Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a South African male choral group singing in the local vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube.

[5] In 1964, Shabalala had a series of recurring dreams during his sleep, over a period of six months, featuring a choir singing in perfect harmony.

He strove to teach them the harmonies from his dreams, creating what was to become a signature tune for the group: "Nomathemba" (a girl's name, meaning "hope").

The three elements of the new name were: the hometown of Shabalala's family, Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal; the black ox, considered to be the strongest farm animal; and mambazo, which means "axe" in the Zulu language, and is symbolic of the choir's ability to "chop down" the competition.

[7] In 1967, the group began to make recordings for the SABC station Radio Zulu, appearing in DJ Alexius Buthelezi's popular Cothoza Mfana programme, which spotlighted the music of several local choirs.

[9] By 1981, the group's popularity was such that the apartheid government allowed the members to travel to Cologne, Germany as part of a South African folk music festival.

Graceland was released in late 1986, and although both Joseph Shabalala and Paul Simon were accused of breaking the cultural boycott of South Africa,[14] the album became a huge success and sold 16 million copies[15] and further boosted Ladysmith Black Mambazo's international image.

In 1988, Ladysmith Black Mambazo sang "Mbube" during the opening sequence of the Eddie Murphy movie Coming to America, but the song was not released on the soundtrack.

Mandela (shortly after his release from prison) publicly stated that the members of Ladysmith Black Mambazo were "South Africa's cultural ambassadors".

[20] At Mandela's request, Ladysmith Black Mambazo accompanied the future President of South Africa to the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway, in 1993.

[21] In 1993 four sons of Joseph Shabalala, Thamsanqa, Msizi, Thulani, and Sibongiseni, who had been in the junior choir Mshengu White Mambazo, moved up to join the group proper.

[citation needed] In 1997, for a run of UK television advertisements, "Toast for Life", for Heinz soups, baked beans and tomato ketchup, the group recorded an abridged version of "Inkanyezi Nezazi" ("The Star and the Wiseman").

[citation needed] The adverts proved so popular that the original studio version (recorded back in 1992) was released as a single and reached No.

[citation needed] A film documentary about Ladysmith Black Mambazo, On Tiptoe: Gentle Steps to Freedom, was released in 2000.

[citation needed] The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject) in 2001, but lost out to "Big Mama".

However, the making of the record underwent severe strain when, in May 2002, Shabalala's wife of 30 years (and lead singer in the allied group "Women of Mambazo"), Nellie, was murdered in a church car park by a masked gunman.

During the court trial, Nkosinathi supposedly testified that the South African police offered some kind of reprieve if he would implicate his own father, Joseph, in the murder.

Joseph's brother Ben Shabalala, a former member of the group who had retired in 1993 after the death of Headman, was killed in a Durban suburb in June 2004.

[12][27] The group is referenced in the 2004 film Mean Girls when Lindsay Lohan's character chooses not to accompany her parents to a Ladysmith Black Mambazo concert.

On the album the group recorded with a multitude of artists including Zap Mama, Sarah McLachlan, Melissa Etheridge, Joe McBride, Natalie Merchant, Emmylou Harris, and Taj Mahal as well as South African musicians Lucky Dube, Phuzekhemisi, Bhekumuzi Luthuli, Nokukhanya, Thandiswa, Vusi Mahlasela and Hugh Masekela.

The night included special guest appearances by Sarah McLachlan, Natalie Merchant, Mahotella Queens, Vusi Mahlasela, and Pete Seeger.

We have been awarded Grammy Awards, represented our homeland of South Africa at many prestigious events, including accompanying Nelson Mandela to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, traveled the world so many times and most importantly, spread a message of Peace, Love and Harmony to millions of people.

Thank you!Ladysmith Black Mambazo's 2007 release, Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu, garnered success around the world.

[citation needed] In January 2013 the group released a new album, Live: Singing for Peace Around the World, which was dedicated to South African icon and former President Nelson Mandela.

[citation needed] Ladysmith Black Mambazo was featured on the track Lift Me Up, along with Norwegian duo Nico & Vinz, on David Guetta's 2014 album Listen.

Other features in 2016 include a vocal appearance on "Facing a Task Unfinished" by Keith and Kristyn Getty, "Wake Up" by Jennifer Saran, and Vian Izak's single "Brink of Love".

The aim of the organisation is to teach young Zulu South African children about their traditional culture and music, isicathamiya.

Today, the Mambazo Academy is currently being built, with plans for a rehearsal hall, teaching areas and a professional recording studio.

When asked if the group has any plans to stop their travelling, of over six months each year, the response has always been: "Not as long as the people of the world want to hear our music.

The chorus' members are Joseph Shabalala's sons Thamsanqa, Msizi, Thulani, and Sibongiseni; cousins Albert and Abednego Mazibuko; and close friends Russel Mthembu and Ngane Dlamini.