I recently partook in a first-of-its-kind four-day tour of Amapiano history hotspots across Mamelodi in Pretoria, Soweto, and Johannesburg in South Africa.
It was an initiative of Spotify in partnership with South African Tourism and was one trip that immerses you in an unpredictable music journey you never wish to end.
On this trip were influencers, content creators and selected journalists from Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa eager to explore this music genre that keeps captivating music enthusiasts worldwide.
The idea behind the tour was to understand the origins of Amapiano, arguably South Africa’s hottest cultural export right now.
To provide more insights, the Spotify team organised interviews revolving around Amapaino’s impact and future with front liners like Young Stunna, Focalistic, Kamo Mphela and the genre’s legendary forefather, DJ Maphorisa.
As I delved into the tales of these artistes and their remarkable feats, and with the aid of Spotify’s data on Amapiano streaming and impact, a revelation struck me: the genre’s infectious energy has effortlessly infiltrated various nations, propelled by the power of cross-border exchanges and artistic partnerships.
Focalistic
Numbers don’t lie
Before the trip, I was astonished by the sheer volume of data, insights, and statistics about Amapiano that awaited me. For example, recent Spotify data suggest that while Afrobeats is putting Nigeria on the world map, Amapiano is doing the same for South Africa.
The streaming giant said the genre garnered an enormous following, with over 240,000 playlists featuring Amapiano in the title and over 10 million playlists featuring at least one Amapiano track.
Over 40 per cent of Amapiano streams come from listeners outside South Africa. Now, that’s some staggering data.
Additionally, Spotify data showed that the almost 2 billion streams recorded in 2022 represented a 143 per cent yearly increase.
Amapiano 101
During our enlightening session with the experts, our hosts informed us that Amapiano’s birth resulted from a dynamic fusion of Kwaito, House, and various other elements of South African culture.
With its expansive, driving basslines and distinctive high-pitched piano melodies, Amapiano’s unmistakable sound sets it apart from any other genre.
The genre emerged commercially in South Africa in 2019 and has quickly captured the imagination of music lovers in countries as far afield as France, Morocco, and Japan.
Some facts stood out at different points in the trip: Amapiano comes from a long legacy of underground music that has made its mark across South Africa and now the world.
The forerunners are also blending with local music scenes worldwide to create a haven for reinterpretation and the exchange of cultures. Think Focalistic’s 2021 collaboration with Davido on ‘Champion Sound.’
With its coming of age in 2021, the South African Amapiano Music Awards was born.
Several notable music streaming platforms and online music stores, including Beatport, would create dedicated Amapiano charts and playlists a year later.
It’s impossible to write about the genre’s growth without mentioning the massive role social media platforms like TikTok played in Amapiano’s worldwide appeal and acceptance.
TikTok dance challenges fueled South Africa’s dance scene and ensured Amapiano tracks went viral.
Jack Buhda
The tour began with a visit to the cultural hotspot pub Jack Budha in Mamelodi, Pretoria.
On this Sunday afternoon, Amapiano drifted from the DJ’s set to our ears and spilt over to the corner of Tsweu Street, where Jack Buhda is situated.
It was only a matter of time before young dancers came to entertain us with some groovy Amapiano moves, which many of us sucked at.
Jack Budha is notable as the hub where artistes came to listen to Amapiano sets for hours, draw inspiration and write their lyrics.
While the hub may be known for many things, for musicians like Focalistic, it is more than just a joint to hang out. It was here that his love for Amapiano was fired up.
The musician, one of the top five promoters of the genre, dropped by to share some insight.
“We would come here (Jack Budha) and listen to Amapiano sets for three hours. We wanted to escape from the noise and do our own thing as Africans, speaking our mother tongue,’’ the footballer-turned-rapper recalled.
Amapiano sure does make an imprint in our hearts and has emotions. But to Focalitic, it is spiritual.
‘‘For us, it was an escape from the noise of hip hop at the time and a way to stay closer to our roots – you know, South Africans came from a house background. That made us relate to Amapiano – it felt like a more familiar canvas and closer to our hearts,” said the Champion Sound crooner.
Focalistic, who had a stint in hip-hop, also noted that Jack Budha was integral to Amapiano’s history in South Africa because it served as a melting point for his likes and a creative outlet.
After his session, I made a mental note to join an Amapiano class, a new addition to my bucket list.
Focalistic flanked by some of the Amapiano tour participants
More insight
Our next stop was in South Western Township (Soweto), hailed as the birthplace of Kwaito and Kasi Rap – two genres that preceded and influenced Amapiano.
We learnt that, like Amapiano’s predecessors, Soweto musicians stayed underground until the early 2010s, when their music began to gain appreciation across South Africa.
