Pretoria - It is difficult to try and describe in a few words a resilient man of many talents who beat cancer when doctors lost hope and continues to juggle full-time careers as an advocate, a stand-up comedian and a soul and Afro pop DJ.
Themba Eustace Nhlapo, affectionately known as Jazzbuda, 46, does so much with his body that it would make the average person collapse if they had to put on his shoes.
His demanding schedule sees him win cases in the courtrooms, crack a joke behind the mic and make people dance as a DJ.
Jazzbuda spoke about his humble upbringing which made him the hard-working man he is today. He doesn’t believe in taking it easy, but manages his time wisely to give his body enough time to rest.
The married father of two was born in Duduza and then moved to Ratanda. He was raised and schooled in KwaThema, but has since settled in Centurion.
He went to Qedusizi Primary School and later Phulong Senior Secondary School before going on to study law (BProc and LLB) at the then University of the North, now know as the University of Limpopo.
“I did my articles in the early 2000s in Midrand then did an internship at the Human Rights Commission, worked as an Investigator at the Public Protector and as legal officer at the Council for Medical Schemes, after which I opened a practice and worked as an independent advocate in Pretoria,” he said.
“Most people know me as an advocate and a stand-up comedian. If I had to only pick one between the two, which one would it be?
“That is tricky one there, but the passion of the arts has swallowed me not only into the comedy space, but arts in general. I do acting, music… who knows, maybe I can join ballet,” he said with a laugh.
When asked how he found his love for comedy, he said, firstly, it was people who found him funny that said he must try it out.
“I had never heard or watched it before. It was my walking into a comedy club as an audience member that triggered the desire for me to grab the mic after seeing someone's set go astray. That is what the ‘I can do better than that’ bug bit me.
“The journey was a little hard at the beginning until I saw a space in the 'do it yourself’ department and after that the journey has been a bliss. By that I mean I had to start putting together my own comedy shows and bringing other comedians as guests to showcase their talents.
“I have provided a platform for those comedians who had a buffer between them and the microphone to come try it out. You can say I acted as the Mvela league of comedy, giving space to young comics to do their thing until they were noticed at upper level.
“It is still my passion, development, but also mainly to remain relevant as a booked comic. I discovered the link between comedy, filming and acting and have had a few features. On the screen and behind camera and/or sitting on a director's chair is the ultimate goal.”
Jazzbuda said he called the kind of comedy he made as “musicomedy“ because he fused his comedy with music, instead of the regular story telling and one-liner jokes.
“I love comedy so much and I would say career highlight which culminated in a video going viral was when I was MC at the Big Top Arena Carnival City at Mashabela Galane's Show. Another one was opening for Syleen Johnson when she toured the country, and also being featured on Mzansi Comedy that was screened on Mzansi Magic.
“I have shared the stage with the likes of David Kau, Skhumba Hlophe, Trevor Gumbi, Mashabela Galane, Celeste Ntuli, Tumi Morake, Loyiso Gola, to mention but a few. I almost shared a stage with Trevor Noah before he left SA when the organiser cut me, saying the line-up was too much,” he laughed.
Asked if he has not found jokes slipping into the more serious legal work, mocking himself, he replied: “… a judge made fun of my height.
“I am an very serious fellow in court; you'd swear I died and rose again. Not to say I do not make judges laugh with spontaneous punchlines… Unintentionally of course.”
To strike a balance between all his work, Jazzbuda picks his gigs carefully. “If one, whether legal, comedy or DJying, is already on the diary I make sure to clear space to prepare thoroughly, and so far it has worked for me. No space to neglect one by the other, as I will still be affected by the consequences.”
Covid-19 was a hard spell for the talented and because he is an independent contractor in all his work. It brought along with it tough financial experience but through the grace of God he prevailed.
Having beat cancer, he is grateful he didn’t get Covid-19.
“I remember it was in 2018 that I was told that a growth that was on my neck had gotten cancerous. The doctor named it a Lymphoma and indicated that is had spread to bone marrow and it was at stage 4. I was shattered.
“I thought my life was over. But coming from a Christian family background, I had that line in my head… ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil’. I started paying and praying. As the journey went on, I became stronger and had that will to live.
“Treatment (chemotherapy) happened for slightly over six months where I was told that they couldn't do anything for me further as my white blood cells were too weak for chemotherapy and it's possible effectiveness.
“What I learned from the experience is that God is alive and He listens when we pray. It was on the first day of chemotherapy that I asked Him to travel the journey with me and make it a success over the sessions that were prescribed.
“It did indeed happen, although it happened out of script. Doctors said I must go wait for judgment day and God had other ideas.”
Jazzbuda is putting together his One Man Show Tour. It recently started in Secunda and on September 23 he will be in Cape Town, followed by other provinces.
Pretoria News