Three months after releasing the album, Amavo – A Journey with Azania, backed by Azania Band, Maveriq Mavo was approached by the French Reggae backing band, Official Staff to lay lyrics on one of their riddims they produced at that time. It had 11 artists coming from countries such as Ivory Coast, Jamaica and some European countries. Maveriq jumped on the riddim with the track Mntu Wakuthi and subsequently led to the birth of his current 10 track album, Owam uThixo, released in September 2022.
A Music teacher by profession and a MAPP Jazz Academy graduate, Maveriq is a custodian of our culture and history. A staunch believer in the presevation of indegenous languages, he composes and performs all his songs in his native isiXhosa language ensuring that the message gets to be relayed, therefore his albums and song titles read like history and culture books. His songs are teachings about oneself with an emphasis of knowing thyself. In the track Ithuba Lam he reflects on the repressive Apartheid era that shaped many South African lives, ordinary or otherwise. Izinyembezi Zam is basically a man crying and overwhelmed by a people who do not show pride in who they are, a people who do not appreciate their culture. He pleads with the Ancestors to guide and be with him all the time in the track Zenibe Nam. Being a man from the foundation period, the passing of the last remaining member of the Wailers, Bunny Wailer had him pay a tribute to him with the track Kungahlala Ku Irie – Tribute to Bunny Wailer a few days after his passing. He sent a strong motivational message in the track Liwile, meaning Babylon has fallen and people must walk tall and proud to reclaim their glory with the guidance of the most high and the Ancestors who would never lead us astray.
For the launch of the album Owam uThixo he released a mini documentary which had industry people detailing his music and what it means to them.
Maveriq is a soldier who never sleeps, he intesified his efforts to promote both Albums concurrently, not an easy ride for an indie artist, however his efforts were not in vain. During this period the 8 track album, Amavo – A Journey with Azania graduated with 7 official music videos: The popular Qiqa Mzala a tribute to the revolutionary leaders, highlighting particularly Thomas Sankara. His music videos are collated in his youtube channel: The Music of Maveriq Mavo
He embarked on a self-funded nationwide ‘Qiqa Mzala Reggae Tour in September following his album release together with his management Herburn Edutainment, Sadly due to health matters beyond the artist control, the tour had to be postponed with plans of continuing in 2023.
“Juggling between two albums needs consistency, passion and moreover,determination”.
Maveriq Mavo