The Irresistible Charm of Lutendo CJ Munyai –
Khaladzi a vho Rasta
For Lutendo CJ Munayi, the year 2022 was intense, full with great studio sessions, road shows, media tours, live performances, video shoots, and awards nominations. He started the year where he left off in 2021 by promoting his debut album Gi Mi Credit. He released two singles Africa and Sweet Reggae Music ft. Rockstone under the Coolpro Production from Malawi.
It has been said that when in the presence of Lutendo CJ, the language spoken is music, anything and everything related to music roots reggae and dub music. He oozes with charisma and humility and is a media darling.
He blessed us with a phenomenal debut album Gi Mi Credit courtesy of Adziambei Music Academy, which also has recording studios with bases in Venda and Pretoria where the likes of Dr. Colbert Mukwevho, Kenny Wailer, Ras Canly, Steve Netshishivhe and many prominent artists and players of instruments do their Recordings.
The album has the instrumentals blended with vocal delivery embodying the unmistakable limpopo accentuation of Reggae. The 12 tracks and 2 dub versions album was recorded live at Adziambei Music Academy and has a few break out singles: Musadzi wa vho Rasta, Serious Times, Beautiful Dread and the lead single GI mi Credit.
It was a great experience for me working on this album, I mean had an opportunity to meet and to work with great musicians on this project, to name a few, we had Dr Colbert Mukwevho and the family band ,Tuthukani Cele, Jayco, Steve Netshishivhe, Lufuno Nzhelele.” Lutendo CJ
The popular track Musadzi wa vho Rasta off the album was subsequently nominated at the South African Traditional Music Awards in the Reggae category. He ran a good race and that was the period when his vibrant personality became visible. He showed his appreciation in the most affectionate ways with video clips. Embarked on the SATMA road show and made multiple public appearances; always with his guitar on him. He did radio interviews covering the Limpopo area and took it to the people with live gigs. He was competing against Burning Fyah, also from Limpopo and Jeremiah Fyah Ises from Gauteng. Burning Fyah won the award and Lutendo won the hearts of many. His presence on social media made sure of that. The SATMA nomination was soon followed by another nomination at the South African Upcoming Music Awards 2022. He continued with his charm to run the race which he lost to another fellow Limpopian Bashy Jah Bless. It was a thrilling and exciting race for him:
“This is my time. This is my first nomination. This is my first Album. And I have also been nominated for the SAUMA (South African Upcoming Awards) for this album. I think this album was considered more on SATMA than SAMA (South African Music Awards) because of its Reggae Traditional feel.“
He taught himself how to play the guitar with a guide book and DVD, a feat that was not so difficult considering that he was already able to play a musical instrument – The flute, which he played when he was in high school. He went on to form his own 5 piece band with Naho on Drums, Rootsman Skanking on Bass, Naku on Keys ,Mdala/Peace on Rhythm guitar and himself on lead guitar and lead vocals. He arranges the music composition, and the poet in him come out through the lyrics. They then hit the Live Gig scene, because Live gigging is where the heart of Lutendo is.
“Absolutely that has always been my way of being a musician, playing music that’s why I always carry my guitar. I have been hitting the parks in Gauteng, Venda for years and of course we are doing a lot of other gigs but taking music to the people is a daily bread for me.“
Born in Miluwani Tshitangwe village of Venda in the Limpopo province, Lutendo, the fifth child of Mr Thinamanno David Munyai and Mrs Mashudu Unity Munyai, has been doing music from his school days at Makwarela Primary. He was a member of TSHIKONA – a Vhavenda Traditional Music Ensemble. The group went on to participate at the South African National Arts Festival in Makhanda in the Eastern Cape. At that time he was also listening to a lot of Western Popular music and had a particular acts like West life, Backstreet Boys, Bryan Adams, Prince, which would eventually have an influence on his style of delivery. It was not until a friend visited him and came with a Reggae Live Concert DVD that he was instantly hooked to Reggae. He decided there and then that this was meant for him. It was the very first time that he had seen Reggae musicians live: “I loved the way they dressed, the way they looked and how they conducted the music,” explained Lutendo. He naturally progressed to listening to Jamaican Legends like Bob Marley and the Wailers, Dennis Brown, Third World, Burning Spear and many more local and international artists. But he could not stay away much longer away from Reggae, because it permeates in Limpopo in as much the same way as Gospel, Rap, and local variations of Pop.
“From as long as I can remember Reggae music was there in Venda, we grow up hearing it from home, family friends and neighbours, as we all we have our legend of Reggae music who is DR Colbert Mukwevho and his family band, they catered us with great Reggae music for many years up until today, so there are a lot of Reggae Veterans and of course a lot more upcoming, which shows how reggae is growing in Venda and Africa as whole.” Lutendo.
The singer, songwriter and guitarist is blessed with two kids. He is now teaching one to play the guitar and these days he can be spotted walking hand in hand in the streets of Miluwani Tshitangwe. Giving us visuals of where he comes from with soundbites from his original Dub compositions. Lutendo truly feels that music can always be a great vehicle for people to use and raise more social awareness and developments.
Yeah! I would say that I’m a very vibrant and open minded u know, willing to explore. And yes I think my personality does have an impact on my music, my music actually represents who I am and my perspective in general, so I create music with every beat of my heart and every bone of my soul u know. ~ Lutendo CJ Munyai