Buffalo Souljah


Thabani Ndlovu, known professionally as Buffalo Souljah, is a South Africa-based Zimbabwean reggae recording artist and songwriter. He won ten times at the Channel O Africa Music Video Awards, Soundcity Music Awards, and Zimdancehall Awards and Nominated for Afrimma, Afrima, IRAWMA. He owns the record label U.N.A..
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Early life

Ndlovu was born in 1980 in Bulawayo as the third-born in a family of four. He then moved to Harare, where he was raised in the high-density suburb of Mufakose. He attended Mufakose High School and then moved to South Africa soon after graduating.

Career

Buffalo Souljah's career began at the age of eight when he composed his first song, "Zuva Randisinga Kanganwe". The song was inspired by a childhood incident in which he and his brother were chased by some baboons after having taunted and provoked them. Buffalo credits his passion for music to his father, who was also a musician. His father was a jazz artist and saxophonist who worked with Thomas Mapfumo in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Buffalo Souljah also recorded an Afro-jazz album called Indolvu Yangena on VaNyoni Beats Records, working closely with Mzilikazi Wa Afrika.

Early collaborations

In 1996, Buffalo Souljah and his friends David Zulu and Stewart Chamirai formed the group Intelligent Racuss Cruuks, formerly known as ULD, aka Prettybway. The group released three afro hip-hop albums, a mix of traditional music called jiti and hip-hop which involved a hip-hop drum, kick, and bass sequence fused with the Zimbabwean traditional instrument Mbira.
When he moved to South Africa in 1999, he entered its music industry and worked with several South African artists, featuring on their albums. In 2002, he had his first break working with the Ghanaian artist Kweku, aka Instinct. He was later involved with a group called Street Disciples and published an album, The Chosen Ones under the label Da Apostles.

Record deal: United Nations of Africa (U.N.A)

Later, Buffalo Souljah signed with HOTWAX records, a record album owned by veteran DJ Waxxy. Buffalo Souljah now owns and heads a record label called U.N.A., and signed his first artist, Vanessa Sibanda, formerly known as Queen Vee, in 2010. Queen Vee is a former pageant queen, being crowned Miss Zimbabwe in 2008. After relinquishing the crown in 2009, Queen Vee relocated to South Africa and met Big Buff, who eventually signed her to his label United Nations of Africa. Since 2010, Queen Vee has worked with celebrated musicians such as A L-Tido, Ziyon from Liquid Deep and AB Crazy among others.

Endorsements

Buffalo Souljah has signed endorsements with One Campaign, Coke Studios, and One Man Band.

Performances

Notable singles

In 2008, Buffalo Souljah released a dancehall single, "Bubble Ya Bums", for his debut album. It became a hit. The music video was on high rotation on Channel O and MTV Base and won him two Channel O Spirit Of Africa Awards in the categories "Best Newcomer" and "Best Dancehall/Ragga" respectively.

Awards and recognition

In 2013, Buffalo Souljah was appointed the Zimbabwean Youth Cultural Ambassador by Minister S. Kasukuwere.
Song/ProjectAwardYearPlatform
Bubble Your BumzBest Newcomer2008Channel O Africa Music Video Awards
Bubble Your BumzBest Ragga Dancehall Video2008Channel O Africa Music Video Awards
Buffalo Souljah/Taygrin/Gal level for My Type Of Girl Best Duo or Group2009Channel O Africa Music Video Awards
JudgementBest Ragga Dancehall Video2009Channel O Africa Music Video Awards
Ezandlha PhezuluViewers Choice 2010Soundcity Music Awards
Styra Inonyengesa featuring Cabo SnoopBest Ragga Dancehall2011Channel O Africa Music Video Awards
Turn UpMost Gifted Ragga Dancehall2014Channel O Africa Music Video Awards
N/ABest Artist Diaspora2015Zimdancehall Awards
N/AInternational Achiever2016Zimbabwe Music Awards
N/ABest ReggaeNigeria AFRIMA
N/AAfrica Best Dance hallTexas U.S
N/ABest International Artist2020Zimdancehall Awards
N/ARest of Africa 2021South African Music Awards

Buffalo Souljah is the only Zimbabwean artist to win multiple Channel O Music Video Awards.