[23 October 1975 – 15 February 2023]
MBULELO DADDY SPENCER MICHAEL MATO
Mbulelo Michael Mato was born on October 23, 1975 in Gugulethu, a township that lies 15km from Cape Town, South Africa. Its name is a contraction of igugu lethu, which is Xhosa for Our Pride. He grew up in humble settings with his parents and two siblings, the third sibling having passed away in the early stages. He earned his stage name Daddy Specer for his ability to nature, guide, inspire and motivate others. A fatherly figure who eventually got the moniker Di Gyals Defender. He has been active in the music scene since the early nineties.
Early Years
Daddy Spencer was born a year before the volatile June 16 1976 Uprisings in Soweto that would change the course of the country’s history. The protest spread to other townships including Gugulethu in Cape Town, where Daddy Spencer was born and raised. The years that followed were characterised by violent clashes, mass funerals, demonstrations. All this took a toll on the already impoverished townships. He saw and experienced first hand the the hardships of the ghettos. He was fornunate enough to have a strong family background that would anchor him in those turbulant years. He recalled fondly how his grandmother instilled in him discipline through her tough personality, a matriarch who took charge of her grandchildren’s upbringing. His grandfather on the other hand was a quiet and humble man. Daddy Spencer had memories of his grandfather reading him bedtime stories (Intshomi) that he would fall asleep to and the grandfather would carry him to bed. He would get briefly woken up by the touch of his grandfathers beard, and would immediately fall back to sleep, knowing that he is safe. These two characters – discipline and humility – he inherited from his grandparents would greatly shape his personality. His soft humble side is what made him so loved and respected by all who he has crossed paths with.
School Years
In 1983 he was about to start middle school and he wished so hard to go to a white school called Livingstone in the suburbs of Cape Town, but could not get in because he missed the registration deadline. He was accepted at Khayelitsha Primary School. He later enrolled at Oscar Mpetha High School in Nyanga (named after a South African trade unionist and political activist.). This is where he came into direct contact with the Rastas and was eternally impressed. He had been listening to Reggae music but was not fully conversant with Patwa at that time but was quite familiar with the music, but seeing Rastas in real life was an eye opener for him. Back home he started collecting reggae tapes with his cousins.
The Formative Years
He formed a Ragga /Hiphop fusion group called Ghetto Maffin with his home boys Ginger Cobra and Suga. They fused ragga and hip hop and made a name for themselves with hits like Heyo (Sound of the Ghetto), God is My Shield, Murderer. The group was based in Gugulethu and made an impact around the ghettos and the greater Cape Town hiphop hot spots.
Johannesburg and Kwaito
He later left for Johannesburg to seek greener pastures. At this time South Africa was emerging from the dingy old days of Apartheid and the youth had found their voice and created a genre called Kwaito, which became the national sound at that time. When he got toJohanesburg, his longtime friend and fellow co-artist TEBA was already there and well integrated in the social and creative scene. Teba would introduce him to Reason who was then part of Black by Nature crew. He joined Reason and became the founding member of a Kwaito group called ‘Trybe. The group of four, Mbulelo, Reason, William and Isaac released popular timeless hits like DIBA DIBA, SHELELA, CHACHACHA. They were hugely popular Daddy Spencer brought in the Ragga Muffin aspect to the group. In the same way that his friend TEBA added the Ragga Muffin element in the popular group SKEEM. This was a very common occurance in Kwaito, a fusion of all genres in South Africa. Universal Music Group SA quickly signed the group and Daddy Spencer was now enjoying success, touring the country,TV appearances. The group got nominated at the KORA Awards. In an interview, Daddy Spencer stated that his favourite song of all time was Belinda, taken from the Diba Diba Kwaito album of 98. He said he like the song because it was his first Reggae inspired tune that went national.
Daddy had to quit the group and return to Cape Town due to health challenges, but not before recording and realising his debut solo album HIYO produced by Gabi Le Roux in 2002 under the Universal Music Group SA label.
