After a long absence, the multi-award-winning kwaito group Big Nuz is back. The group from Durban, which is led by West Ink boss Mandla “Mampintsha” Maphumulo and founder of 108 Entertainment Mzi “Danger” Tshomela, will release their single Ngeke on Friday. Big Nuz told Zimoja that they are releasing this album to honor their late songwriter and bandmate R Mashesha. R Mashesha was the group’s most important member, and his death left a hole in the group. We do not intend to replace him because we believe he cannot be replaced. We made the decision to return to the recording studio and release an album in his honor, as well as to reassure our fans that the band is still around and will not leave. “Big Nuz is here to stay as long as we are still alive,” Danger declared.

IN MEMORY OF R. MASHESHA

Danger informed Zimoja that the album’s title will be R Mashesha, Dollar R, a reference to the nicknames their deceased member was known by. Our fans need to be aware, as artists, that the fact that R Mashesha passed away did not necessitate that we endanger our legacy or the name of a band that is highly regarded in the South African music industry. We wanted to expand, so Mampintsha established his own business, West Ink, and I established my own, 108 Entertainment. We weren’t parting ways, but we were giving one another room to develop. Danger stated, “Every artist must construct a legacy for themselves.”

Working with DJ TIRA once more, Danger asked their fans to remain supportive of the Big Nuz and be understanding.

“We know that fans didn’t understand why we decided to stop releasing music under the Big Nuz name, but it was part of growing up,” we say. We are back and this collection is committed to our late sibling R Mashesha who assumed a vital part in the outcome of past collections,” he said. Danger stated that, among others, Gqom Queen, Babes Wodumo, Afrotainment boss DJ Tira, and Amapiano sensation Young Stunna worked on the forthcoming album. He further guaranteed their music fans that the collection will be delivered under Afrotainment in association with West Ink Records and 108 Amusement