Indie Interview With Mo' Touch
Greatness often falls within the cracks of history and becomes obscured by the shadow of time. However since the advent of information technology, light is shone on even the darkest and deepest crevices. The spot light is thus deserved by an incredible beat maker/producer to be known to the world as Mo’ Touch. This is the first part interview of a two-part interview series I had with Mo’ Touch at various locations in Khutsong to reflect the inspiration of his life and music.
PART ONE: INTRODUCING SPHIWE MO’ TOUCH KHUMALO
Mo’ Touch at a fruit & snack & shoe repair vendor stall.
Puff Indie’go: Before we get the ball rolling my king, the foremost important question that anyone sitting & staring at his or her screen or listening to your music would like to know is who is Sphiwe Khumalo & why is he Mo’ Touch?
Mo’ Touch: (Visibly nervous, exhaling into his cupped hands) What’s up? This is Sphiwe Khumalo, Mo’ Touch, affectionately called Spitjo by friends & family. Sphiwe Khumalo is a simple and reserved guy from Khutsong, Carletonville, a small township is the West Rand district of Gauteng. I am a guy who have been doing music for 9 years but began making beats from the later part of year 2007. As for why I am Mo’ Touch,the initial reaction to my beats from my friends is the inspiration behind the name, originally Motivational Touch, then shortened to Motive Touch & ultimately Mo’ Touch for a better appeal and branding. Well it’s self explanatory really, in a sense that my beats have that motivational touch to them, that inspires you,you know. Yeah.
Mo’ Touch beat boxing outside Pay n’ print Internet cafe on Nxumalo Road in Khutsong.
Puff Indie’go: Nah I hear your sire, so you just jumped into beat making?
Mo’ Touch: (Beat boxes for a few seconds) … that is where it all started…Beat making came as a result of my love of beat boxing and the urge to eternalise the sounds I was making when in ciphers and the promise to my friends that I will provide tailor made beats for them and I have kept that promise till to date. I recall that there were times that I would get home smelling of tobacco when I don’t even smoke & realised that I have been tirelessly beat boxing for hours. That is what made me go into beat making.
Touching on the subject of what differentiates him while next to Faranani shops at Rest In Peace, Khutsong.
Puff Indie’go: So with countless beat making soft-wares available out there anyone can be beat maker, what makes your beats different?
Mo’ Touch: I don’t make just beats, it’s music that I make. Heavily influenced and influential music. I grew up on Jazz music, it was what normally played at my home, even though I could not fathom that it would impact my life this way, it is what makes my beats distinct, they have that timeless sound of Jazz & kwaito too. I could say it is like 90’s hip hop, what the world would call Boom Bap, sound with influences from the likes of Pete Rock and the legendary J Dilla to name but two.
Puff Indie’go: Would I be right if I say your passion then lies solely in beat making?
Mo’ Touch: Far from it, I rap and rep Off The Era with Subsir, Off The Planet with Subsir, Kgosi ( the poet) & Slim, LHM, Boom Bap Nation, Dillatron! & you should look out for my tape dropping on 31st of July 2014 TELL A TALE : A GRATITUDE TO GOD
Mo’ Touch defining his musical inspiration
Puff Indie’go: Not regress, but how would you define your sound?
Mo’ Touch: Unmistakable baseline is a defining factor, if you hear my sound, you will know it the next time you hear it. It has heavy drums, soulful snares and claps with samples from Jazz, Soul, Neo Soul, Contemporary Jazz, Psychedelic soul cause I am sensitive guy ( laughs).