H20, Abafana base-4 babuyile with their sophomore album, ‘Sheleni’! The question is, are heads ready? It’s been two years since Sphiwe Ngwenya (27) and Menzi Dludla (26) released their debut album, ‘Amanzimtoti’ and fans have been craving those hot Outrageous Records cooked tunes laced with Ndofaya rhymes. Well, the time is now and ready or not, H20 are here to Takeover, as the battle lead single (produced by Hoodlum) from ‘Sheleni’ states.
The H20-Battlekat magic returns this time round on the single that’s blazing airwaves at the moment, ‘Siyashova’. The track samples the Stimela 80s hit track Ngolovane. It was created after a serendipitous CD shopping spree with Battlekat in Rosebank. After buying the Stimela CD, Battlekat headed straight to the studio. ‘’’He called at 3:30 am and said ‘i’ve created fire!’’’ says Sphiwe. ‘’The next day we heard it and wrote the song,’’ Menzi says. Using the original song as a guide, the guys wrote another ghetto fabulous track encouraging the loxion to, ’’stand up and help me push this load.’’
Known for representing their hood, Meadowlands (a.k.a. Ndofaya), H20 once again dedicate a couple of tunes to their kasi. The title track (produced by Helio), ‘Sheleni’, paints a picture of township life and the culture of sharing. ’’It’s one of those songs that are amazing on every level. It’s too too nice,’’ explains Sphiwe, ‘’’It’s special because the beat was one of the first we heard in 2001. We left it alone until this year. We went back into the Outrageous vault and it sounded brand new. So it’s one of my favourites. It’s a classic.’’ Menzi even compares it to their classic lead single from Amanzimtoti, ‘It’s Wonderful’ in that ‘’’it’s about the loxion … in the suburbs you can buy a pack of cigarettes, but in the township you might find yourself needing an extra 50 cents boost and that’s the life we talk about.’’ Their other ode to the loxion life is the Danone-produced ‘Ndofaya’, which they say is, ’’about us. We had a song called Bafana Base4 about Zone 4. This time we encourage the people from zone 4 to rise up.’’ Like Sphiwe says, ’’we’ve done it, so can you.’’
H20 once again share their soft side with the fans on the melodic thug love flavoured ‘Sokalakho’, which features singer MXO on vocals. The also show off their tight rhymes while representing for Mzansi’s heads on the Helio-produced ‘Wafa Wafa’. One of the other stand out tracks on ‘Sheleni’ is the Fortune-created party anthem ‘Zandla Phezulu’ , which will make you want to do ‘zonke izinto ezingavunyelwe’ as Flabba puts it in his verse. Combine heavy rock guitars with a hip-hop beat, some handclapping, Flabba’s signature hilarious rhymes, the jiggy, naughty summer vibe that Ramesh brings to the mix, smooth vocals from Kabomo and Maxhoba on the chorus and flowing H20 rhymes and you’ve got the perfect club banger! So ‘Put your hands up/It’s a stick up’ as the boys say on their track.
The only female artist featured on the album is singer, Zoe who laces another Danone-track, ‘Blue Skies’ with her sweet vocals. ’’It was nice working with Zoe because she wrote her own part. It was easy to work with her,’’ says an evidently-smitten Menzi about his favourite tune on the album.’’ It’s a happy song, which is all about after the rain … there’s a rainbow and sunshine … when a girl agrees to be your girlfriend and you’re holding her and a beer in your left hand … Zoe really blesses that song with her voice and beauty.’’
Sphiwe’s personal favourite is ‘The Seed’, made by one of hip-hop’s hot young guns on the rise, Stethescope (a.k.a. Sthe) and featuring Ramesh and Maxhoba, ’’it sounds reggaeish. It’s refreshing. Sthe made something different from the rest of the album. My verse on there is Killa! And Max-hoba represents. The chorus is nice.’’ Sthe’s other contributions on the album are the tracks ‘Calling Roseanne’ (which samples an Aretha Franklin tune by the same name) and ‘How We Do’.
No doubt the H20 boys are excited about their second album and confident about what it can do. ’’We were more relaxed in studio (this time around), lyrically and flow wise. We’ve grown,’’ says Sphiwe. Outrageous Records CEO, Dzino, agrees, ’’The new album is incredible because it goes straight to the point. Every single track is a potential single and naturally Menzi and Sphiwe have improved as writers and emcees and they used a more diverse range of producers, so the general product is superior [to their last offering and what’s available in the market]’’ Menzi adds that this album is the same quality you’ve always got from H20 and Outrageous Records, it’s a 2005 and future sound.
