Former Street Kidz member Benediktus Witbooi, popularly known as Dik Bonez, made a drastic transformation from church choir singer to kwaito star.
The Keetmanshoop-born singer-cum-dancer formed part of the kwaito trio Street Kidz with Chakalaka and Diksampama, who subsequently made names for themselves as Gazza’s back-up dancers.
The Street Kidz are considered one of the kwaito groups that played a pivotal role in shaping the early kwaito sound and dance moves in Namibia.
They released their debut album, ‘Botsotso’, in 2009.
“I was born at Keetmanshoop, but I moved with my parents to Windhoek when they got married. I was just still a five-year-old boy back then.
“My future as a singer was shaped in the Roman Catholic Church. I was a very active member of the church’s youth choir. I was also a young watchman and an altar boy,” Bonez says.
Young watchmen are called to guard their peers against moral dangers and actively defend the faith.
Apart from singing in the church choir, Bonez found himself rhyming for his friends in class while making beats on the class desks.
After they left Gazza’s GMP Music Production in 2011, the Street Kidz continued on their own and released another hit, ‘Woelige Shandie’, before disbanding.
Bonez remains the most active member of the group, and dropped his debut solo album, ‘Pick n Choose’, in 2014.
LOVE AND VIOLENCE
“I’m currently working on my next project, ‘Mr Witbooi’. I don’t have a release date yet, because there are a few elements I still have to add to it. I wouldn’t classify myself as a kwaito artist, but rather a musician – even if I don’t play an instrument,” he says.
“‘Mr Witbooi’ is a great piece that’s going to uplift me and elevate Dik Bonez as one of the greatest artists we have in our country. I sing about love, the hustle, domestic violence and admiration for the ladies as God’s beautiful creation.”
Bonez says kwaito has always been his first love.
He mentions the inauguration bash of former president Hage Geingob as his first big gig as a solo artist.
Apart from applying the final touches to his second album, Bonez is also busy performing and doing charity work.
One of the greatest dancers around, it was not only music that occupied the young Bonez growing up – he was also an athlete.
“I could have possibly been a prominent runner one day if it wasn’t that my love for music got the better of me. I was an athlete at school. I’ve got speed, I’m telling you,” he says.
The singer has been nominated for awards several times.
“I was nominated for most-disciplined artist in 2014 while I was put up for the best kwaito artist award in 2016. In 2018, I was nominated in the best Afrikaans artist category,” he says.
“In 2018, I was a Sanlam ‘My Culture, My Pride’ educational ambassador. It is a countrywide roadshow aimed at preserving and promoting diverse Namibian traditions among the youth and pupils.”
Apart from music keeping Bonez busy on a full-time basis, he also has a little printing and branding company called Ai-!gû Printing.
He says life has not always been smooth sailing.
“With both my parents being pensioners and me not being employed and sometimes not having gigs or customers at my printing, life is sometimes a little tough,” he says.
“But being the strong believer that I am and being a child who grew up in the church, I always tell myself ‘God is in control’. My faith always gets me through.”
Bonez says one of his idols is Kabelo from South African kwaito group TKzee.
“Currently, I’m very much influenced by our very own Gazza, musically and as a human being,” he says.
The former Street Kidz members were recently seen on social media sharing the stage with their former mentor Gazza during shows that delivered a good dose of nostalgia to GMP fans.
Bonez says this was a friendly reunion, but there is no talk of a formal reunion.
“We were only invited to perform and celebrate Gazza’s birthday, which was designed as a roadshow, and we also reunited for a gig at the Crayfish Festival at Lüderitz,” he says.
“We had a ball, and it really felt great sharing the stage again. It was just like in the good old days. None of us lost our dancing and singing skills.”
LOCAL TALENT
Meanwhile, Bonez says Namibia has a lot of talented musicians who can hold their own against competition from beyond.
“But only if we can only stick to our identity, create our own and stop being influenced by the outside world,” he says.
He says for Namibia’s music industry to grow artists need to unite first.
“Right now, most of us don’t want to work together, and we are only showing fake love.”
His advice to young artists is that “they must believe in themselves and strive to be unique”.
“They must strive to be trendsetters and not be mere followers,” he says.
