Ebumnandini is rapidly becoming more than a simple event, it’s becoming an institution and with a name which serves as a nod to Kwaito godfather Doc Shebeleza, the party has made waves in both Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Ebumnandini is the brainchild of industrial/post-kwaito Stiff Pap members Jakinda and AyemaProbllem and fully captures the DIY nature of the duo. You know the old saying “if you want something done right do it yourself.”
“We were in Cape Town and we felt like parties in Cape Town really started to suck. There were a few fun ones but the scene was dying and we felt we could throw a better party, so we did.”
A move to Joburg for the duo meant expansion for the Ebumnandini team with Francesco Mbele coming on board to further the concept. And what might this brand be? It only takes a quick look at the attendees to Ebumnandini to realise that this party is for the culture. From BoyznBucks member uSanele performing to Sartists member Xzavier Zulu on the decks or queer icon Queezy laying down banger after banger. And that’s just scratching the surface.
“We wanted to have a platform that we could interact with likeminded artists and music lovers on a regular basis. We wanted to create a community that celebrates local artists. We try to give opportunities to artists that don’t get heard as much or get as much attention as mainstream artists do. We ultimately just want to create a healthy and sustainable music scene. It’s not just about our platform but the greater circuit that we become a part of. We also feel it’s important to create a safe space for all people to enjoy themselves and express themselves how they want.”
The Ebumnandini team are however still present in both Cape Town and Johannesburg with a recent collaboration with Cape Town’s stalwart event Prime. “Our collab with Prime is part of an ongoing project to try and bridge the gap between the Joburg and Cape Town scenes. Joburg’s scene is a lot more about hustling and there’s a lot more room for growth if you really make a wave. In Cape Town, it feels like people have given up. It’s really sad. There’s only a handful of interesting parties to go to but really, Cape Town nightlife is sad right now. Prime is amazing though of course.”
Before you reach for your pitchforks you have to admit when it comes to parties, Cape Town does run a little dry. Many events often seem repetitive or rather not as musically diverse as their Johannesburg counterparts.
For now, the Ebumnandini team are just really excited to grow what is already gaining a lot of traction. So, what can you expect at the next Ebumnandini show? “Expect beautiful friendly people, [a] diverse music selection and lots of youthful energy (sometimes mosh pits).”
The next Ebumnandini is on the 28th of September 2019 at The Tennis Club.
