Lvovo Claims Mampintsha Started Gqom, Mzansi Pushes Back Hard
- Lvovo made a bold claim on a podcast that the late Mampintsha was the one who invented Gqom music
- The statement sparked heated debate online, with many music fans disputing the timeline of the genre's origins
- Several Mzansi users named a different set of DJs as the true pioneers of Gqom, dating the movement back to 2011
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Rapper Lvovo has set Mzansi's music community ablaze after crediting the late West Ink boss Mampintsha as the man who invented Gqom, a claim that has drawn sharp pushback from fans and music historians alike.
The comments were made during a sit-down at what appeared to be the Podcast and Chill studio, where Lvovo, a Durban-based artist, sat alongside two hosts at a desk draped with a South African flag.
What did Lvovo actually say?
In the discussion, Lvovo pointed to Mampintsha's West Ink era as the defining moment when Gqom became a known sound, saying it was when artists like Babes Wodumo, Tipcee, and Goldmax first gained widespread recognition. He also reflected on the Durban music scene post-Mampintsha, suggesting the genre has stagnated since losing one of its biggest champions. He said during the interview.
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"I think because of a fallen soldier like Mampintsha, we're not doing great for Durban. The sound, they are stuck in one position.”
While Lvovo stopped short of saying Mampintsha produced the genre from scratch, the framing of his words implied that Mampintsha was the origin point, a position many listeners were quick to dispute. X user RealSihleIV, who shared the clip, was among the first to challenge the narrative, writing:
"This is not true; we were doing Gqom in the late 2000s, while Mampintsha might have helped some artists blow up, Gqom was already a culture when he joined it."
Watch the X video below:
Mzansi calls out the claim
The debate drew a flood of responses from people with first-hand knowledge of Durban's underground music scene.
T3chnical3rror wrote:
"These are the pioneers of Gqom: DJ Sbucardo, DJ Kaybee, DJ 66, DJ Target Nondileh, DJ Gukwa, Extra Large, Matsawu, Cave master, DJ Mata. Gqom movement started around 2011 if I'm not mistaken"
uKilla_K was blunt in his assessment:
"Mampintsha didn't start Gqom. He is spreading misinformation. For someone like him to not know the origins of Gqom is crazy. Igqom eDubane was not respected itself cause of the stigma it had in the 2000s of 'INGOMA ZOMUGWINYO'. Lvovo is trying to tell me akamazi uSbucardo?"
Not everyone disagreed entirely. piers_fish91138 offered a more measured take:
"I can't say he started it, but he definitely put them on to mainstream. When started West Ink, a lot of opportunities spawned for these guys. They went from gigging in the same 8 taverns & below 5K bookings to national stardom. Then MTV came & catapulted the genre"
Phelela88595352 added historical context:
"Naaaa, in South Beach Durban libe taxis the gqom was there. Gqom was a movement after Bin Laden’s house music, isinkwa sombila era. Then we had DJ Bongs; after it was gqom underground music"
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- A viral post asking whether Zakes Bantwini had donated to Lvovo divided social media, with many rushing to defend the award-winning musician.
- Kaizer Chiefs received L'vovo Derrango at their Naturena base and presented him with club merchandise.
- Kwaito star L'vovo Derrango received an outpouring of financial support from fans and fellow artists after his emotional Gagasi FM appearance went viral.
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Source: Briefly News
