Early life Shiyani was born in 1953 in the province of
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He was born to two members of the
Zulu people, and their musical styling would later influence much of his work. When Shiyani was 13 he became fascinated with Maskanda music after his brother, Khetuwise, introduced him to the traditional piece
Sevelina. His father was an alcoholic who would frequently beat his mother, which eventually led him to leave home in 1970 and lead the life of a
migrant worker throughout South Africa. Eventually he met his life partner Gertrude and settled down in Kwa Makutha near Durban. After many years, he acquired a manager, leading to concerts in Norway, Cameroon and Malaysia.
Rise in Europe and America At the
Rainforest World Music Festival in Malaysia, Ngcobo caught the eye of producer
Ben Mandelson who recorded several demo tracks that ended up on a
BBC Radio 3 session. In support of this album, Ngcobo embarked on a European tour that featured stops in the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Belgium and Switzerland.
Death Ngcobo died in his home outside Durban on 18 February 2011. He was later included in the
World Music Network's compilation
The Rough Guide to African Guitar Legends, which came out on 15 March 2011. ==Musical style==