Cape Town
Back home in Cape Town Daddy made a full recovery and started hitting the local scene and fell back into Reggae and Dancehall. The Ragga scene was in full swing with the Chronic Clan, the groundbreaking Ragga crew from Cape Town formed by Zoro, Crosby and Suga, paving the way for many artists. He did some recordings with local productions, Spliff Records; Ghetto Sound, Rebels’Tone Music Lab, Blackstarliner Movement (Zimbabwe) and also overseas producers like Shiloh Ites (Sweden) and Segnale Digitale (Spain),
International Tours
In April 2013 Daddy Spencer was chosen to be part of a cultural exchange project called “Kaapstad meets Kytopia”, which was a collaboration of artists from Cape Town and artists from Kytopia, Utrecht in the Netherlands. Within a space of a week, already existing songs from the artsts, were reconstructed, re-arranged and rehearsed. In the the second week of the 5th May there were great performances at the Bevrijdings Festivals Flevoland, Den Haag and Utrecht, and Kaapstad meets Kytopia continued with shows at the Grounds Rotterdam on 9th May, Sugar Factory in Amsterdam on 10th May and at Simplon Groningen on the 11th May. After the cultural project, Daddy Spencer peformed alongside one of his long time bredren, Teba Shumba at the “Wha Gwaan” event organised by Rudeboys Lodge in Haarlem. Whilst in Kytopia a compilation of the songs that were performed were recorded live at the Kytopia Studios in Utrecht which was to be released that year.
Daddy Spencer left the Netherlands and went to Berlin, Germany, where he recorded a song for the Alltone Studios Compilation at the Alltone studios at Yaam, Berlin. In that period he met Victoria Kadito, known as Firstlady, it was through the common love of music that they connected. It was Victoria Kadito who introduced Daddy Spencer to Matheus Freire, of Black Time Productions. The connection with Black Time Productions was even stronger and resulted in the song “Sicel’uzise Uthando“. Daddy Spencer was also one of the artists that were going to feature on the “Do something Project mixtape” compiled by Dj Irieoneness from Sweden. The profits from the sales of the CD’s will go to support an NGO dealing with aids orphans in Zimbabwe.
In Berlin, he fell in and blended well within the Reggae scene. His longtime bredren Vido Jelase also from Cape Town was already settled in Berlin and that made it easier for Daddy Spencer to continue with his musical projects. The years that followed saw Daddy Spencer releasing singles on riddims produced by well known and respected producers from Cape to Copenhagen. In 2018 he made it into the R&D Vibes Reggae Italian Charts and got playlisted on Radio Pulsar’s Culture Dub show and many other international radio shows. He performed extensively in South Africa in the major concerts and Festivals, big and small.
Wild Flower – The Album
In 2014 Daddy Specer independently released and distributed a Reggae album titled Wild Flower,. An impressive compilation of the singles recorded over the years with various productions from across the globe. Rebels’tone Music Lab Cape Town, Shiloh Ites Production Sweden, Black Times Productions Brazil, Dj Noox-Kiltir Re-Union Island, Live Wire Record Botswana, Spliff Rec Cape Town, Blackstarliner Movement Zimbabwe. Wild Flower was also the lead track off the album, having enjoyed much rotation when released as part of the Compilation Underage Riddim by Rebel’stone Musik Lab, Cape Town. The album included the innovative track with the Gugulethu Quartert called Mount Zion.
Mbulelo ‘Daddy Spencer’ Michael Mato died on 15 February 2023.
