Dazz-B MusiQ

DAZZ-B MUSIQ (OBAKENG KEKANA) – MASTER BIOGRAPHY (2026)

Obakeng Kekana, known as Dazz-B MusiQ, is a South African producer whose work operates at the centre of the M2KR (MELT2000 Revisited) catalogue. His practice is based on the reinterpretation and extension of legacy recordings, working directly with material from artists such as Busi Mhlongo, Madala Kunene, Moses Taiwa Molelekwa, Mabi Gabriel Thobejane and Pops Mohamed.

His early contributions to M2KR were focused on remixing, working from existing recordings and adapting them to contemporary electronic formats. By 2025, this approach developed into a more defined method of structural reconstruction. Releases such as Webaba Omncane (produced with Slaga and featuring Xingondo King) and Thin’ Izizwe (Change Down Mix) established a workflow built on isolating original vocal and rhythmic elements, then reshaping arrangement, timing and low-end structure for modern dancefloor contexts. During this period, his collaborative reach expanded across the catalogue, including work with I.O.P on Awukhumuzi in the Mix.

A key shift came through his work on Madala Kunene material. His interpretation of Ubombo, produced with Smadj, introduced a cross-continental framework combining North African instrumentation with South African electronic rhythm structures. This was followed by Areyeng (Simply a Bass Remix), originally featuring Robert Doc Mthalane and Mabi Gabriel Thobejane, where he moved toward a more reduced, bass-driven production language while maintaining the percussive identity of the original recordings.

By the final quarter of 2025, his work moved beyond reconstruction into original collaborative production. The MEROPA EP, featuring Mabi Gabriel Thobejane and Tarang Cissokho, positioned percussion and ancestral rhythm as the central compositional elements rather than as overlays. Tracks such as Sanou – L’Homme Honorable and The Legend of Zwara – Sub Bass as the Soul (Ancestor Mix) reflected a shift toward building electronic structure directly from traditional rhythmic sources.

This direction continued with The Dream Spirit, a tribute to Pops Mohamed. The project brought together Madala Kunene and bassist Bernard Sibusiso Mndaweni in a live-informed recording context, grounding the production in performance rather than programming. This marked a clear transition in Dazz-B MusiQ’s role—from remixing existing material toward custodianship and continuation of legacy work.

In 2026, this trajectory extends into a new phase. Under the encouragement of M2KR label founder Robert Trunz, Obakeng Kekana established his own imprint, THAT BEAT. The label provides a platform not only for the development of his own catalogue, but for a broader expansion into both commercial and experimental dance music territories. It marks a structural shift—from operating within an archive-led ecosystem to defining an independent production identity, while maintaining a direct lineage to the MELT 2000 and M2KR frameworks.

Alongside this development, his M2KR work continues with several new volumes of the Music With No Name project. Obakeng’s initial release, Vol. 5 – Shaman’s Promise, was released in March 2026. The project builds on the original ElectricMELT series (1996–2008), which established a model for cross-cultural remixing between South African music and global electronic forms. Drawing on material linked to Mabi Gabriel Thobejane and Robert Doc Mthalane, the project also incorporates international collaborators including Boris Salchak, Airto Moreira and Christy Doran. Elements such as Tuvan throat singing, experimental percussion and avant-garde guitar are integrated into an Afro House framework, maintaining the intercultural dialogue while extending it into contemporary production.

Across this body of work, Dazz-B MusiQ treats the MELT 2000 archive as active material. His approach is not preservation in a static sense, but reconstruction—working from original recordings, retaining their cultural weight, and placing them into new structural and sonic contexts.