by popular demand: a thread that’s meant to function as the focal point for all the wonderful new music coming out of the good land of Mzansi (and immediate surroundings). this is the place to post your favourite tracks by your favourite amaKhosi nezIndlovukazi (that’s kings and queens in Zulu) of amapiano, gqom, (afro)house, kwaito, soul and rap, and whatever else might strike (y)our fancy...
(and yes, this means that it’s more or less replacing the mini-myriad of SA-themed threads (Sun-El, “eMcimbini”/Kabza, Amapiano) that have sprung up recent(ish)ly. they are still here obviously, but use them wisely, lovingly and sparingly. it's easy if you try - I hope)
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Monday, 11 January 2021 21:28 (three years ago) link
let's kick off with a repost from the Sun-El thread of the current big summer hit in SA right now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AagjAUE8U8sBlaq Diamond • SummerYoMuthi
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Monday, 11 January 2021 21:29 (three years ago) link
huge amapiano track, not (yet?) on Spotify/etc for some reason:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2oUtIhSX00DJ Obza • Dlozi’lam(Shazam, in all its wisdom, lists the artist as “Joynomics”)
another very good current Obza track:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5etyYdRRCBoDJ Obza ft. Leon Lee • Mang’ Dakiwe
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Monday, 11 January 2021 21:31 (three years ago) link
Limpopo (in the) house: there’s much more where Master KG came from. as producers go, there’s also DJ Call Me. here he is with the awesome Makhadzi, whose recent album I nominated for the EOY, but Call Me’s own album is equally good:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb77lccDHKoDJ Call Me ft. Makhadzi & Mr Brown • Maxaka
more about this genre of “bolobedu house” here:https://www.okayafrica.com/master-kg-jerusalema-bolobedu-house-tracks-check-out/
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Monday, 11 January 2021 21:32 (three years ago) link
...and I'm also loving this track at the moment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb2HYdZMaGQDJ Luvas ft. Mnisi • Egoli
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Monday, 11 January 2021 21:33 (three years ago) link
so much for me for now - what are your favs of the moment?
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Monday, 11 January 2021 21:36 (three years ago) link
Is this gonna be all pop music? Because I've been listening to a fuckton of South African jazz the last couple of years and that shit is amazing. Crucial names: Nduduzo Makhathini, Ndabo Zulu, Linda Sikhakhane, Thandi Ntuli, Siya Makuzeni, Bokani Dyer, Benjamin Jephta.
The Brownswood label is putting out a compilation called Indaba Is later this month. Here's the first single, Bokani Dyer's "Ke Nako":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Mvqyc7DMM
― but also fuck you (unperson), Monday, 11 January 2021 22:33 (three years ago) link
My favorite that (I think) wasn't posted on last year's thread is "Mercedes" by Semi Tee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4-FPxxH7b8
― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Monday, 11 January 2021 22:45 (three years ago) link
We’re bundling the various South African offshoots of the Rolling Afropop thread into one Rolling SA thread (of which this is the first edition), so yeah, the focus is definitely on “pop”, but as long as any non-pop stuff you’re posting is current I think we can *roll* with it. Pretty sure at least some people will appreciate the jazz!
As for “Mercedes”, it was posted on the Amapiano Awesomeness thread back in May. Semi Tee is a blast, and so is rapper Focalistic, who's on this track.
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 10:06 (three years ago) link
Egad, I was wrong! Well, I guess that's why it's a good idea to have one thread instead of half a dozen.
― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 13:02 (three years ago) link
Jazz makes sense since it's such a big part of the SA music mindset, imo. Very happy about this thread in general.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 13:29 (three years ago) link
JazziDisciples to thread!
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 13:36 (three years ago) link
There's a cover story on South African jazz (based around the aforementioned Indaba Is compilation) in the new issue of The Wire, which just came out today:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eriu4-jXIAEqX1j.jpg
― but also fuck you (unperson), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 19:17 (three years ago) link
Jazz and pop have some overlap these days imo.
Have you guys heard this 2019 album by Tlale Makhene “s.g 2.0”? It’s so good, I’ve been obsessed w it lately.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdZImX0f1CE
― ILX’s bad boy (D-40), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 19:44 (three years ago) link
Damn deej, this album is amazing! When are we rerunning the 2019 EOY?
