.

LISTEN TO THE NEW ALBUM HERE: https://listento.lnk.to/StogieT

MELO B JONES

Melo B Jones is a 20 something year old singer/songwriter living and creating music in the vibrant city of Johannesburg. 

The origins of the name are stemmed from the personal journey that she feels encapsulates everything her sound stands for.

“Melo” is derived from her first name, Boitumelo. It echoes the mellow tones and melodies found in her sound; the feeling her music brings. “B” is her personal sign off. Her initial. Lastly, by definition, “Jones” is a fixation with something or someone. An addiction. Her music aspires to represent that wholly, from an inspired and fresh angle; especially in a South African context.

Her music is a blend of her childhood musical influences, her life and all that she loves in one. This all comes together to form what she categorises as “Boom Bap Soul” – which takes the raw elements of old school and contemporary Hip Hop and puts it together with the sweet and sultry elements of Soul.

Having performed alongside and collaborated with acts such as electro-house collective, Crazy White Boy (with the hit single “Show Me The Way” from Electro Candi II) and Cape Town based group, Ill Skillz, her body of work expands from House music, to R&B to Hip Hop.

 She has performed as a headliner from Vilakazi Street NYE Festival (Soweto, JHB) in 2015 to Festival Week-end au bord de l'eau (Sierre, Switzerland) in 2016 with The Kid Fonque Show – displaying both her local and international appeal as an artist.

Having graced intimate stages such as The Orbit and Winnie’s Soul & Jazz Resturant to more robust stages such as the Cape Town Jazz Festival (doing accompanying vocals for Ill Skillz in 2012) and Jack Daniels Boomtown at the Durban July (2015), she knows how to appeal to different crowds and can fit her sound into various settings. 

She was one of the few acts featured on a limited edition vinyl for Glenfiddich called Groove Jazz Vol 1 compiled by legendary DJ, Kenzhero – which featured both local and international soul acts. She has also collaborated with brands such as Nescafe, who showcase and support local up and coming acts whom they believe are destined for great things in the South African music industry.

In late 2014, she entered the first season of “The X Factor SA” and excelled all the way to the judges’ houses (just before the live shows) as a member of a group called “Faith”. Oskido (Kalawa) had singled her out as one to watch.

 As a passionate performer and entertainer, she just wants to sing and share her music with the world – and that’s exactly what she plans to do.

ABOUT TONGHT

The first TONGHT party happened on 4 February 2017. Zaki Ibrahim performed and resident DJs Kenzhero and Kid Fonque were on the decks.

“This concept called TONGHT was conceived out of the constant chats we have had throughout time,” explains Kenzhero, who mixes on Kaya FM every Saturday night from 9 to 10. “In the late 90s, I used to frequent a spot called 206, down Louis Botha in Johannesburg. It was a cross-cultural meeting place and the music seemed to cater for the outcasts - or rather the alternatives.” It was there that he met Kid Fonque. “He was playing at 206 already, while I was buying vinyl and had started playing at friends’ parties. The first party I played with Kid Fonque was my first professional gig, so it remained a highlight and I am glad over the years we have crossed paths through other people’s events and at events that we host ourselves where we invite each other to spin at. Our styles are complimentary, a true testimony of the school of DJing we come from which is about staying true and unique.”

Kid Fonque explains why this collaboration has finally happened. “Kenzhero and I pretty much started DJing at the same time with the same circle of people. He was always hip-hop and I was always a bit all over in terms of the music I played,” says the presenter of 5FM’s 5 to 7pm Sunday show, Selective Styles. “We have grown up together over the years - and so have the people who used to watch us when we started. Although we keep DJing every weekend, the crew who started with us are older and find it difficult to get down where we play as the crowd is younger so they stay away from the current party scene. A few peeps mentioned this to Kenzhero and I so we thought, ‘let's do this!’” 

One of those people is Maria, who has been attending parties in Jozi since the mid-90s and 2000s when she was part of groundbreaking entities Black Rage Productions, Outrageous Records and www.rage.co.za. Says Kid Fonque: “She has been coming to our events over the years and when we’d bump into her out of late she’d always say: ‘Come on guys, do a grown and sexy party for people like us… I’m tired of partying with campus kids, but I still want to go out, have fun, meet great people and hear amazing music - out of a hot sound system…’ So after finding our dope venue, And, we approached her to join us. We felt she was the perfect partner because of her knowledge of the scene and her PR expertise.” 

For interviews and images, contact Maria McCloy on 0823400262/ maria@rage.co.za

KID FONQUE

Kid Fonque has become a vital part of South African electronic music and club culture over the last 20 years. Uniquely accomplished in both influence and scope, he is an over-achiever in every one of his roles: DJ, label manager, promoter and
more recently, producer and 5FM radio host on the Sunday 5- 7 show Selective Styles.

Firmly established as a tastemaker in South Africa, Kid Fonque’s influence can be felt and heard in the music of the many artists he has helped nurture with his role as label manager of Africa’s seminal dance label Soul Candi Records and now his new venture with Jullian Gomes in their label, Stay True Sounds.

Kid Fonque’s talent is the type that refuses to acknowledge boundaries of any kind – be they genres or borders. The respect he is paid by the industry is a result of his no compromise attitude to playing and making music. Rather than following trends, Kid Fonque has always done things his own way and on his own terms. Importantly, every record he reaches for bares all the hallmarks of the Kid Fonque sound – a golden thread that ties all his sets together somehow.

Like a painter dabbing his brush into different hues, Fonque’s palette embraces everything from bass and broken beats to Bossa Nova, Hip-Hop and every shade of House – and with this open-minded approach he’s been deconstructing dancefloors at home and abroad for well over a decade. Over the last couple years, he’s played dates in Hong Kong, Dubai, the UK and Switzerland.

Recently, he represented South Africa’s dance music community alongside other industry leaders on a panel at Amsterdam Dance Event 2013 and in the same week shared the stage with Black Coffee for a Boiler Room set.

In 2011, Kid Fonque launched his long-running monthly night, #2SIDESOFTHEBEAT as a platform to showcase underground music from all genres at the same venue. Dubstep and House rubs shoulders with Hip-Hop, Broken Beat and everything in
between. Kid Fonque handpicks the line-up which has seen esteemed musos like Dego, King Britt, Swindle, Mala, Nightmares On Wax, Zaki Ibrahim and local stars like Jullian Gomes, Cuebur, Kenzhero and The Layders on the stage.

In 2014, Kid Fonque moved into the producer’s chair and released his critically acclaimed debut artist album Kid Fonque and Friends and a string of remixes. Two singles from the album, “BE”and “Usangikhumbula” and a recent collaboration with
D-Malice “All This Time” did serious damage in the charts – all claiming the number 1 spot on the YFM Urban Top 20. His recent studio output has paired him with luminaries like Clara Hill, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Nia Andrews, Jonny Miller,
Okmalumkoolkat and Atjazz.

The year 2016 saw plenty of new projects for Fonque including a full length collaboration with London’s D-Malice which was released on Stay True Sounds & Arco  and featured a rich and varied cast of artists including Kev Brown, Melo B Jones,
Atjazz, Ruby White and many more.

Whether he’s behind the decks or if his productions flow from the speaker, Kid Fonque’s sonic adventures continue to fill and thrill dancefloors, pay attention!