TROMPIES


The name Trompies was inspired by the naughty but hard working TV character in the series Trompie en die Boksombende. The band is made up four old school friends Zynne "Mohoota" Sibika, Mandla "Spikin" Mofokeng, Eugine "Donald Duck" Mthethwa and Jairus "Jakarumaba" Nkwe and formed in late 1995. Trompies revived the art of Pantsula Jive, a sub culture dance style with a unique fashion and way of speaking which is a mixture South Sotho, Xhosa, Afrikaans, English and tsotsi-taal.

Spikin and Jakarumaba joined famous producer and singer Sello Chicco Twala as dancers and Spikin became Twala's pianist. Four years later he and the then unknown M'du Masilela (The Godfather) formed the group MM Deluxe. Mthethwa joined the group Casino who backed the Queen of Mapantsula Mercy Pakela, Ali Katt of Let The Good Times Roll fame and flamboyant Eric D. In the early 80's Mohoota and Jakarumaba studied Classical and jazz music through the London branch of Trinity College of Music, Donald Duck toured the world with SA's reggae king Lucky Dube and Spikin worked with the Phil Hollis as a sound engineer.

Spikin left Lucky Dube and formed Trompies with Mohoota and Donald Duck. Jakarumaba gave up his job as an electronic technician and joined the three who wrote, composed and produced for artists Baby Gee, Fatty Boom Boom aka Tsekeleke, Senyaka and Magents. They have had phenomenal hits as a group, as solo artists and in collaboration with Lebo Mathosa, Mafikizolo, Senyaka and the late Wendy Mseleku. The Trompies single Magasman went double-Platinum, their album Shoshaloza sold 80 000 copies and Pantsula sold 60 000 copies. Trompies have made several music videos and appeared on the hit etv series Backstage.