The South African music scene has been been the birthing place of many sounds that have dominated the continent over the years, its youngest musical sibling, Amapiano has become more than just a sound for many of its artists.

The exact Zulu meaning of Amapiano is “pianos,” however since the South African house music genre emerged from the townships of Pretoria, it has garnered worldwide popularity, bringing together the musical influences of the communities where it was born.

It has remained one of the most rapidly rising sounds, enthralling listeners in Africa and around the world.

Even though its exact township of birth is unknown, as if its birth certificate is still buried under its parents’ mattress, ‘Piano’ borrows from the country’s extensive musical archive as a uniquely South African sound.

Some folks claim ‘Piano music was born in the Gauteng province’s townships on the outskirts of cities, with a few other townships and musicians claiming to have invented the sound.

The genre first gained popularity in the ‘underground’ realm of pubs and taverns common among South Africa’s township population.

The contribution of the South African Black community to the emerging sound is unrivalled, as they emphasize the existing issues in the country’s music industry as a result of independent artists’ exclusion.

• RELATED: 10 South African artists with buzzing Amapiano songs in 2021 so far
• RELATED: How Nigerian artists adopted and spiced up the amapiano sound.

Many folks have ended up generating their own music; some have tried to get their music out by cracking software and then sharing it through messaging apps like WhatsApp, social media, and even word of mouth.

Thanks to digital distribution and marketing technologies, Amapiano has evolved from an underground sound in South African townships to a worldwide recognized genre. Now with a sizable internet following and a whole dance culture to go with it.

The Sound

The pace of Amapiano oscillates between laid-back and mid-tempo, with booming basslines, plenty of synths, and soulful piano or flute melodies, slower and more subdued than West African Afrobeats and Afropop.

Because amapiano is such a new genre, it has allowed for unlimited expression and exploration of sounds, presentations, and inspirations that are typical of the birth of anything new.

This enthusiasm for learning contrasts with what is happening in other popular genres like R&B, pop, and hip-hop, where songs have become formulaic, calculated, and predictable.

Despite the fact that it has been around since 2012, its popularity skyrocketed in 2020.

• RELATED: De Mthuda, Kwiish SA, Mr JazziQ, DBN Gogo, Focalistic, and others perform the best amapiano
• RELATED: Top 10 Nigerian artists that emerge early with amapiano sound

Some Frontliners of the Amapiano movement in South Africa

Major League DJz

Bandile and Banele Mbere, twins born in Boston, Massachusetts, migrated to South Africa at the age of five. They threw the ‘Robot Party’ when they were 16 years old, and it changed their lives forever.

Professionally, the two began their careers as promoters, hosting some of the country’s most prestigious parties.

The move into DJing started at their own parties when artists or DJs wouldn’t make it to their sets on time.

They started a movement called ‘new age Kwaito’ with their peers. According to them in an interview with Forbes, This movement was all about making Kwaito music look pretty and young. This movement also saw them transition into Amapiano.

The duo is most known for their “balcony mixes” with more than two million views on YouTube.

The Scorpion Kings (Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa)

DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small also known as The Scorpion Kings are undoubtedly the most hardworking pair in South Africa, having released six albums together since 2019, including ‘Piano Hub’ and ‘Scorpion Kings.’

They have been in the vanguard of the genre in terms of commercial success due to the high-quality songs and collaborations they have produced in such a short period of time.

They’ve not only introduced us to new musicians along the way, but they’ve also inspired an entire generation.

Kabza De Small was the most streamed South African musician on Spotify in 2019 and 2020.

With ‘I Am The King Of Amapiano: Sweet and Dust,’ ‘Scorpion Kings Live,’ and ‘The Return of the Scorpion Kings,‘ he also took the top three slots for the most streamed local albums. This is strong evidence that the general public is paying attention.

MFR Souls

MFR Souls are credited with naming the Amapiano genre and are also one of the genre’s early contributors.

They are originally from the East Rand, and their second album, ‘Musical Kings,’ was released in 2020. The album is a testament to the talent that exists in their homeland, as it features artists from there.

They’re also recognized for focusing on crafting Amapiano music with a soulful feel. However, it hasn’t hindered them from producing club bangers like ‘Amanikiniki,’ which features Kamo Mphela, Bontle Smith, and Major League DJz.

Mr JazziQ

Mr JazziQ, formerly one half of JazziDisciples, has been at this Amapiano gig for a long time and is making amazing music as well.

Mr JazziQ started making his own music after the JazziDisciples disbanded, and he hasn’t looked back since. He’s definitely been one of the busiest producers in the last year or two, other than Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa.

He’s been producing a lot of music and having a lot of features as the pandemic progressed in 2020. The most prominent features are Focalistic, Busta 929, and Reece Madlisa & Zuma.

Others

The South African Music genre has a lot of Amapiano leaders making waves not just in their hometown but also outside the shores of the country.

