Things may not be going well for Kaizer Chiefs, but that won't erase the great memories South African rapper Kwesta has as an Amakhosi supporter, especially with his all-time favourite players being Scara Ngobese and Jabu Pule.
Soccer Laduma caught up with the rapper, real name Senzo Vilakazi, to talk about his journey with Amakhosi, which started as a kid through his eldest uncle.
As a Kaizer Chiefs fan, after the season they have had of not winning a trophy yet again, how do you feel?
It's not good right now because we are not talking about just one bad season. It's been a few seasons and that's why it's a difficult thing to support Chiefs because there is a style of play and flair that Chiefs used to have that they don't have anymore. I don't know what that boils down to. A lot of people are saying it's management and the type of players that are being bought and the type of strategies that are being brought up by the coach. I cannot be sure what it is, but Chiefs have certainly lost a certain style of play that was naturally South African and yielded results. They used to win trophies. I don't know long we've gone without a trophy now and it all goes down to the commitment of the players and also the style. I don't see an identity right now. They are all just running after the ball.
Is there a Chiefs era that you think of and feel was your best?
It was the era when we had guys like Arthur Zwane, Stanton Fredericks, Jabu Pule...I think it was the Ted Dumitru era. But even before Ted, there was Paul Dolezar who had guys like Shakes Khungwane in his team. Even the coach could not mess it up. The players were just too good. The era of Shabba (Siphiwe Tshabalala) also came in and did their thing, but that was the last glory days of Chiefs.
It sounds like you've been an Amakhosi supporter for a while. When did your love affair with them start?
It started when I was a kid. I forget exactly when, but my eldest uncle used to bribe us with cold drink whenever Chiefs were playing, to say we should support Chiefs. He would buy cold drink and some chips and we would sit and watch Chiefs. We loved Chiefs because this would happen whenever Chiefs played. But when Chiefs lost, it would be sour. It was me, my cousins and my brother. It was not necessarily about Chiefs directly. It was the cold drink that we would get whenever Chiefs played. And then eventually it just became a thing because it was the only team we were watching and we started feeling a love for it. That's how it started. It became a culture.
What's your best memory as a Chiefs supporter?
I remember the Rothmans Cup between Chiefs and Sundowns. Chiefs won that and it was beautiful. Then there was the Coca Cola Cup final where we beat Jomo Cosmos 5-0. That game was so insane because it was a final. No one expects a 5-0 in the final. A final is normally a hard fought thing. It's normally 2-1, 2-0 or there is a penalty. I remember that vividly. Jabu Pule (now Jabu Mahlangu) scored with his head. That was insane.
Do you collect Chiefs jerseys?
I have a few. I have four Chiefs jerseys from the last four seasons. I can say I only started my collection about four years ago. But I do have a jersey from when Shabba was playing against Free State Stars and I happened to be at the stadium, providing the entertainment at half-time. I got one of his jerseys, so that was pretty special. He was playing against his former team, which was special.
Who is your all-time favourite Chiefs player?
I have an all-time favourite Chiefs player in terms of bringing results and I have an all-time favourite Chiefs player in terms of just the style of play. My favourite all-time Chiefs player, in terms of results, is Jabu Pule. In terms of style of play and flair, it's Scara Ngobese. He was my favourite every time he touched the ball, you had goosebumps. It was like art. I really loved how he played.
Who is your all-time favourite Chiefs coach?
It's Ted Dumitru. He did amazing things with Sundowns and he spilt that over at Chiefs. Ted was one of the best coaches we've ever had in this country and for him to have coached at Chiefs is a plus for us supporters.
If you had a blank cheque, which players would you sign for Chiefs next season?
I would probably go destabilize Sundowns by getting (Themba) Zwane and add (Peter) Shalulile. I can't think of a midfielder that sticks out now, but with that blank cheque, I'd get a lot of other supporting acts. But if I got Zwane and Shalulile, and get two or three other defenders, then it would be good.
Speaking of Sundowns, how does it feel knowing that they have won six Premiership titles in a row?
They play beautiful football. That's the problem. I don't support them, but I am a sucker for style of play. It's very entertaining to watch. It's actual football. You can see them build the play up and try to keep the possession. Some teams just kick the ball forward and hope something will happen. But these guys (Sundowns) are planning this thing as they play and it's beautiful to watch. This is how Chiefs used to play, and Pirates also. It's sad to watch as a supporter of Kaizer Chiefs, but it's very entertaining watching it. There is nothing we can do about it. That talent has merged together insanely.
Do you have a favourite player in the current Chiefs squad?
No. Not a single one. I think mainly it's because of effort. It's not based on their talent. I really don't have anything that sticks out. This is no offence to anyone, but it's just a challenge for them to do something so that we can be able to answer these questions easier and with honesty. Right now, there is no favourite.
Before we let you go, tell us about your upcoming concert in August?
Yeah, I've got a concert coming up in August. I've been in the industry for 16 years now and so I am gathering everyone I worked with for the past 16 years to do a show in the East Rand (of Johannesburg), where it all started for me, at Carvinal City, big top arena. It's really just a celebration of a milestone. The concert is called the 16th Bar. One bar a year. People are not just going to come there and watch me perform. I've been able to work with a lot of artists and all of them will come and lend their talents on the day. I am not there to promote the stuff I have now, but we are going to do stuff from 16 years ago. We are going to visually portray the growth of Kwesta, you know.