Discography
ALBUMS
Diba Diba – Trybe – Universal Music Group SA
HIYO , Universal Music Group SA
Daddyology – Independent
Wild Flower – Independent
Youth Man Dub EP – Segnale Digitale
OWAM
SINGLES
2006 – Can’t Win This Time (Shiloh Ites Music)
2012 – My Love Blazin Chief Inc
2013 – Would you Believe Blazin Chief Inc
2013 – Wild Flower Underage Riddim Rebelstone Music lab
2011 – Bring Love [CMF Riddim – Segnale Digitale
2011 – Give thanks [ Blue Nights Riddim] – Segnale Digitale
2012 – Jah Spear [Shiloh Ites]
2012 – Youthman Bass Culture Signals Vol.2 Segnale Digitale
2012 – Reggae Vibes [ Bass Culture Signals Vol 2. – Segnale Digitale
2015 – Ungreatful Ft. Crosby – TCF Rock Riddim – Chosen Few Records Switzerland
2015 – Unknown Rootswine Riddim – Jammin Media Group
2015 – Nuh Bow Ghetto Sounds Vol 1 Angel Youth Enterprises / Ghetto Vibrations
2016 – Ivili Liyajika [Dream Riddim] produced by Big Rebel
2017 – Uzungatjyafi – Early Morning Riddim MAK Records
2018 – Holy Mount Zion Ft. Jossy Dephina, Produced by Sista Habesha
2019 – Owam – Looking Forward Riddim Jammin Media Group
2019 – Intsholo Ft. Crosby [Reggae Everytime Riddim – THe Chosen Few Records
2019 – How Do You [More Fire Riddim] Ft. Dan I Locs [Yutman Records]
2020 – Music is Life Ft. Empress Pro – Victory Riddim
2020 – Love Drops Falling – Love Drop Riddim , Maximum Stylez Records
2021 – Seku Late – I Surrender Riddm, Jammin Media Group
2021 – Take A Look Tuff Times Riddim [Be Wild Production]
2021 – Ochongiweyo Real Reggae Vibez Riddim produced by KSG Di Don
2021 – Stop Meddling, Dreadlock Tales Production
2021 – You gonna Miss Her GBV Riddim O2Man Production
2022 – Yomelela – Apocalyptic War Riddim [Flyweh Productions]
2022 – Sentinel Mcveigh CPT, Unkapt Ft. Daddy Spencer – Whats Next – Triple V Records
2022 – Ndiyakholwa Nguwe Flight Mode Riddim Blackness Blue Production
Performances
March 2012 – Reggae Dancehall Eruption, ReUnion Island
April 2012 – Music Unite Cape Town opening for Sizzla
Sept 2011 – Opending Act for Lutan Fyah Live in Cape Town, Legends Farm, Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town
Dec 2011 – Afrika All Star Reggae Festival, Legends Farm, Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town
May 2013 – Cape Town Meets Kytopia Cultural Exchange Programme,Den Haag & Utrecht
May 2013 – Grounds Rotterdam – Kaapstad meets Kytopia Cultural Exchange Programme
May 2013 – Suger Factory Amsterdam
May 2013- Simplon Groningen
May 2013 – Wha Gwaan Haarlem
Mar 2014 – Opening Act for Dzadza D Live in Cape Town
Dec 2017 – Sunny Ocean Reggae Festival, Western Cape
Aug 2018 -Daddy Spencer alongside Deng Deng Hifi Live at Plan B Club, Malmo, Sweden
Feb 2019 – Sthlm Reggae Klubb, Sweden
Jan 2019 – African Jazz Club, Stolkholm Sweden
Mar 2019 – Daddy Spencer & The Mau Mau Warriors Live in Stockholm
July 2019 – Daddy Spencer Live at Noel’s. Stolkholm, Sweden
May 2021 – Back To My Roots Festival , Soweto
Mar 2020 – Reggae on the Beach , Kogel Bay Beach Resort, Western Cape
Apr 2020 – Legit Hip Hop and Reggae Sessions, Athlone, Cape Town
Apr 2022 – Rastafari Cultural Festival –
Dec 2022 – One Love Reggae Sunsplash
Jan 2023 – Reggae inna Park, Cape Town