A profile on Tlale Makhene:https://www.jazzitout.com/2020/02/21/tlale-is-a-percussionist-whose-drum-beat-was-nurtured-the-swazi-way/
So S.G 2.0 is the follow-up to his 2017 Swazi Gold album, consisting in large part of “remixes” of that album’s tracks. The track deej posted (which is new) is actually the only percussion-heavy one, the rest is much closer to Makhene’s own description of them as “lounge and soul” (for “lounge” read “electronic”, I guess). Musical partner and producer Ziyawa Ka Zitha (who’s from Eswatini/Swaziland) quite probably plays a big role here. Opening track “Gegege”, which I'm currently luxuriating in, is just him (Ziyawa) with singer Juda Selitjane:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3elGc7YvZ0
(I’m a sucker for the kind of vocal harmonies that are employed on this album, they remind me of early 90s r&b and stuff, but you also hear them in turn-of-the-century SA house trio SHANA, featuring a young Black Coffee.)
Listening to Swazi Gold now, and some of the original versions are pretty old-school gospely soul jazz and their “remixes” on 2.0 really are *something else* altogether, his way of “mov[ing] with the times before finding himself on the other side of evolution”. But not everything is: the original “Emabhunswini” for instance is a trip and a half in itself.
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 23:14 (three years ago) link
this thread sure got off to an unexpected start - not complaining tho!
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 23:17 (three years ago) link
^that sounds cool, will check it out.
If we're still talking about recent jazz, I listened to the Ndabo Zulu album Queen Nandi yesterday and it's stunningly good: https://ndabozulu.bandcamp.com/album/queen-nandi-the-african-symphony.
― rob, Wednesday, 13 January 2021 14:24 (three years ago) link
Yeah, I love that record. I actually had a long Zoom conversation with Ndabo Zulu, Nduduzo Makhathini and Mbuso Khoza about it when I was writing a review of the album.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Wednesday, 13 January 2021 14:34 (three years ago) link
Off the 2021 tip, one thing I wanted to do this year was explore more of the older music from Africa (I've been following since 2019, but given all the great songs I've heard imagine all the great stuff I missed before then!). I've been enjoying going through this list as a starting point: https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/2014-07-15-the-100-greatest-south-african-songs/
One highlight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1OQLHHH63M
― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Wednesday, 13 January 2021 14:40 (three years ago) link
that’s Felix Laband • Whistling In Tongues, from 2002.my request for this thread (and all other music threads really):🔻🔻Could everyone please label the tracks they are posting? It makes it so much easier to search for something, and as with all internet links, there is every chance these YouTubes (or Soundclouds or whatever the case may be) will become broken at some point (in a couple of years perhaps, or you know, next week, it happens all the time), and then we won’t have anything left to go on.🔺🔺
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 13 January 2021 15:38 (three years ago) link
that list looks great, Greg, I feel the same about getting to know the classics better, but while I'm busy thread (traffic) policing - a reminder that we have a dedicated thread for older African pop:
Old School Afropop
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 13 January 2021 15:46 (three years ago) link
(btw some ilxors might be interested to learn that that Laband track also received the Todd Terje remix treatment)
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 13 January 2021 16:05 (three years ago) link
not sure how much longer TNS intends to continue to drip drop tracks before he releases his album (the tally is now at six), but this is one of the best so far:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMeb01inrCATNS ft. Nokwazi Mtshali & Nomcebo Mthethwa • Kwamashu
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Friday, 15 January 2021 15:03 (three years ago) link
The DJ Obza album (it’s called Masego and features “Mang’ Dakiwe” but not “Dlozi’lam”) is very good.
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Saturday, 16 January 2021 23:24 (three years ago) link
Since we accept jazz, let's also accept r&b. This song from last year is quite magnetic.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEWCJc1atvcElaine - You're the One
― Nabozo, Sunday, 17 January 2021 11:10 (three years ago) link
Through some odd channels, I recently came into a digital copy of Phelimuncasi's first record from 2016, which has seemingly disappeared from the internet. It's quality gqom, really digging it today.
