Joseph Mdyandu, aka Phuzekhemisi, played a role in the urbanization of Zulu traditional pop with his first big hit, "Imbizo." His stage name literally means "drink at the chemist." Using it and his urban maskanda, he rose from his job in the back of a furniture shop to become an internationally celebrated star of South African roots music.

n the beginning, Phuzekhemisi's socially conscious messages were seen as threatening, and he was actually banned from a number of hostels in Zululand. But he continued on to stardom, never losing sight of a key objective, to bring peact to KwaZulu-Natal. He has collaborated with older maskanda greats, and with a Ndebele singer/guitarist Nothembi. As of 2001, he had released eight albums of his own.

Contributed by: Banning Eyre