The Meditators Reggae Band Debut Album- Tacklin Beasts by Horns – Now available on Digital Platforms
Tacklin Beasts by Horns, debut Album by The Meditators, released in 1991 under DM Productions has got its digital release and is now available on all streaming platforms. A classic Album that was hard to find, adds on to the tapestry of Reggae in South Africa.
It is an album that tells a story of the beginning of the Reggae Band, The Meditators. A Durban Reggae band formed in Soweto. It bears the sweat, tears, trials and triumph of starting a band and keeping it going for over two decades, loosing some, gaining some along the way. Lead Singer and Band Frontman, Ras Shante Bekwa shared a touching story about the making of the Album and how they have lost some of the original members.
“This one a tribute to our 2 original members of the First beginning of the Meditators (Getto Man) Muzi Nkosi from Newcastle (Zebulun) Dumisani Mpofu from Bulawayo Zimbabwe,” he explained in a post on social media. He further states: ” it is also the tribute to Ray Mavundla, David Masondo an Jabu the tall bassist from Bulawayo Zimbabwe who played Bass an Andy Brown also from Zimbabwe who did the lead guitars.”
The band now consists of Bunny Nathi Mkhize on the drums, Ras Thabani Barret Hlela on Bass Guitar, Ras Dan Khethukuthula Msomi who’s a vocalist and Rhythm Guitarist and Ras Shante and his son Zengakhona Bekwa. The Meditators promotes clean, positive and healthy living through the music and embodies the principle of ONELOVE in action, as the band considers itself to be a family and all friends fans and supporters are regarded as part of the family!
The music offered in this Classic Album ranges from Ska to Rock Steady to Roots Reggae. Though Ras Shante was not completely impressed with the sound quality, This album still remains an important timeless contribution. and deserves a remastered Reissue “I wasn’t happy with its production and the quality of the sound and we brought something new to the people who were working with a different genre before; traditional and mbaqanga and they couldn’t understand how the sound should be mashed with reggae music.” Ras Shante explained in an interview.
The Artwork on the Album cover was a fan art which he gifted to the band. It meant so much to Ras Shante who had hung it up his wall, and would later use it as the cover art for the first album of The Meditators. The artist Bongumusa Soultah Zulu, expressed his surprise and gratitude on social media: “I drew this picture a long time ago and I had forgotten about it.. Ubrada Sandile Bekwa brought it on his wall and it truly amazed me. It was my gratitude for the message they gave us about Reggae music and the journey they have experienced in their role and step. Maximum respect to The Meditators”
The Meditators are known as one of the hardest working bands in the country. They opened for Linton Kwesi Johnson; opened for UB40 in their SA Tour; Rita Marley and the I-Three for Women’s Day Celebrations in 2004; were part of the Lucky Dube Tribute and Fifa World Cup events. They are also proud to have hosted in Durban, International Reggae Artists Tony Rebel & Queen Ifrika on their visit to South Africa. In 2008, their third Album, Jah Kingdom was submitted at the South African Music Awards (SAMA) but had no success because the SAMA had no category provided for the genre of Reggae, Their Album, Explosion would later get nominated when they finally had the Reggae Category.
Thirty four years, Six Albums, Two SAMA nominations, later the hard to find, almost forgotten classic album Tacklin Beasts by Horns gets a new digital life, with the help of the relentless band manager, Free Haine.
THE ALBUM
Title: Tacklin Beasts by Horns
Artist: The Meditators
Label: The Meditators
Genre: Ska, Rock Steady, Reggae
Digital Release: July 2025
Track List
- All Day Long
- All Jah Children
- One Full Day
- Reggae Revolution
- Wicked Boss
- Why Don’t you Rise Up and Live
- Living My Life
- In Reality
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Interview with Ras Bekwa here:
Inteview with Free Haine