Sol Phenduka

Sol Phenduka is a South African radio personality, DJ, music producer,reality TV star, composer and songwriter.

Sol Phenduka
Birth name	Solomzi Thandubuntu Phenduka
Born	(1987-02-18) February 18, 1987 Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Origin	Vosloorus
Genres	Deep house, electro house, Tribal House, Afro Beat, Nu Jazz, Afro dub
Occupation(s)	DJ, Remixer, Radio Presenter, Record producer, Music Composer, Reality tv star
Instruments	music sequencer, synthesizers, keyboard, Piano
Years active	2008 –present
Labels	Native Rhythms, Sony Music, Chalk N Cheese Music

Background

Solomzi Thandubuntu Phenduka was born in Johannesburg 18 February 1987. He has been a music producer since the age of 16. He started his music journey as a rapper, but after realising he wasn't happy as a teenager rapping under the name Savage in Vosloorus, his single mother got him a computer and he began making hip hop beats, later he switched over to house beats. He attended St Francis College in Benoni, matriculating in 2006. He received a Bachelor's degree from the University of Johannesburg in 2011.[1][2][3]

Radio

Sol joined Yfm as an intern through the Y academy internship program and after the 6-month program joined the newly formed "Flava In Da Mornin" breakfast show as a cohost to Mo flava in 2010.[4][5]

Sol Phenduka remained on the YFM breakfast show for four years till February 2014. Upon his return from Big Brother Mzansi 3 (South Africa), Sol Phenduka left YFM and joined 5FM on its new breakfast show "Fresh at 5" with DJ Fresh.[6]

Sol Phenduka was suspended by 5FM for 3 days in January 2015 leading to the cancelation of the show "Fresh or Vrot", following inappropriate comments in the air nationwide of a 16-year-old axe attack victim survivor of the van Breda family, who were hacked to death in Stellenbosch. Sol took to Twitter to apologise for his comments, saying it wasn't “the intention to offend” when he said on air that she is “gorgeous” and he would “like to axe her out,” but that he "woundt make her an X ".[7]

in October 2016, after 3 years at 5fm on the breakfast show and going on to getting his own show (SOS) due to his growing popularity with listeners, Sol Phenduka resigned from 5FM with immediate to focus on other projects and his personal life.[8]

Music

He released his first single Mount Zion 2010,[9] which was on his eponymous debut album released in 2012.[3][4] He released his third single Uhuru in 2011, the song that put him on the South African map. The song featured on various radio charts across South Africa.[10][11]

Debut Album (2012)

Forget those prêt à passer plugin presets that so many Mzansi house producers rely on to toss off their one-hit clubbing wonders. Sol Phenduka has. A more polymorphous, “organic” Afropolitan groove experience is what he wants to give his listeners. Translated? Whether it’s Swahiliscatted, minimalist-maskandi accordion and mbira-toned calls onto the dance floor (“Uhuru”), or chic Latin cocktail lounge come-ons cut from Don Laka’s kwaai jazzy cloth (“Moon Cry”), featuring saxophonist Mpumi Dhlamini), Phenduka’s debut is a sublimely soulful Pan-African house soundtrack. The DNA circuiting beneath his trippy tribal house invitations (“Home Coming”) and sexy shamanic soul seances (“Isolomzi”, featuring Cama Gwini)? All that jazz, of course. It’s the spirit of jazz that frames the brassy bounce of “Easier” (featuring Qairo) and the Mi Casa-Goldfish-tailored grooves of “All I Know” (featuring Soul Jock) and “All You Ever Need” (featuring Phindi). And it’s jazz that completes the seduction on Deep Cartel’s super-chilled remix of “Winter Sun”

— Rolling Stone[12]

Sol Phenduka released his 12 track debut album with Native Rhythms, the album featured several Vocalists, notably Camagwini, Sol Phenduka's then stable mate at Native Rhythms. The Album included Sol Phenduka's most successful works- Uhuru and Isolomzi.[13]

Big Brother Mzansi

On 2 February 2014, the third season of Big Brother Mzansi 3 (South Africa) premiered. Sol Phenduka was one of the 18 contestants ( Housemates and chamber mates).[14]

Sol Phenduka's charisma and charm won him the hearts of enough viewers to see him survive all evictions up until the last week of the show where he was one of the 6 finalist to remain in the house. However his best friend in the house Mandla won the grand prize of R1 Million.[15]

Sol Phenduka was voted by the viewers as the season's best HoH (Head Of House).[16]

References

1. "Sol Phenduka - Who's Who SA". www.whoswhosa.co.za.
2. "Radio jock keeps tribal music in the house - IOL Entertainment".
3. "trufm". Archived from the original on November 5, 2013.
4. "wonted.co.za". www.wonted.co.za.
5. "Morning Glory with Flava! - Kasi Times". Archived from the original on July 25, 2013.
6. Pantsi, Nandipha. "Sol Phenduka moves with his mic".
7. reporter, Citizen. "5FM DJ Sol Phenduka suspended".
8. "TimesLIVE". www.timeslive.co.za.
9. "AFROdesiaMP3 - African House Music Downloads - Sol Phenduka - Uhuru".
10. Mandla. "Showbizone - Showbizone". www.showbizone.co.za.
11. "Welcome To Motsweding Fm". Archived from the original on May 29, 2012.
12. "Sol Phenduka: Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
13. "Sol Phenduka by Sol Phenduka on Apple Music". itunes.apple.com.
14. "Morningafrica.com Is For Sale". www.morningafrica.com.
15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 24, 2014. Retrieved June 24, 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 24, 2014. Retrieved June 24, 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)