Mandoza (real name Mduduzi Tshabalala) is a South African kwaito musician.

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Early life.

Mandoza was born in the Zola South section of Soweto, where he shared a house with his parents, his grandparents and two sisters. When he was sixteen years old he was charged with stealing a car and received a one-and-a-half year sentence, which he served in Diepkloof prison.

When he was released from prison, Mandoza formed the group Chiskop along with three childhood friends, S’bu, Siphiwe and Siszwe.

Musical career.

The group signed its first record contract eight years after its formation and released their debut album, Klaimer, later followed by Ghetto 2000.

Although Chiskop achieved great success and was widely seen to be at kwaito's forefront, Mandoza also started a solo career; in 1999 he released the top-selling (more than 100,000 units sold) album 9II5 Zola South, for which he gained a 2000 FNB South African Music Awards Best Newcomer nomination.

He subsequently released the album Nkalakatha in 2000, which won multi-platinum status. The title track became a crossover hit and reached the top of the charts on both traditionally black and white radio stations. This album won the Best Kwaito Music Album category and the album's title track won the Song Of The Year category at the South African Music Awards in 2001. Mandoza also won in five of the ten categories at the 2001 Metro Music Awards: Best Kwaito Artist, Best Male Vocalist, Best Album, Best Styled Artist and Song Of The Year. Finally, also in 2001, Mandoza won the Best Artist - Southern Africa category at the Kora All Africa Music Awards.

Mandoza was voted 77th in the Top 100 Great South Africans in 2004.

In February 2005 it was announced that Mandoza would play a major supporting role in a new South African-made rugby-themed feature film, Number 10, which would be directed by Academy Award nominee Darrell James Roodt. It was also announced that Mandoza would be contributing to the film's soundtrack.

Solo albums.

1) 9II5 Zola South (1999).

2) Nkalakatha (2000).

3) Nkalakathla (The Boss Remixes) (2000).

4) It's All Right (with Tokollo and Kabelo).

5) Godoba (2002).

6) Tornado (2002).

7) Mandoza (2003).

8) Same Difference (with Danny K) (2004).

9) Phunyuka Bamphet (2005).

External links.

Official Website.

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