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Trending in Ishmael’s World
Latest Album
Ke Waka
Released Sep 9, 2016
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Quick Facts
Born
1971
1971
From
South Africa
South Africa
Journey
Molefi Ishmael Morabe, known professionally as Ishmael, is a South African artist whose work moves across hip hop, kwaito, and R&B, with a career that stretches across more than twenty years of recorded output. Born on 30 November 1971 in Delareyville and raised in Rustenburg, his upbringing took place during a period of major political and cultural change in South Africa, a background that played a role in shaping his early direction and long-term involvement in music.
His first major public recognition came through Prophets of Da City (POC), a group widely respected for its politically focused hip hop during the final decades of apartheid. That period placed him within one of the most important creative collectives of that era and helped establish a foundation for his later solo work and collaborations.
From 2001 to 2022, Ishmael released a series of solo projects through Sound African Recordings, including Jumaima, Ke Waka, I Am the Ish, S'manje Manje, and Akuna Mathata. These projects marked different stages of his career, showing consistency and adaptability across shifting industry trends in South African popular music.
His contributions were formally recognised with a South African Music Award for Best R&B Album in 2006, followed by another SAMA recognition in 2012, reinforcing his position as a respected figure in the national music landscape.
In 2007, he co-founded the group Jozi alongside Bongani Fassie, Da Les, and Crazy Lu. The group brought together artists from different backgrounds and further expanded his presence within collaborative projects.
Over time, Ishmael has worked with a wide range of artists across different periods of South African music, linking early hip hop foundations with later developments in contemporary urban music. His career reflects continuity across changing eras, with involvement in groups, solo work, and collaborations that connect multiple phases of the country’s musical history.