― The return of our beloved potatoes (the table is the table), Sunday, 24 January 2021 19:32 (three years ago) link
ooh that TNS track breastcrawl posted is really cool
― rob, Sunday, 24 January 2021 21:05 (three years ago) link
There's a clip for Makazi
In case you're interested to hear the follow-up to Dumelang, here's Nobody
― Nabozo, Tuesday, 2 February 2021 19:33 (three years ago) link
Also Boohle is officially the closest singer to Sha Sha. Enjoying discovering her stuff, even if she's maybe not quite, not quite there.But it's close.Boohle - Inyembezi for example. Or Mama.She was mentioned once last year. Her album with Josiah De Disciple is titled Umbuso Wabam'nyama (october last year), it's really consistent.
― Nabozo, Tuesday, 2 February 2021 20:16 (three years ago) link
oh yeah, I like Boohle!
admire this beautiful piano with a Sun-El extension:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwF9S59F4IIKelvin Momo ft. Sino Msolo & Souloho • Madlamini
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Friday, 5 February 2021 12:21 (three years ago) link
that's really nice
― rob, Friday, 5 February 2021 16:24 (three years ago) link
might be my favourite song of the year so far, just so carefree and beautiful
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Friday, 5 February 2021 16:27 (three years ago) link
I need to revisit it with much better speakers, but yeah it's cool to see 'piano done so gracefully
― rob, Friday, 5 February 2021 16:32 (three years ago) link
luv 2 start threads at the worst possible time: TRESOR, the Congolese-South African singer with the heavenly voice
― rob, Saturday, 6 February 2021 15:26 (three years ago) link
https://www.theafricareport.com/62955/sibongile-khumalo-voice-of-the-new-south-africa-dies-at-63/
RIP Sibongile Khumalo, South African Zulu township jazz & choral singer. I know she’s not exactly perfect for this thread, but thought readers of this thread might nevertheless be appreciative.
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 6 February 2021 20:22 (three years ago) link
RIP. I had never listened to her before. Definitely old school, impressive voice.
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Sunday, 7 February 2021 20:50 (three years ago) link
someone has been watching "Jerusalema" blowing up worldwide:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcLM3brK16oDJ Cleo ft. Bucy Radebe • Gcina Impilo Yam
it's actually an amapiano rework of this recent gospel smash:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RpnvLCgED8Bucy Radebe • Uzugcin'impilo Yam'
the dance steps look easy enough, now let's hope "Gcina Impilo Yam" will roll off international tongues as easily as "Jerusalema" (or "ngilondoloze"/"y yo no lo se" lol)
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Sunday, 7 February 2021 21:03 (three years ago) link
I'm a big fan of Manqonqo. he started out in the Limpopo House/Bolobedu scene (working with producer Airic), but this is the best I've heard him on amapiano so far:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq-Wuqda9d8Bee Kay ft. Manqonqo • Imali
sensational jam, love the dramatic disco strings and the organ vamps on this, and that beat is sumptuous
god for an opportunity to dance to this in public
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Sunday, 7 February 2021 21:56 (three years ago) link
He has a new song out gaining ground called Amaneighbour, but I will post this really fun song from two years ago: Killer Kau - Kataliya
I'm also getting interested in producer Busta 929 who has really unique take on the genre, quite free and deconstructed.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijHEvvDKAZAMr JazziQ & Busta 929 - Ekseni feat. Boohle SA & Zuma
It's worth checking Vsop which is fascinatinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSKKAw024fsMr JazziQ & Busta 929 ft. Reece Madlisa, Zuma, Mpura, Riky Rick, 9umba - VSOP
Maybe it's the year Amapiano explodes as a genre as it's taken apart and to its logical end
Also:https://www.okayafrica.com/south-african-artists-to-watch-2021/?rebelltitem=1
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 10 February 2021 20:56 (three years ago) link
The album, Maba Jabul’abantu, is really uncharted territory.
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 10 February 2021 21:04 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryJjULFAqukReece Madlisa & Zuma - Sithi Sithi
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 10 February 2021 21:25 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLFULXPUqgk(mfr souls ft. bassie - bathandwa)
crossposting here after having been made aware of this thread ;P
really enjoying "bathandwa" from the mfr souls album. that album's been out since august of last year(?) but i guess i wasn't fated to hear this track until it got a video and could thus reach my ears via youtube recommendation algorithm/overlord
― dyl, Sunday, February 14, 2021 12:27 PM (three hours ago)
yes, “Bathandwa” is a fabulous track.
Musical Kings is one of those big amapiano albums that I still haven’t listened to in full even tho all the tracks I have heard are great - see also DJ Stokie’s My Journey. they’re just so damn long!
