King Shaft Launches "H.I.M Album" Honouring the Legacy of Reggae
03 January 2025
Title: H.I.M
Artist: King Shaft
Featured Artists: Black x Bush Dokotela x Botanist Mr Lamington
Label: Concrete Jungle Studios and Publishing
Produced By: Botanist Mr Lamington
Mix and Mastering: Botanist Mr Lamington
Album Cover: Fantastic
Genre: Reggae Afrobeats
Released: January 2025
For decades, Lehlogonolo Moropane, who also goes by King Shaft has been one of the colourful energy at the heart of South Africa's creative scene. From respected productions such as Isibaya, Uzalo, Skeem Saam, eHostela, and Uzulu no Mhlaba, to redefining music, King Shaft has continued to push limits. This Epiphany, King Shaft brought one more cycle of his career to life with the hit single album, H.I.M, an album, which from the title designates, will highlight his passion for reggae, all infused with a soul of mbaqanga, and some blues, a sound that he has been honing through years of hard work and connectivity.
Born and raised in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, King Shaft's career started at a young age, influenced by reggae stars, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Lucky Dube, Burning Spear and Culture. It is at Durban, in 2010, that he finally blossomed into music as he co-founded the reggae group Rastas At Work, popularly known as RAW, alongside King David, Ras Zipho, Ras Mvuzo, and Lov I. It is there that they developed a sound, which reverberates both locally and internationally.
He returned to Johannesburg where he worked with one of the most sought-after music gurus, Ronnie “Teaspoon” Nkosi. The team not only succeeded in the musical development of King Shaft's title, the body of work also incorporated live bands to add weight and dimension to the show. Within a short time he was, in fact, a household name and was called upon to play at big events like Music Imbizo and the Mzansi Reggae Summer Festival.
King Shaft's artistry has seen him leave the southern African borders, performing in Swaziland, assessing a tour of Mozambique and tellingly, building an ever-expanding international following. His music tears down cultural boundaries; there are common denominators, namely the love, unity, and survival themes that can be found in the music of reggae blended with uniquely South African elements.
H.I.M: A Testament to Creativity
H. I.M is the celebration of this artistic growth of King Shaft; his debut solo album pays respect to the roots while also expanding its sounds with mbaqanga, soul, and blues. King Shaft strives to become more personal on each song of this album with an inspirational tale of tenacity and self-realization.
"I put my heart out into this album," says King Shaft. H.I.M is not only the story of me, as an artist, but also as an author of stories and a creative. I want it to connect with people and evoke the healing and unifying power of music"
King Shaft has something in store other than music for the year 2025. Not forgetting his movie roots, he envisions projects that merge both into visual storytelling with music to remember. King Shaft's road has spoken volumes for passion and also for being uninterruptedly tenacious. With H.I.M., he is about to set in concrete his place among the innovative and diverse creatives of South Africa.
Tracklist:
1. Jah Lady
2. Set Me Free
3. Buya
4. Love Reggae
5. Rastaman
6. Zolo ft BushDokotela (Co-Producer Teaspoon)
7. Ingoma (Co-Producer Teaspoon)
8. Thula Mama - Featuring Black, famous actor known for his roles in Hostela and IZulu Nomhlaba
9. City Of Gold ft Botanist Mr Lamington
10. King Of The Jungle
11. Nana Na (Co-Producer Teaspoon)
