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By Therese Owen

STOAN always laughs at the dry and often bizarre humour of Jahseed. These two men, together, with Thandiswa Mazwai, are Bongo Maffin, a group that for 10 years has successfully pushed the boundaries of African music.

After a break of four years, the trio have just released another album, New Construction. We are discussing the group's successful appeal to people right across the spectrum.

"Bongo Maffin appeals to kids from Zola or kids from Sandton. The intellectuals love us because they can find the deeper meaning in our music," says Stoan.

"All three of us had rather unstable backgrounds and we all grew up in rural areas. This is reflected in our music."

"I saw my first European when I was six years old," says Jahseed, who grew up in Zimbabwe. "I was curious to see them because everyone said they had really long noses."

Stoan looks at him and laughs. Jahseed continues in his droll Rastafarian accent: "We grew up without mirrors. The only time I saw myself was when I saw my reflection in the river. I did not grow up knowing about my outer self."

"Or how handsome you are," quips Stoan.

"Yeah," says Jahseed. "I wasn't conscious how I looked on the outside, I was more conscious about how I felt on the inside.

"Then the guerillas would come and make us dance all night. I grew up during the Zimbabwean War of Liberation," Jahseed continues.

He and Stoan spontaneously break into a freedom song. Stoan looks at Jahseed fondly: "See what I have to deal with," he tells me.

Jahseed then starts rambling in Shona/Irie Rastafarian. He loses me totally. "You don't live on Planet Earth," I remark. "You live on Planet Jahseed."

"Ja mon," he replies. "On Planet Jahseed I be da po-lees, I be da judge, I be da lawyer, I be da ..."

So how has Bongo Maffin managed to stay on top of their game for so long?

Stoan answers the question. "Well, Thandiswa and I have a child together," he says. "But the three of us do spend time together outside of the industry. We've also been touring in Europe, the US and Japan over the last four years."

"We are the ambassadors of the Afro-pop sound," says Jahseed. "Our sound speaks on a social level. We can communicate with most people. We are global artists."

Just how did the group decide that was the direction they wanted to go in? Back in the mid-90s they certainly created a new sound.

Bits of Afro-jazz, Western pop sensibilities and a large dollop of traditional African combined with modern Afro-pop.

"I think much respect must go to Boom Shaka," says Jahseed.

"They took sounds from the US and the UK and mixed it with their roots."

"Oskido from Kalawa actually put us together," adds Stoan. "Speedy (who left the band) was there for the R&B angle, Jahseed for the reggae and me for the poetry.

"Initially being in the studio was difficult for me," Stoan recalls. "I hated the sound of my voice for a long time. But I became confident and started experimenting."

Well, thousands of fans find nothing wrong with this beautiful man's voice. He also shines on their latest CD, which is damn fine and again shows the brilliant production of their long-time producers, Kalawa Jazmee.

"The album is instantly recognisable as Bongo Maffin music," says Stoan.

"Our producers came up with the sound, the beats and then vocally we take it in another direction. So New Contract is pretty experimental without losing the listener."

Since their previous release, Bongolution, Thandiswa has carved a solo career as one of SA's top female artists while Stoan started his own record company, Stoan-Aig.

"I released a solo album in 2004 but it received bad publicity from Universal Records," he says.

"But I've realised that I no longer have the luxury of experimenting. I have to balance my artistic side with selling records."

This is definitely the case with Bongo Maffin's music. While their sound was new in 1996, they still had a commercial appeal.

"The fact is that in the music industry most people only last five years at the top," he says.

"The key to longevity is to define yourself and look at things long term."

"Ten percent of artists in the industry studied music and the business of music," adds Jahseed. "Most just go into it blindly. You gotta realise that the music industry is a whole study on its own."

Jahseed and Stoan say they also fulfil different roles within the group. Stoan is the organiser and deals with the lawyers and the record companies.

"Me, I worry about the live sound," says Jahseed. So what role does Thandiswa play?

The two guys look at each other. "She is the diva who dresses nice," answers Jahseed.

"She dresses nice and she comes late," smiles Stoan.

It's fantastic to see a group who are genuinely comfortable with each other.

Although Thandiswa is not there, it is evident from their conversation that they have much love and respect for her, and that their soulful music comes from a deep friendship between the trio. A deep friendship that comes from ups and downs over 10 long years - Star
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