iPhupho L'ka Biko

Through music, iPhupho L’ka Biko aims to conscientize and spiritually awaken Abahlali globally. The collective explores themes such as spirituality, ritual, tradition, culture, religion, origins, race and displacement. Undefined by genre, the band fuse jazz, gospel with indigenous African music of imvumane and igwijo, for those who have been to a live iPhupho show it is a coming together in healing, love, prayer, unity, history and the revolution.

iPhupho L’ka Biko is an Africanist band, based in Johannesburg. The collective was formed in 2015 by bassist and composer Nhlanhla Ngqaqu. The members of the band met in Braamfontein where they frequently interacted in creative, social and academic spaces. The name was inspired by the late pianist Moses Molelekwa’s song ‘Biko’s Dream’ . ‘iPhupho’ refers to God the giver and fulfiller of dreams and it is an acknowledgement of ways in which our ancestors communicate with us in dreams and many other ways. ‘Biko’ refers to all revolutionaries that have fought and died for the emancipation of the oppressed and dispossessed globally. They recently won the Standard Bank Gold Ovation Award at the 2022 National Arts Festival.