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Sunday, February 14, 2021 1:37 PM (two hours ago)
― dyl, Monday, 15 February 2021 00:00 (three years ago) link
good morning!
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Monday, 15 February 2021 08:26 (three years ago) link
Sweet stuff, TNS is doing amapiano. His album must be around the corner with the number of songs he just released.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dqr1n2a7VkTNS - Umhlaba Wonke
― Nabozo, Monday, 15 February 2021 21:02 (three years ago) link
apparently as of a couple weeks ago, dj obza's "dlozi’lam" from upthread is now streamable as "idlozi lami," the first track on an open mic productions compilation. (good thing too b/c it's gorgeous)
― dyl, Tuesday, 16 February 2021 04:38 (three years ago) link
Baby Are You Coming? for the pandemic era:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHGUjtcUF70SHELOVESKAMO ft. Ch'cco & Crush • You My Baby
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 16 February 2021 22:16 (three years ago) link
catching up on this thread and the the mr jazziq & busta 929 tracks are really cool, especially "ekseni". really love that massive hi-hat/snare sound
― ufo, Wednesday, 17 February 2021 07:35 (three years ago) link
Jersualema never did much for me, but wow at "Gcina Impilo Yam" !
― rob, Wednesday, 17 February 2021 13:31 (three years ago) link
i'm behind on the thread but this just came through my inbox:https://www.dw.com/en/warner-demands-licence-fees-for-jerusalema-videos/a-56594810
― That's not really my scene (I'm 41) (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 18 February 2021 16:31 (three years ago) link
what a skeleton move
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Thursday, 18 February 2021 17:01 (three years ago) link
ah, didn't know about "bolo house" although clearly it's a slightly different beast. I'm conscious Sk'Ngiding is from Mozambique, but it certainly sounds in line with the other tunes. It's one of my faves
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Tuesday, 25 May 2021 13:09 (two years ago) link
thanks for the recommendations, will take a listen!
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Tuesday, 25 May 2021 13:10 (two years ago) link
amapiano has certainly spread far beyond just south africa now, there's been a bunch of nigerian amapiano tracks lately (though i don't remember them off the top of my head)
― ufo, Tuesday, 25 May 2021 13:27 (two years ago) link
whole lot of examples if you search this year's afrobeats thread, i need to catch up on them all
― ufo, Tuesday, 25 May 2021 13:32 (two years ago) link
the dj black low songs i posted upthread fit the bill, imo: "9 days," "jaiva low," "emonate oe bethela de vosho"
― the mai tai quinn (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 25 May 2021 13:35 (two years ago) link
I'd forgotten how much I love "Majesty" by Busiswa and DJ Tunez. What a track!
Loving the Sho Madjozi track. I'd heard some of her other stuff and really enjoyed it but it wasn't in the amapiano style.
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Tuesday, 25 May 2021 13:39 (two years ago) link
you're not wrong about DJ Black Low. I love this weird rippling almost drill'n'bassy thing the producers are doing at the moment
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Tuesday, 25 May 2021 13:41 (two years ago) link
actually Take It Slow should be on there (can't find a spotty link though)
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Saturday, 29 May 2021 15:46 (two years ago) link
So the word in business circles and speculators is that Amapiano will take over the UK soon: https://www.okayafrica.com/amapiano-uk-summer-sound-opinion/Number one amapiano song right now in SA from the household rap name featuring Boohle prominently.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnzy7Vtw7C0Cassper Nyovest feat. Abidoza & Boohle - Siyathandana
― Nabozo, Sunday, 6 June 2021 14:59 (two years ago) link
yeah that one's really good
i remember this being one of the posts from after the 2019 trax poll when we were wondering how contemporary south african dance music still hadn't made its international break:
one of you folk should do a proposal for a show on nts, seriously. even just a one off― ymo sumac (NickB), Sunday, February 2, 2020 1:47 PM (one year ago)
― ymo sumac (NickB), Sunday, February 2, 2020 1:47 PM (one year ago)
nowadays it seems like nts has been playing amapiano to some extent since late last year, and their latest call for prospective resident djs lists amapiano among the genres in which they are seeking genre specialists
so... maybe it's happening?
― dyl, Sunday, 6 June 2021 18:23 (two years ago) link
sa dance music did have an international hit last year with "jerusalema"
would make sense if amapiano has a breakthrough soon in the uk via west africa etc.
