In 1981, at the age of 16, she left Cape Town for Soweto, Johannesburg to seek her fortune as a singer. Brenda first joined the group Joy and later became the lead singer for the township pop group Brenda And The Big Dudes. She had a son, Bongani, in 1985 by a fellow Big Dudes musician. Brenda married ex-convict Nhlanhla Mbambo in 1989 but later in 1991 got divorced. It was around this time that she became addicted to cocaine and her career suffered.
With very outspoken views and frequent visits to the poorer townships of Johannesburg, as well as songs about life in the townships, she enjoyed tremendous popularity. Known best for her songs "Weekend Special" and "Too Late for Mama", she was called by Time Magazine in 2001 "The Madonna of the Townships".
In a drug-related incident in 1995 she was discovered unconscious with the body of her lover, Poppie Sihlahla, who had died of an apparent overdose. Fassie survived, underwent rehabilitation, and got her career back on track. However, she still had drug problems and returned to drug rehabilitation clinics about 30 times in her life.
Since 1996 she released several solo albums like "Now Is The Time", "Memeza" (1997, the best selling album in South Africa) or "Nomakanjani?". Most of her albums became multi-platinum sellers in South Africa.
On the morning of 26 April 2004, Brenda collapsed at her home in Buccleuch and was admitted into the Sunninghill hospital in Johannesburg. The press were told that she had suffered cardiac arrest but later reported that she had slipped into a coma brought on by an asthma attack. The post-mortem report revealed that she had taken an overdose of cocaine in the night of her collapse, and this was the cause of her coma. She stopped breathing and suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen. Brenda died at age 39 on 9 May 2004 in hospital without returning to consciousness after her life support machines were turned off. According to the South African Sunday Times and the managers of her music company, the post-mortem report also showed that she was HIV-positive. Her manager, Peter Snyman, denied this aspect of the report.
She was voted 17th in the Top 100 Great South Africans.
Source: Wikipedia
External link: Brenda Fassie: A very human hero (BBC News)
Mali
Brenda Fassie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ngothini mina ngawe mali
Ngolila mina koze kube nini na yo
Umama wangitshela ngawe
Wathi awulunganga bo
Uthathe abantabami
Uthathe nomuzi wami
Wangiyeka kanjalo
Kungcono ungithathe ngihambe
Ngilandel'umama wami
Kanti lomhlab'unjani
Ubhek'abanemali
Kanti lomtheth'unjani
Umunt'ungumuntu ngemali
We mali
Abant'abasathandani
We mali mali
Umuntu umuntu ngemali
We mali, ubulal'uMagubane
We mali, amajel'agcwele ngenxa yakho
Ngizothini mina babo, hayi ngemali
Ngizothini mina babo, hayi we mali
We mali, ubulal'uMagubane
We mali, amajel'agcwele ngenxa yakho
Ngizothini mina babo, hayi ngemali
Ngizothini mina babo, hayi we mali
Kanti lomhlab'unjani
Ubhek'abanemali
Kanti lomtheth'unjani
Umunt'ungumuntu ngemali
We mali
Abant'abasathandani
We mali
Umunt'ungumuntu ngemali
We mali, ubulal'uMagubane
We mali, amajel'agcwele ngenxa yakho
Ngizothini mina babo, hayi ngemali
Ngizothini mina babo, hayi we mali
(Hay hay hay we mali) Ngizothini mina babo
(Hay hay hay we mali) Hayi ngemali
(Hay hay hay we mali) Ngizothini mina babo
Hay hay hay we mali
(Hay hay hay we mali) Ngizothini mina babo
(Hay hay hay we mali) Hayi ngemali
(Hay hay hay we mali) Ngizothini mina babo
Hay hay hay we mali
(Hay hay hay we mali) Ngizothini mina babo
(Hay hay hay we mali) Hayi ngemali
(Hay hay hay we mali) Ngizothini mina babo
Hay hay hay we mali
(Hay hay hay we mali)
(Hay hay hay we mali) Ngenxa yemali we Ma yebo
(Hay hay hay we mali)
Hay hay hay we mali
The song "Mali" by Brenda Fassie is about money and its impact on people's lives, particularly how it can cause division and strife among friends and family. The lyrics begin by asking where the singer's money is and stating that she has been waiting a long time for it. She mentions her mother warning her about money and how it can cause problems between people. The singer then goes on to say that she has lost friends and family members because of money and that she wishes to leave and go back to her mother.
The chorus repeats the phrase "we mali" which translates to "oh money" in English. The chorus is a lament about the impact of money on relationships and how it can drive people apart. The song ends with the singer repeating the phrase "we mali" several times, perhaps as a metaphor for the endless cycle of money problems that people face.
Overall, the song is a social commentary on the impact of money on human relationships and how it can cause problems between people, even those who are close to each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Ngothini mina babo
Where am I going, my father?
Ngothini mina ngawe mali
Where am I going with you, money?
Ngolila mina koze kube nini na yo
I cry, when will this end?
Umama wangitshela ngawe
My mother told me about you
Wathi awulunganga bo
Saying you do not disappear easily
Uthathe abantabami
You take away my loved ones
Uthathe nomuzi wami
You take away my knowledge
Kanti mina ngoneni kulomhlaba Somandla
But I belong to God on this earth
Wangiyeka kanjalo
You left me like this
Kungcono ungithathe ngihambe
It's better if you take me and let me go
Ngilandel'umama wami
I will be joining my mother
Kanti lomhlab'unjani
What kind of world is this?
Ubhek'abanemali
Where those with money look down on others
Kanti lomtheth'unjani
What kind of law is this?
Umunt'ungumuntu ngemali
Where a person is judged by their wealth
We mali
Oh money
Abant'abasathandani
Those who are loved
We mali mali
Oh money, money
Umuntu umuntu ngemali
A person, a person based on money
We mali, ubulal'uMagubane
Oh money, the killer of Magubane
We mali, amajel'agcwele ngenxa yakho
Oh money, the cause of many funeral processions because of you
Ngizothini mina babo, hayi ngemali
Where am I going, my father? Not with money
Ngizothini mina babo, hayi we mali
Where am I going with you, money?
(Hay hay hay we mali) Ngenxa yemali we Ma yebo
(Oh money) Because of money, yes mother
(Hay hay hay we mali) Hayi ngemali
(Oh money) Not with money
(Hay hay hay we mali) Ngizothini mina babo
(Oh money) Where am I going, my father?
Hay hay hay we mali
Oh money
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PETER MOKOENA, CHICCO TWALA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@benjaminchristiaan9430
Mmmmmm takes me back to my young ages😢😢ohh Brenda miss u alot
@tonymyers5402
Wow!!!
Just heard this song for the first time. Once again amazing music from Brenda. Excellent!!!
Her style is incredible...
@mortalzlab938
Just fell in love with this song because itsthe first time i hear it...
Love mam Brenda Fassie...
Long live Mabrrrrrr through her music....
Miss the queen...
@adolfomachava1340
Got a bus in johannesburg some years back at about 9pm straight to Durban. All of a sudden th driver played this One. Ohh mama Brenda. Started reminisce old times. Nostalgic
@lindomnisi6979
In loving memory of my sister ❤️
@buhlerobert2033
Great song . So many memories listening this song
@silumkorasmeni4235
what a song still rocks now may her soul rest in peace sis Mabree
@tshidisontsane3645
Song of lamentation. 😭
@marthahoracio7153
The words are powerful 👌
@mello4392
Please translate for us