Today, they boast many ambassadors like Toss, Kamo Mphela, Samthing Soweto, Njelic, Semi Tee, Daliwonga and DJ Stokkie.
Now, because nightclubs and DJs contribute to Amapiano’s appreciation and growth, Konka was undoubtedly a must-visit.
Konka Day Club is South Africa’s flagship and upmarket lifestyle entertainment venue. It is also a favourite among Gen Zs, who determine the hit clubs to attend.
The legendary forefather of the genre, DJ Maphorisa, gave us an iconic end to the trip with a live studio session into the making of Amapiano and Nigerian artiste Wurld hemming the lyrics on the spot.
DJ Maphorisa, gave us an iconic end to the trip with a live studio session into the making of Amapiano and Nigerian artist Wurld hemming the lyrics on the spot.
But what is Amapiano without a dance? To give us a detailed analysis of how dance is an integral part of the genre, we dropped by a dance studio in Sandton, Johannesburg, where South African star Kamo Mphela was waiting to take us through her dance routine.
Dance is a vital part of Amapiano, so we had Mphela teach us some moves inspired by her recent release, ‘Hannah Montana.’
The experience was beyond enlightening and memorable – what else could get a vibe going like Amapiano?
Mphela taught us some moves inspired by her recent release, ‘Hannah Montana.’
Enter Young Stunna
Finally, we were audience to a fireside chat with Johannesburg’s fast-rising Amapiano star Young Stunna and Spotify’s Sub-Saharan Africa Head of Music, Phiona Okumu.
The duo delved deeper into the genre’s growth, specifically looking at the role of clubs in pushing the genre.
Ms Okumu said Spotify positions the genre by meeting the artistes, understanding where the gaps are and educating them about what streaming is about and how it benefits them.
ALSO READ: INTERVIEW: How Amapiano music earned me loyal following in Nigeria – Focalistic
She noted: ‘‘From the onset, we (Spotify) made sure to be close to the culture, identify the stars, ensure they’re playlisted, and that we have relationships with them and engage with the world. That’s part of why you can see Amapiano blowing up in London, Toronto and New York – just because streaming makes it accessible.
‘‘You can only appreciate Amapiano once you see how people consume, produce and enjoy it in South Africa. It’s an opportunity to create a cultural immersion. In Africa, we don’t do enough to understand each other’s cultures and exercises like this help us’’.
She also noted that one of the most inspiring things about Amapiano is the dedication to be oneself and do yourself.
Ms Okumu said going by the attention Amapiano receives, all that is left to do is build the infrastructure by streaming the music because the industry will only thrive if the artistes make a viable living.
Young Stunna, known for his hit singles ‘Bopha’ and ‘Adiwele’, likened Amapiano to a culture bubbling on the surface. Still, it just needed a little bit more visibility.
He shared a backstory of some of his colleagues’ efforts to position the genre better.
‘‘We needed to make it known that this music was happening and popular wherever it was on a localised level in Pretoria, Soweto and all these places. We organised a little convention of producers, songwriters and label owners to understand what they were dealing with as a genre. We found that music was being produced almost on a hand-to-mouth basis, and then it was on to the next,’’ he recalled.
With Amapiano transcending borders and doing what it’s doing in the rest of the world, the 25-year-old singer said he couldn’t be any happier.
‘‘You can only appreciate Amapiano once you see how the source consumes, produces and enjoys it. For us, it was an opportunity to create a cultural immersion. I think in Africa, we don’t do enough to appreciate each other’s cultures when, in fact, we love each other’s music.
‘‘I feel like exercises like this give us the leeway and insight into how people live and how the culture is useful or valuable to people. You develop a specific type of respect,’’ he said.
Viva Amapiano
Young Stunna said he was introduced to Amapiano late in 2018 and dropped his first track two years later. At the outset, he said he didn’t know the commercial sound of Amapiano music.
Today, the talented singer owes his success to the streets.
‘‘I didn’t have Instagram back then because I couldn’t afford data or airtime – I used to browse for free. It was hard for me to put the craft on Instagram – the streets helped me push the sound,’’ he said.
As more non-South African musicians like Asake, Naira Marley or Kizz Daniel, continue to employ Amapiano in their beats, Young Stunna nurses no fear, and neither is he threatened. Instead, he believes the more, the merrier.
‘’There are no gatekeepers here. We can’t fight people’s opinions. There was a time they said Asake was the best Amapiano lyricist, and I said what? It’s not pure Amapiano, and it’s not actually from South Africa. We don’t react the same as fans. I listen to Asake’s music and love it. We must not be scared because outsiders adapt our sound. After all, Amapiano will be around a long time,’’ he concludes.
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