― ufo, Sunday, 6 June 2021 19:11 (two years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKO12nnAvrEAymos - Jemeni feat. Focalistic
Which will be the first track of his first album in September, Yimi Lo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00j7CQRr2bkDzo 729, Guyu Pane and YoungStunner - Ba Xolele
The softest hit of this year ?
― Nabozo, Monday, 21 June 2021 18:30 (two years ago) link
Apartheid is getting further and further back in timeNow for something (not quite) completely different:https://www.noformat.net/album-urban-village-udondolo-78-en.html
The name Urban Village does not just tap into Marshall McLuhan’s image of a global village brought together by telecommunications tech. The name also references how Soweto was created. During apartheid, Black South Africans were brought to the area for work. With them, they brought pieces of their original villages. This helped create a new culture that became a sprawling urban village. Into this melting pot four musicians were raised and met. Guitarist Lerato Lichaba met singer/flautist Tubatsi Mpho Moloi at local jam sessions. Then they hooked up with drummer Xolani Mtshali and bassist Simangaliso Dlamini and Urban Village was formed. [The Quietus]
― Nabozo, Thursday, 1 July 2021 13:15 (two years ago) link
I'm sure breastcrawl has introduced something like this and had a cool name for it, but this sounds like South Africa being influenced back by Naijapiano.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w3a52eOC5ICIZA - Carolina feat. Major League DJz & Abidoza
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 14 July 2021 18:31 (two years ago) link
And since I'm on the subject of interesting variations on Amapiano, check this massive track that mixes a Swiss flag, slow house and this familiar Zulu word.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pG3YITIKGcDr Duda, Mr JazziQ & Kings Of The Surface - Amandla feat Jessica LM
To which you shall always respond "awethu" to complete the revolutionary cry: power to us the people. Dr Duda has an EP to go with it.
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 14 July 2021 18:57 (two years ago) link
Let's see what we can post to wake this house up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjPK4YpxxFYDlala Thukzin - Phuze feat. Zaba
There's a short remix with Sir Trill, Mpura and Rascoe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br7ek7iOMX8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xWd-SpMo0YDj Tarico & Burna Boy - Yaba Buluku (Remix)
― Nabozo, Saturday, 17 July 2021 13:37 (two years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKpr1WyYdIQDe Mthuda & Ntokzin - Jola feat. Malumnator & Sino Msolo
― Nabozo, Sunday, 18 July 2021 19:11 (two years ago) link
This is a lovely remix of an electro-pop track by Jo'Burg duo Lemon & Herb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Qe4Aia7EA
Nico de Andrea Feat Darla Jade - Ghost in Me (Lemon & Herb Remix)
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Monday, 19 July 2021 15:10 (two years ago) link
Cover of the current Makhadzi hit and it's way betterhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y60avQjxBEUSdala B & Paige - Ghanama
Busta 929 returning with 10 tracks. Out of the ones available so far, I'm feeling this instrumental 'ambient' Amapiano. You could put this in a film.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEdi3BPOyEcBusta 929 - Heartbreakers
― Nabozo, Monday, 26 July 2021 07:38 (two years ago) link
one of you folk should do a proposal for a show on nts, seriously. even just a one off
― dyl, Sunday, June 6, 2021 2:23 PM (one month ago) bookmarkflaglink
― ufo, Sunday, June 6, 2021 3:11 PM (one month ago)
https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/various-artists-amapiano-now/
― rob, Thursday, 29 July 2021 12:50 (two years ago) link
Amapiano awesomeness thread has recent Billboard & Rolling stone links
Thread for the AmaPiano awesomeness that is “Baby Are You Coming?” by Zero12finest feat. ThaMagnificent2
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 29 July 2021 17:40 (two years ago) link
Oh thanks, I missed those.
The RS piece is really good*, but I'm a little puzzled by the NTS/pfork/ATfA/Billboard narrative of amapiano being some kind of raw underground phenomenon, like they can only conceive of African music in those terms even when it's super massively popular by any metric (with AfRoBeAtS awkwardly serving as a big pop Other?). Idk maybe this is a UK perspective thing? I assume West African stuff is prominent there in a way it simply isn't here in Montreal.
