MZANSI MUZIQ 2021 🇿🇦 Rolling South Africa thread

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKO12nnAvrE
Aymos - Jemeni feat. Focalistic

Which will be the first track of his first album in September, Yimi Lo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00j7CQRr2bk
Dzo 729, Guyu Pane and YoungStunner - Ba Xolele

The softest hit of this year ?

Apartheid is getting further and further back in time
Now 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]

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=9w3a52eOC5I
CIZA - Carolina feat. Major League DJz & Abidoza

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=7pG3YITIKGc
Dr 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.

Let's see what we can post to wake this house up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjPK4YpxxFY
Dlala 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-SpMo0Y
Dj Tarico & Burna Boy - Yaba Buluku (Remix)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKpr1WyYdIQ
De Mthuda & Ntokzin - Jola feat. Malumnator & Sino Msolo

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)

Cover of the current Makhadzi hit and it's way better
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y60avQjxBEU
Sdala 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=nEdi3BPOyEc
Busta 929 - Heartbreakers

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)

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, June 6, 2021 2:23 PM (one month ago) bookmarkflaglink

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, June 6, 2021 3:11 PM (one month ago)

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/various-artists-amapiano-now/

Amapiano awesomeness thread has recent Billboard & Rolling stone links

Thread for the AmaPiano awesomeness that is “Baby Are You Coming?” by Zero12finest feat. ThaMagnificent2

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.

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?

"heartbreakers" is cool, reminds me of massive attack

Yeah it's definitely the kind of grave house music you listen to in your sofa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-ITxUqtA9Y
Busta 929 feat. Mzu M - Mmapula

Jorja Smith makes it work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzGIAhqlblM
Jorja Smith & GuiltyBeatz - All of This

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

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.

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

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.

Oops, pressed Enter or something. Charming and lyrical.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eJCL1qSrkc
Aymos - 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

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=An0PHocDud0
Kabza de Small & Dj Maphorisa - Abalele (feat. Ami Faku)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3Y3IUx8aS4
Boohle - Amawaza (feat. Busta 929 & Mpura)

And to make it a full trio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SfcH29GGvs
Sha Sha - Ngithembe (feat. Mdu aka TRP)

And wait for it, we're not done here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZkcF5lzN3k
Sun-EL Musician - Higher (Feat. Simmy)

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-EUs
Tresor - Lighthouse (feat. Da Capo & Sun-El Musician)

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_Q
Zakes Bantwini - Osama

Just heard Osama… for the third time in a row.

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 Small
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PSyVSfMWHQ

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

Good that you post Champion Sound, gives me a seguewayy to post this hybrid beat featuring Stonebowy (from Ghana) and Focalistic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i2EYId1fk4
Stonebwoy & Focalistic - ARIBA

Some serious vintage showcasing a new voice. Hope the singlesjukebox covers it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtYubd-C_Yo
Nomfundo 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=qjnjqgjjmUw
Nomfundo 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_0m51s
Kwenyama Brothers & Mpura - Impilo Yase Sandton feat. Abidoza & Thabiso Lavish

Second-to-last is Busta 929 - Ngixolele (feat. Boohle)

On the rougher Kwaito side, Mellow & Sleazy are dropping this fun single ahead of an EP called Kwa Kwa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WqqKCOrieM
Ch'cco & Mellow & Sleazy - Nkao Tempela

One song we had not posted from A tale of 2 peers has received a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAX4IJxSQqc
Semi Tee & Mdu aka TRP - Isingisi (feat. Sir Trill)

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

Still so simple and charming. Her album will be 13 tracks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaFwj4llKvw
Nomfundo Moh - Nginjena

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_OWc35Kk
Musa Keys & Lebza the Villain - Wena feat. Sino Msolo

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-accident
Mpura 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.

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"?

Does anybody want to nominate the DJ Black Low - Uwami album in the YEP ? I missed it

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.