Simon Nkabinde was a mbaqanga singer from South Africa. Nkabinde, also known as the "Lion of Soweto," is widely regarded as the originator of the deep-voiced, basso profundo "groaning" style that came to represent mbaqanga music in the 1960s. Mahlathini began his musical career as a youngster, performing in church choirs and leading a traditional chorus that played at township weddings and other events. Then, in the late 1950s, through his brother Zeph, he became involved in the music industry and began to establish a name not just as a vocalist but also as a distinctive stage personality.