Mambazo is the Zulu word for “ax.”

The South African vocal group Ladysmith  Black Mambazo included the word in its name to symbolize the way it would chop down its opponents in musical contests.

In the 45 years since then, Mambazo’s musical ax has also cut through musical and political boundaries.

The group, which performs Friday at the College of Lake County, gained international fame by appearing on Paul Simon’s 1996 album “Graceland.” Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s CD, “Raise Your Spirit Higher,” won a Grammy Award last month for best traditional world music album.

Albert Mazibuko, who has been a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo since 1969, discussed the group’s history in a phone interview last week. The group is led by Mazibuko’s cousin, Joseph Shabalala.

Q: How did apartheid personally affect you?

A: It was very hard to live there. You aren’t even allowed to have livestock. It was the only way to survive there – you have to have some oxen to be able to plow. But they only allow you to have five. That was difficult, because if you go to plow, you have to have at least six of them.

Q: How did you get involved in music?

A: The music was something I grew up with at home, because my grandmother was (one of) the people we call “the divine.” They sing every night before they go to sleep, so that’s where I learned how to sing and dance and to beat with the drum. … We call (the music) “Isicathamiya.” That was something people did when they were trying to entertain themselves and not mind everything that is around them.

Q: How did you end up singing with Joseph Shabalala?

A: In 1960, he came to Ladysmith with his group and they sang so beautiful.

When I went to Durban, I tried to join. I went there with my brother in 1967. The other members of the group, they say, “No.” They don’t need us. There are enough of them.

In 1969, (Shabalala) came to us and said he wants us to sing with him. … I jumped up and said, “This is wonderful. Where are the other guys?”

He said, “No, the other guys left. And so, we have to start from the scratch. … But I have some new ideas. If you will be patient with me, I can teach you my style, how I want to develop this new music, to compose a song and tell a story.”

And we sat and listened to him. I found out that he was very serious about it. I said to him, “OK, I’m going to dedicate myself,” and then my brother said the same thing, and then my cousin.

And the first Saturday, we went to the hall where they do the concerts. … The other group was there, too. They were singing. There were many, maybe 15 of them. And then they came to us and they said, “OK, now, you are not going to be Ladysmith Black Mambazo A. You are Ladysmith Black Mambazo B. Because we are the first goup.”

We said, “OK, no problem.” We entered the competition and we got No. 3. They didn’t win, and then they fought after that, and then they split. They never sang again. From there, we carry on, learning some new songs and new styles.

Q: What sort of problems did apartheid cause when you tried to perform and record?

A: A lot of problems when it comes to traveling. In 1970, we did our first recording at the radio station, and then people … started to invite us to come sing for them in their towns.

If you leave your town to go to another town … as a black person, you have to have permission. So we had a lot of problems with the police. When they stop us on the road, they would say, “OK, where are you going? What are you doing? Do you have a permission to be here?” All those questions. And then we know they are going to put us in jail.

So to explain to them what we are doing, when we tell them we are singing, they say “What kind of singing?” We didn’t have any explanation. We just started the song, and we sing for them. Every time, after we sing, they say, “This is beautiful, your singing.”

Until (one) day, there was big roadblock. The area commander for the police was there. He said, “What you are doing is beautiful, is very good. In order not to be bothered again, go to your magistrate and ask the permission to move around.”

We went to the magistrate, and then the magistrate gave us the permission. We were the first group in South Africa to get a permission to move in every city and every town without being bothered. When they stopped us, they just produced the letter.

Q: So it was the beauty of your music that was able to penetrate through the apartheid rules?

A: That’s right, that was the power of the music. That’s why we recorded a song on our latest album that says, “Music knows no boundaries.” With music, there’s no one can stop you. The music goes everywhere. It doesn’t matter what language, what color, what nation, who you are – it doesn’t matter.

Q: Were you an the other members of the group able to make a living with your music?

A: We had to work until 1973, when we were fired from our work. There was a shortage of gas. So when we traveled to go sing in some places on Friday, we were not able to come back on Sunday to be at work on Monday. Every Monday, they were upset at work, and eventually we were fired.

There were eight of us, and then there were five, because three said, “No, we cannot quit our jobs. We are here to work for our parents.”

We said, “No, let’s take a chance and see where this will take us.” We were not making enough money to support us, but we said, “OK, let’s rent one room, and then we’re going to stay there, all of us.” There were five of us. It was very small, but we shared everything. Only two beds in the room. That kept us until the 1980’s, when the situation was much better.

Q: How did you find out Paul Simon was interested in your music?

A: Joseph called his home and his wife gave him the message that somebody called from America, but he’s in Johannesberg, by the name Paul Simon. We said, “Wow. What’s this guy want? … Who is this?”

And then they mentioned the song, “Bridge Over Troubled Waters.” We said, “Oh, OK.” We were surprised because we thought it might be someone who sings the gospel music, but of course, his music was so different from ours. Joseph went to meet him and when he came back, he said, “He is full of music.”

In two weeks’ time, we received a tape. He was singing only two lines: “Homeless, homeless, midnight sleeping on a moonlight lake.”

In South Africa at the time, it was a lot of violence because of the political activities, and people were sleeping in the mountains. So we started with the Zulu lyrics that say, “We are sleeping in the cliffs, because our house has been burned.” After that, we received an invitation to go to London to record this song.

It was a breakthrough for the group. … Before Paul Simon came, we had 25 albums at home, and the group was very successful at that time. The group was known everywhere. Most of our records were selling more than 50,000 copies.

Some people at home – the other colors, white people – they would now come to us and say, “Oh, I got your album a long time ago.” Of course, all along they were ashamed, but now they have the confidence because Paul Simon, he puts us in this spotlight.

Q: Now that apartheid is over, how would you say things are in South Africa?

A: I feel very good about South Africa. Our music has been a help to the people. I learned it from them, even those who were in exile. In the tents, they were playing our music. Our music was gibing them hope and the strength to go and fight for their freedom.

Now, I’m very confident because South Africa has true freedom. It’s a free country for everyone to do what everyone wants to do. What is important to me is that people learned to live together as one nation – black and white, Indians, coloreds, everyone – which is very good, very good. I like it a lot.

Q: A couple of people close to Ladysmith Black Mambazo were murdered: Joseph Shabalala’s wife, Nellie, in 2002, and his brother, Ben, in 2004. Ho has this affected the group?

A: It’s an evil that is going around the world. Some people, they don’t like other people to do good things. It’s an evil that drives people to do bad things.

It changes the compositions, the songs. “Raise Your Spirit Higher” was an album where we were comforting ourselves and inciting ourselves to be strong about our problems.

Q: What message do you try to convey with your music?

A: Everyone who leaves the show, they are to leave with a peaceful mind and a clear mind. You have to be happy and see things differently. Because we think our music, we might be able to influence the whole world to be a better place.