Some of them include Focalistic, Sha Sha, Samthing Soweto, Kamo Mphela, DBN GOGO, Cassper Nyovest, Vigro Deep, Lady Du, Soa Mattrix, Musa Keys, among others.

• RELATED: Major League Djz: The duo that understands the power of Amapiano sounds
• RELATED: DJ Mr JazziQ is regarded as one of Amapiano’s pioneers

Influence

Like Afrobeat, the dominant sound in Sub-Saharan Africa and the region’s biggest musical export, Amapiano has made an impact on not just its birth country but on other regions in Africa.

For example, Nigeria is one of the African countries that have adopted the sound and its artists have brought their spice to it, giving a Nigerian flavour but still retaining its core element.

Nigerian Artists like Rema, Ninola, Davido, Olamide, Phyno, Mayorkun are among the acts taking advantage of this sound.

This post appeared first on Mp3bullet.ng... Read Original post on South African artists, the great influence behind the Amapiano sounds.

MTV Base returns with her awards show and music celebration which is popularly known as MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA), it will take place in Kampala, Uganda on February 20, 2021.

This edition will be giving some new-skool artists an avenue to showcase their talents as Tems, Koffee, Fireboy DML, bag nomination while previous winners such as Davido, Tiwa Savage, Stanley Enow returned to the nominee’s list yet again.

Meanwhile, The MTV Africa Music Awards 2021 will broadcast on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and MTV (DStv Channel 130).

• RELATED: Full List Of Winners at #MOBOAwards 2020
• RELATED: Full Headies Award 2020 Nomination List

See Full Nomination List below:-

Best Hip Hop

Khaligraph Jones
Kwesi Arthur
Nasty C
NGA
OMG
Suspect 95

Breakthrough Act

Elaine
Tems
Omah Lay
Zuchu
John Blaq
Sha Sha
Focalistic

Best Female

Simi
Sheebah
Sho Madjozi
Busiswa
Yemi Alade
Soraia Ramos
Tiwa Savage

Best Group

Blaq Diamond
Sauti Sol
Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa
Calema
Ethic
Rostam

Best Ugandan Act

Sheebah
Bebe Cool
John Blaq
Vinka
Daddy Andre
Spice Diana

“Alone Together” Best Lockdown Performance 

Diamond Platnumz
Black Motion
Singuila
AKA
Yemi Alade
Niniola and Busiswa

Best Lusophone

Calema
Preto Show
Anna Joyce
Mr Bow
Nelson Freitas
Soraia Ramos

Best Male

Burna Boy
Fireboy DML
Harmonize
Innoss’B
Kaza De Small
Master KG
Rema

Best Francophone

Innoss’B
Suspect 95
Dip Doundou Guiss
Stanley Enow
Fally Ipupa

Artist of the Year

Burna Boy
Calema
Diamond Platnumz
Master KG
Davido
Tiwa Savage
Wizkid

Congratulations to everyone that made the list.

GoodLuck!

This post appeared first on Mp3bullet.ng... Read Original post on #MTVMAMA 2021: Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, Davido, Tems, Others bag nomination..

• SEE ALSO: 4 Artists Davido has Tried to Raise After their Downfall

Davido won the award with his record-breaking album, A Good Time, which won the category of ‘Best of Africa’, a category that was created in 2019 and initially won by Tanzanian superstar, Diamond Platnumz.

SAMAs via their Twitter page announced the news writing,

“Congratulations go out to @Davido for scooping the Rest Of Africa award for his album “A Good Time” #SAMA26 #ForThaKultcha “

The nominees for the Category for “Rest of Africa” includes, “Blossom” by Sha Sha (Zimbabwe) “I Love Girls With Trobul” by Sarz and WurlD (Nigeria) Metamorfose by Isabel Novella (Mozambique) “YPSZN2” by PsychoYP (Nigeria) A Good Time by Davido (Nigeria).

The award show moved online due to the present issue of the pandemic, splitting the show into 30-minute segments scheduled to air between 3 and 7 August on My Muze by Vodacom and Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) at 21:30.

SAMA Awards is one of the biggest award events in South Africa as it is a time to celebrate Africans in the music industry. In 2017, Patoranking won SAMA Awards for the Best African Act, making him not just the first Nigerian artiste in that category but also the first Nigerian to ever win a South Africa Music Award and Davido’s new win, although in another category, makes him the second artiste to bag a SAMA Award.

It is also important to note that Nigerian artiste, May D was featured in Mafikizolo‘s ‘Happiness’  that won Best Collaboration in 2014.

• SEE ALSO: Top 11 Nigerian Artistes Who Have Their Own Record Label

Congratulations go out to @Davido for scooping the Rest Of Africa award for his album “A Good Time” #SAMA26 #ForThaKultcha pic.twitter.com/ozuazFc989

— The SA Music Awards (@TheSAMAs) August 3, 2020

This post appeared first on Mp3bullet.ng... Read Original post on Davido becomes the 1st Nigerian to win “Rest of Africa” at the South African Music Awards.