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New hit … Stiff with Oskido. L-R Sbu, Oskido, Mgijimi and Diliza

Showbiz Reporter
STIFF frontman Diliza has been speaking about their new single, Umcimbi, which is due for release later this month.

The Bulawayo-born singer, who is based in Johannesburg, also spoke of his group’s disappointment after material for their new album was stolen by robbers who ransacked their producer – DJ Clap’s studio.

Diliza, real name Delaney Dondo, is a third of the Kalawa Jazmee – signed kwaito group Stiff, whose other members are Nhlanhla ‘Mgijimi’ Dlamini and Sibusiso ‘Sbu’ Masondo.

Umcimbi, which has a thumping kwaito baseline, is guaranteed to fight for rotation in nightclubs and car stereos this summer. The track was produced by Trademark, who brought us the Durban Nyts smash hit, Shumaya.

Speaking on the new track, Diliza said: “We were privileged to work with Professor. Many people don’t know what a genius he is.

“He doesn’t write lyrics – unless he’s helping another artist featuring on his track. He’ll listen to the beat a couple of times and the next time, he’s laying down his part with impeccable flourish.

“It was a big thing for us (featuring Professor) because he’s a standard in our industry – he’s what we all aspire to be. I’ve been involved in a few projects with him, but it was a first for Sbu and Mgijimi.”

Diliza said Professor – a stablemate at Kalawa Jazmee – heard the beat for the single and with some urging from DJ Bobstar, decided to work on a collaboration.

The result was a super rocking hit in which Professor warns that, “Wabhek’intombi yam’ waphel’umcimbi/Wathint’umuntu wam’ uyaphel’umcimbi.”

Kalawa Jazmee boss DJ Oskido told Chronicle Showbiz he had ordered a video for Umcimbi adding that Diliza would join Professor at the Queens Sports Club stage in Bulawayo on December 28 for the annual Kalawa Homecoming concert.

Stiff was formed two years ago after Mgijimi and Sbu left DJ Clock’s AMPM where they were members of the foursome, Tot-Tot. While one of the quartet Cebo joined Durban Nyts, Sbu and Mgijimi approached DJ Bobstar – young brother to Oskido – in the hope of recording as a duo. But when Diliza featured on one of their tracks, Kalawa Jazmee kingpin Spikiri and DJ Bobstar convinced them to form a group and Bobstar gave them the name, Stiff.

“In South Africa, a stiff is a tot. Iyababa (it’s bitter). So Stiff to us is something hard, something tough,” said Diliza.

Stiff were due to release an album this year but the project has been pushed back after thieves raided DJ Clap’s studio – a member of Uhuru – who was producing it.They stole laptops and external hard drives which not only contained Stiff’s material, but new tracks for the new Uhuru album which is in the works after the group reunited following a brief split.