Black Coffee dishes on why certain SA acts aren’t joining him for historic New York gig

Black Coffee is headlining his own show at Madison Square Garden next weekend and on Thursday explained why only some of his favs are going with him.

Black Coffee will become the first South African act to headline at the revered Madison Square Garden venue in New York.

“I have a song with Shekhinah, but couldn’t include it to my set, I just did a remix for a Snoh Aalegra song and could’ve had her at the show, but the song doesn’t fit the set. I build a set based on just music and then the artists would come through that selection,” said the Grammy award-winning producer at his send-off party in Fourways.

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Black Coffee SA’s first headline act at Madison Square Garden

The fortunate artists who will be supporting him include Msaki, Superman singer Bucie and childhood friend Shota.

Msaki and Black Coffee have collaborated on a number of songs and she confessed that she had already made plans to be in New York next weekend, even prior to being approached by the producer.

“It would’ve been silly for me to miss this opportunity. I was honoured [when I was asked]. It was a no-brainer and I said: ‘ja, I was gonna be there anyway. I don’t mind singing, I would be happy to sing. It doesn’t feel like a different thing, I was gonna be there to see it..

“For me it’s an honour, to see a guy I grew up with doing so well. I was actually raised by his grandmother, we met in 1992. I’ve been following his journey as a friend, I always provide emotional support more than anything,” said Shota. The two were part of Afro-pop trio called SHANA (Simply Hot and Naturally African).

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African music on the world stage

Before the party kicked off for the evening, Black Coffee, Msaki, Shoba and Castle Lite Brand Director Colleen Duvenage had a roundtable discussion hosted by actor Lawrence Maleka.

Black Coffee explained he’d always had a vision of seeing African music on the world stage, referring to an interview he did while in New York a couple of years ago.

“I’ve just always felt like this music deserves to be on the biggest platform as possible. I used to do interviews back in the day and I remember one journalist asked me, while I was in New York, ‘what are you trying to do’” said Black Coffee.

“My answer was, imagine Superman which is sung by Bucie, being sung by Beyoncé, without changing anything. The genre deserves that.”

Superman was given the international treatment a few years later by another superstar a few years later: Drake on his More Life album.

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