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