Pops Mohamed

Pops Mohamed is a South African multi-instrumentalist and producer based in Johannesburg. Before turning to traditional sounds, he played the keyboards and guitar with eminent jazz musicians live and in the studio. The end of apartheid was for many of his colleagues a personal relief and a professional setback since the public then rushed to hear popstars streaming in from abroad instead of their own musicians. Pops Mohamed countered by launching himself on an international career, which has since led to many tours. At the same time, he took more interest in traditional music from all over the world. Fearing that it would vanish in the wake of electronic music, he wished to have it not only recorded but also suffused with modern sounds and rhythms to appeal to a wider audience. As he put it: ‘If people don't understand where they come from, there is a hole in their soul.’ Some of the countries and regions Pops has toured include the US, UK, Scandinavia, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania (especially Zanzibar), Germany, Switzerland, Kathmandu in Nepal and Vietnam, among many others.