Various Artists - Kwaito South African Urban Beats

(EMI Music South Africa/ The CCP Record Company 7243 5 93574 23)

Compiled by Kwaito specialist Sean Watson at EMI South Africa, this 14-track CD is only for the international market - not because it’s watered-down though.  As Watson puts it: "It’s such a strong compilation that we couldn’t get the rights from third parties to licence it here in South Africa.”  Indeed, this CD includes all the big names such as Mandoza, Zola, Mdu, Arthur, Mapaputsi, Kabelo, Doc Shebeleza, Trompies, Boom Shaka, TKZee etc.  Mandoza in particular is huge, and the featured track, ‘Nkalakatha’, is probably Kwaito’s biggest track ever - and one of the few that crossed over to a white South African audience, too.