Soundtrack Review: Tsotsi

By Jessica Adams Feb 20, 2006, 20:20 GMT

Soundtrack for the movie Tsotsi ...more

Framed against a tumultuous backdrop of political strife, personal grief and general un-rest, "Tsotsi" is the story of a gang leader of the same name who grew up in the slums of Johannesburg, South Africa. After losing his parents at the age of nine to the AIDS epidemic that has crippled Africa, Tsotsi takes to a life of crime and brutality. Having murdered a woman who's automobile he carjacked only to find her infant son in the back seat, "Tsotsi" follows our protagonist through the next six days as he decides to care for the child.

The film, which was nominated for Best Foreign Language film at the 2006 Academy Awards, has a rich soundtrack that carries the film and captures the urban and brash environment that Tsotsi must survive in. Mostly comprised of music by South African poet/actor/musician Zola, the tracks are gritty and unforgiving, reflecting the urban brutality that is an everyday reality. After having grown up in the ghetto of Zola (which he later took for his stage name) in the town of Soweto, the authenticity of Zola's music is unmistakable. Having lived the streets and poor conditions himself, the soundtrack of "Tsoti" never fails in reminding the listener of the harsh way of life that most in Western society will never have to experience.

Even the tracks that are not contributed by Zola never stray in portraying their authenticity; tracks such Mafikizolo's "Mnt'Omnyama" and Unathi's "Sghubu Sam" show a gentler side of their African heritage when juxtaposed against the majority of Zola's tracks. And while not all of Zola's tracks are brash, it unquestionably draws on the complex sense of hope and redemption that is one of the film's underlying themes and questions. Can an urban thug finally face his past in order to come to terms with his future? The parallel lives between Zola and Tsotsi are unmistakable. Perhaps, unfortunately, the best comparison for Americans to reference is Eminem's poignant use of music in his semi-autobiography "8 Mile," though Eminem can't begin to compare to the gritty and weathered vocals that make "Tsotsi's" soundtrack so convincing.