User:Mphodazz Hlahla/sandbox

Mpho Hlahla a sound engineer come producer born and bred in the capital city of South Africa to a family of 6 brothers. It was in his early ages when he discovered his love of music while still in school. what was to be a hobbit grew to be career that started in a community radio station in north Pretoria Gauteng called Soshanguve Community Radio. He then studied sound engineering in 1996 two year after he matriculated from a local school in Soshanguve called Lethabong high school. His few months in a class of sound engineering Mpho Hlahla always came out tops in his studies and this got him a recommendation to become an intern at South Africas top studio called Downtown Studios. The studio is known for producing great South African music the likes of Brenda Fassie, Chicco Twala, Brian Eno of U2, Ladydmith Black Mambazo to mention just few. It was not long Mpho Hlahla was already recording was now recording albums that went to sell gold and platinum. Mpho Hlahla first big brake came after he recorded the come back album by south Africas afro pop king Joe Nina of Ding Dong fame titled Sbali. Soon after the success of Joe Ninas album he was ana assistant engineer in the making of Mandoza's debut album Zola 925 and HHP debut album. He went on to work with music giants such as Doc Shebeleza and The late great Robbie Malinga. Mpho Hlahla's journey was only starting as he joined a group of young artists to coin their own sound and release their first offering in 1999 under melt 2000 named Suspects. Suspects was made of young musicians from all corners of South Africa it included Jazz Langa, Professor, Jimmy Mafela, Ronnie Lekgonthula, Tebogo Sgebi and Tebogo Mokhobo. Soon after he became the house hold name in South African music industry as a sound engineer. Mpho Hlahla worked with Sipho Sithole who was then the acting CEO of Gallo records on Kelly Khumalo's project, the late Lebo Mathosa who then recruited him to join his record label Native Rhythms Records. Mpho Hlahla didn't take the offer immediately as he traveled Africa extensively and spending almost two years on the road in African countries such as Tanzania and Kenya. Upon his return in 2006 he joined Native Rhythms Records and recorded, composed and coproduced the sensational afro singer Camagwini who got nominated 5 times the 2007 SAMA awards. In the same year he recorded and co-produced the infamous Zulu rapper Zuluboy's award winning album inqolobane with hit songs like the remix of Caiphus Semenya's Nomalanga. Later he engineered the debut album of Zakwe and produced the famous acapella group The Soils's debut album titled The Soil which went on to sell platinum. Mpho Hlahla then went on to coin his own sound by forming a lounge house group called Deepa Trybz ft Vuyo Tyolo and the famous dj Black Coffee. Currently Mpho Hlahla formed his own record label named Gem Shack and has signed and unearthed a couple of talented musicians in South Africa NickSoul, Eternal, Skinny Gibbz, Calvin Mayer, Cici to name but a few. Hi motto to life and success is dream it be it.