* though... "Last July, after four months of enduring the pandemic in South Africa, Moma went to Zanzibar, Tanzania, where restrictions were lax. There, he finished his own take on amapiano, an EP called MomaPiano, inspired by American R&B from the Nineties and early aughts. He also found a new residency at a beach club, where his amapiano sets became a raging success." Hmmmmmmm.
― rob, Thursday, 29 July 2021 18:39 (two years ago) link
those articles just seem to be emphasising the genre's origins without then also emphasising just how huge & commercially successful it is now in south africa?
― ufo, Friday, 30 July 2021 00:25 (two years ago) link
"heartbreakers" is cool, reminds me of massive attack
― ufo, Friday, 30 July 2021 04:22 (two years ago) link
Yeah it's definitely the kind of grave house music you listen to in your sofahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-ITxUqtA9YBusta 929 feat. Mzu M - Mmapula
― Nabozo, Sunday, 29 August 2021 14:12 (two years ago) link
Jorja Smith makes it work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzGIAhqlblMJorja Smith & GuiltyBeatz - All of This
― Nabozo, Sunday, 29 August 2021 14:36 (two years ago) link
lol all the comments deriding "all of this" for not being pure enough amapiano and complaining it's not a south african producer behind it
― ufo, Monday, 30 August 2021 00:52 (two years ago) link
Yeah I saw that, some people are fiercely defensive. And conflicted: lol at the "export control quality" posture, all the while still seemed to like the idea of having Jorja Smith's vocals on an Amapiano track. One thing that is true is that it's hard to hear this as a "blue lights" type of r&b, I can only hear it as amapiano.
― Nabozo, Monday, 30 August 2021 06:30 (two years ago) link
Cassper Nyovest feat. Abidoza & Boohle - Siyathandana
― Nabozo, Sunday, June 6, 2021 9:59 AM (two months ago) bookmarkflaglink
just heard this for the first time and wooow what a banger
― grove street (party) direction (voodoo chili), Friday, 3 September 2021 14:29 (two years ago) link
I went through the Aymos album (out 03.09). I did not find its first songs very inspired and his Moonchild Sanelly imitation with his soft voice was an early low point, but the rest from Risasekile to Muhle is charming.
― Nabozo, Sunday, 5 September 2021 08:54 (two years ago) link
Oops, pressed Enter or something. Charming and lyrical.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eJCL1qSrkcAymos - Rata (feat. Mas Musique & Boohle)
I'll also have to be checking Felo Le Tee who has an album with all the big Amapiano names and has a song trending with Bopha
― Nabozo, Sunday, 5 September 2021 09:00 (two years ago) link
KdS is evolving with his sound - he's at his most Sun-El here. Busta 929 maybe not so much. I can't complain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An0PHocDud0Kabza de Small & Dj Maphorisa - Abalele (feat. Ami Faku)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3Y3IUx8aS4Boohle - Amawaza (feat. Busta 929 & Mpura)
― Nabozo, Sunday, 19 September 2021 17:25 (two years ago) link
And to make it a full triohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SfcH29GGvsSha Sha - Ngithembe (feat. Mdu aka TRP)
― Nabozo, Sunday, 19 September 2021 17:27 (two years ago) link
And wait for it, we're not done herehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZkcF5lzN3kSun-EL Musician - Higher (Feat. Simmy)
― Nabozo, Sunday, 19 September 2021 17:33 (two years ago) link
Tresor is releasing a 15-song album on October 15, leading with this collaboration with Da Capo and Sun-El and with at least two more tracks with KdS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9sUkM0-EUsTresor - Lighthouse (feat. Da Capo & Sun-El Musician)
― Nabozo, Sunday, 3 October 2021 10:31 (two years ago) link
The singles jukebox gave a 8.50 to Osama by Zakes Bantwini which is a trending gospel-type of song that works as the first single of an album coming out in December. He was relatively big 10 years ago.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wROpY5i-f_QZakes Bantwini - Osama
― Nabozo, Friday, 8 October 2021 15:06 (two years ago) link
Just heard Osama… for the third time in a row.
