Black Motion in 2020 celebrated its ten-year anniversary as one of the leading Afro-House Djing duo consisting of members Thabo “Smol” Mabongwa and Bongani “Murdah Bongz” Mahosana. At the time, the duo released their third studio album which was titled The Healers: The Last Chapter. It had seemed at the time that the album was a celebration of the legacy and impact the duo had made since breaking into the mainstream music scene.
Read more: Thabo From Black Motion's Life Story
Read more: Thabo From Black Motion's Life Story
However, in the two years since the decade-celebration and the release of The Last Chapter, it seems that the album was a self-fulfilling prophecy as it seems that despite their previous assertions, Black Motion is not the Black Motion we have grown to known and love as Murdah Bongz has been replaced.
Black Motion denies splitting
The first time it was announced that Black Motion had split was during the reign of Musa Khawula and his tyranny on our favourite ZAlebs. At the time, the speculation was fuelled by the fact that Thabo Smol better known as The Kejele kejele Man after his encounters with Zodwa Wabantu, was performing solo under the name Black Motion.
On the other hand, Murdah Bongz was falling in love, becoming a second-time father and getting married to DJ Zinhle. Changes which brought on the official name change for Murdah Bongz now referred to as Mörda. But at the time, not only did Mörda deny the allegations. But Black Motion went on to release a statement which refuted the allegations by sharing that:
“Spirit Motion would like to state in a record that Black Motion members Thabo Mabongwa aka Smol and Bongani Mahosana aka Murdahbongz have not parted ways. Black Motion still exists and has plans for more years to come.”
To squash the allegations, the duo would then release their most recent (and possibly last) album under their original formation titled Talking to the Drums.
Black Motion Replaces Murdah Bongz
When Mörda released his debut solo album, Asante, titled after his second-born child, the one he has with DJ Zinhle and not his first born, we should have known that something is off. This is as Black Motion are part of the Tastic Heritage Festival. As such, they were partaking in the promotional interviews ahead of the festival.
However, instead of there being Thabo Smol and Mörda, there was Thabo Smol and new member Kabelo Koma, who in the titles is confirmed as the “Member of Black Motion.” It also seems that part of the agreement of Thabo Smol conducting the interview was that he was not asked about the matter of the status of his relationship with Mörda as it was not even asked.
More than that, part of the indication that there might be more to the matter at hand is the fact that “Black Motion” also promised new music with an emphasis on drums, which is Smol’s speciality when it was just him and Mörda. Not much is known about Kabelo Koma or what he will bring to the group. But fans attending the festival are in for a surprise when they see that Mörda is not present for the performance.
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