Mbube

Mbube is a form of South African vocal music, made famous by the South African group

Mbube is a form of South African vocal music, made famous by the South African group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The word mbube means "lion" in Zulu . Traditionally performed a cappella, the style is sung in a powerful and loud way (see Mbube Roots, Rounder CD 5025). The members of the group are male, although quite a few groups often have a female singer (On Tiptoe: Gentle Steps to Freedom). However, since the formation of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the style has fallen in favour of softer singing, which is known as isicathamiya.

The style itself dates, according to Joseph Shabalala (of Ladysmith fame), to the times when young South African Zulu men left their families to travel to the major cities to find work — often in mines. In order to preserve a sense of community, these young men would form choirs and perform Mbube music.