― âś–âś–âś– (Moka), Friday, 8 October 2021 23:49 (two years ago) link
All I ever listen to is amapiano these days and there are too many hits to ever catch up itt, but it needs to be said that Uncle Waffles is the best thing on IG and that Adiwele is a total banger:
Young Stunna – Adiwele ft. Kabza De Smallhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PSyVSfMWHQ
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Saturday, 20 November 2021 17:48 (two years ago) link
And I was wrong about the Davido remix of Ke Star. It still goes hard. Champion Sound is another banger by the two of them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-J0Fdze42M
Davido, Focalistic - Champion Sound
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Saturday, 20 November 2021 17:51 (two years ago) link
Good that you post Champion Sound, gives me a seguewayy to post this hybrid beat featuring Stonebowy (from Ghana) and Focalistichttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i2EYId1fk4Stonebwoy & Focalistic - ARIBA
Some serious vintage showcasing a new voice. Hope the singlesjukebox covers it.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtYubd-C_YoNomfundo Moh - Phakade Lami feat. Sha Sha & Ami Faku
She's super cute. Choosing the live version of Lilizela, but there's also a nice clip.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjnjqgjjmUwNomfundo Moh - Lilizela
Yet ANOTHER huge Busta 929 featuring Boohle yet again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vqMW-FuL4Q
Some chilled amapiano / hip hop that also exists in a proper 7 minutes version.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=601_U_0m51sKwenyama Brothers & Mpura - Impilo Yase Sandton feat. Abidoza & Thabiso Lavish
― Nabozo, Sunday, 21 November 2021 17:07 (two years ago) link
Second-to-last is Busta 929 - Ngixolele (feat. Boohle)
― Nabozo, Sunday, 21 November 2021 17:41 (two years ago) link
On the rougher Kwaito side, Mellow & Sleazy are dropping this fun single ahead of an EP called Kwa Kwahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WqqKCOrieMCh'cco & Mellow & Sleazy - Nkao Tempela
― Nabozo, Tuesday, 23 November 2021 19:21 (two years ago) link
One song we had not posted from A tale of 2 peers has received a videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAX4IJxSQqcSemi Tee & Mdu aka TRP - Isingisi (feat. Sir Trill)
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 24 November 2021 08:12 (two years ago) link
Ghetto King, the Zakes Bantwini album whose advance single, "Osama", is mentioned above, is out now and, I think, terrific.
https://open.spotify.com/album/3q8v4F3zabaHlG5IVECT6r?si=cc4c615f8dc245d4
― glenn mcdonald, Thursday, 9 December 2021 00:57 (two years ago) link
Still so simple and charming. Her album will be 13 tracks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaFwj4llKvwNomfundo Moh - Nginjena
― Nabozo, Friday, 24 December 2021 11:01 (two years ago) link
A very nice Amapiano mini-album leaving a lot of space to its feats is Musa Keys - Tayo (feats include Sir Trill, Sino Msolo, Babalwa M, Aymos, Costa Titch, Moonchild Sanelly and countless others). Hard to pick up a clear highlight because the whole thing is tasty and consistent with impeccable prod, slapping bass, cool vocals, but they went with Wena.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c56_OWc35KkMusa Keys & Lebza the Villain - Wena feat. Sino Msolo
― Nabozo, Sunday, 26 December 2021 11:27 (two years ago) link
I just realized that Mpura and Killer Kau tragically died in August in a car accident killing a total of six. Kabza de Small was also briefly rumoured dead. South African roads...https://djmag.com/news/amapiano-artists-mpura-and-killer-mau-die-car-accidentMpura was associated with MrJazziq and Busta 929. Just from this year, he appeared on Umsebenzi Wethu, the Banyana EP, and the Felo le Tee album. He must have been young.
― Nabozo, Sunday, 26 December 2021 17:10 (two years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUNdhnMEZs0
Tyla - Overdue ft. DJ Lag, Kooldrink
i missed this when it came out but it's even better than "getting late"?
― ufo, Saturday, 1 January 2022 03:17 (two years ago) link
Does anybody want to nominate the DJ Black Low - Uwami album in the YEP ? I missed it
― Nabozo, Saturday, 1 January 2022 11:40 (two years ago) link
Friday night driving in my car in Washington DC area the DJ doing a late night special mix on the commercial station that plays r’n’b and some rap ( old school not trap) played a version of “Jerusalema “ and then Beenie Man “Rum and Red Bull.” Then the next night I was at a club seeing a southern soul band ( current southern soul with keyboard and congas and not just retro) Hardway Connection. After their 2nd set , the DJ played “Jerusalema “, and lots of the crowd ( many Black women) started to line dance to it.
― curmudgeon, Monday, 23 January 2023 22:02 (one year ago) link