CALABOOZ MUSIC GROUP

PROFILE
MUSIC GROUP OVERVIEW
Calabooz is a youthful kwaito music group priding ourselves in producing music and art of top quality and
with impact to its listeners. Our group is made of three members all who have been friends and faced
their challenges of life together since their early childhood days, with the members;

Ruben Maposa (LEAD SINGER)

STAGE NAME: SPEKEZELE

D.O.B:10/01/1988
PLACE OF BIRTH: Gaborone

Kelebile Sebotso

STAGE NAME: MZALABALA

D.O.B: 27/06/1988
PLACE OF BIRTH: Lobatse

Koketso Mokhungwa

STAGE NAME: MSHEBISTO

D.O.B: 02/08/1986
PLACE OF BIRTH: Molepolole

Calabooz is committed to and prides itself in producing music that speaks directly to the listener, our
music holds quality sound, messages about issues affecting the society we go on to spread these messages
and depict them in our music videos and social network platforms.

With over 20 tracks released and were recently nominated for a YAMAs award in the category ‘Best
Kwaito”, Calabooz has been a prominent group currently with our track “Mistress” circulating the
airwaves.

The music is managed by Omphile Kemane who works hand in hand with Mr. Katlego Lincoln Mogaodi
who overseas anything and everything that concerns the group on any legal capacity, overseeing all
agreements the group signs into.

Katlego Lincoln Mogaodi

Designation: Project Manager (Contracts and Social Media)

D.O.B: 23/07/1988
PLACE OF BIRTH: Gaborone
BACKGROUND
Calabooz was formed in 2005, we started off was a 17-member dance group, at this stage all the members
were still scholars, as time passed most of the members decided to quit the group and pursue other
interests in life living the current members to then decide to take it to the next level which meant
recording songs.

In 2006 after recording our first track titled” Mokapelo” we were granted opportunities to perform in
school talent shows, price giving ceremonies and so forth at this stage we were performing for free this
was until we graduated Cambridge in 2007 and the members were forced to briefly go their separate ways
because of life challenges. a year later all the members rejoined and started rehearsals on the few tracks
they had recorded in the earlier years. Faced with the major music industry challenges we none the less
tried our best to produce new material working hard and investing in our art so much that we ended up
working with the country’s best production studios and well renowned producers such as Prez Beatz, Bk
Proctor of Basement Records and Dr. Tawanda of Diamond Studio but to name a few.

Because of the local music conditions and the challenges faced by most artists most of which we
experienced first-hand we decided to then concentrate our efforts and music energies in charity work,
working hand in hand with “Scotchmans Group (Pty) Ltd through their ‘Gifts of Joy” initiative which aims
at bringing Christmas joy to the less fortunate children, mostly orphans housed in children’s homes e.g.
S.O.S.

Accolades and Nominations

1. Nominee for Best in Kwaito Yarona Fm Music Awards 2016

Industry Challenges
As a local music group in Botswana we are faced with various challenges and hindrances which do not
allow us as musicians to explore the available opportunities in the local industry. These challenges would
include the following;

1. High production cost from producers thus they end up not releasing our material
2. Promoters not affording us the necessary platform to communicate songs with meaning and with
proper messages for the youth
3. High costs for travel and other expenses due to lack of funds
4. Royalty payments being delayed by respective organizations
5. Producers and artists stealing copyright for our songs and other material
6. Delayed performance fees by promoters and event managers.

Musical Direction and Objectives

Our music direction is created as a means to communicate messages on issues affecting today’s youth.
The messages in the music cover relevant issue that take place daily and aim to educate the youth and
young adults on how better face and overcome those challenges.

The main facets that we will discuss and which we aim to instill through our music are as follows;

1. Abstinence
2. Teenage Pregnancy
3. Drug and substance abuse
4. Sport and wellness
5. Social and Professional skills development
6. Education

Abstinence
Our music compositions are developed with messages that influence a culture of abstinence in young
people (young girls and boys). The songs produced are aimed at imparting messages on key topics in a
way that the young can understand best without necessarily being monotonous.

These messages can be reflected from one of our songs “Mokapelo”.

Teenage Pregnancy
On teenage pregnancy, our music focuses on disseminating information that is relevant and key to young
individuals that they can directly relate with. The messages communicated here, through the music
involves informing kids on the effects of early pregnancies as a teenager also looking at the dangers and
disadvantages associated with these early pregnancies as teens.

The song that had messaging on this is, “Mistress”.

Drug and Substance Abuse

Drug and substance abuse is an issue that has been affecting young individuals for quite some time now
and it has it has been Botswana’s main priority to curb such. For this specific project, we have found it
necessary to also cover drugs and substance abuse as it influences other negative behaviors and acts that
young kids are practicing currently. Through our music, we saw it fit to directly communicate with the
young (boys and girls) messages on effects of drugs and substances in a light hearted but effective manner.

This can be noted from the song “Quit”.

Sport and Good Health

Our target focus here is to develop energetic and creative mindset in young individuals with a focus of
developing messages in song that aim to empower the youth to stay active and positive by being involved
in activities such as sport which promote good health.

Social and Professional Skills development

In the production of our songs empowering the youth to take a stand and be self-reliant is one of the key
areas we believe is necessary to impart positive messages that will grow these young individuals and
prepare them for the future challenges ahead.

Education
Education is the pillar of our nation as Botswana and we believe that, it is always best to relay and impart
the importance of school and learning new things through ways in which the youth can understand better.

Seeing the importance of education and the platform it has set for us we have learnt to master a craft
that has afforded us the platform to create songs addressing, encouraging and enforcing the power of
education in the modern day society.

This is reflected in the song “Mistress”.

Tracks and Materials Released

1. Mistress
2. Smanjemanje
3. Chiko Luvy
4. Lehureng
5. Joy
6. Mokapelo
7. Quit
8. Sentlhoboge

Social Media Accounts and Pages

Facebook: Calabooz Fan Page

Link: https://www.facebook.com/Calabooz-FanPage-1835981546646285/?ref=search

https://www.facebook.com/Calabooz-FanPage-1835981546646285/

You Tube: Legaga “Leratla” LaSetso

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LVEaP6zwB8&t=14s

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3EI7bjD6IMGWimqjbfzUbg