The music landscape in South Africa has undergone a transformation, with amapiano emerging as the zeitgeist. A lot has occurred since the year started a year ago.
Many had predicted that amapiano would go away as a craze, and had assigned it a deadline to do so. Instead, amapiano continues to dominate the airwaves, consuming artists from all genres and leaving a trail of complaints in its wake.
Top 10 Amapiano Artists & DJs
- 1. Kabza De Small
- 2. DJ Maphorisa
- 3. Busta 929
- 4. De Mthuda
- 5. Mr JazziQ
- 6. DBN Gogo
- 7. Musa Keys
- 8. Major League DJz
- 9. Lady Du
- 10. Young Stunna
Kabza De Small
Kabelo Motha, better known by his stage as Kabza De Small, has had the fortunate fortune of performing amapiano music since the genre’s inception, at a time when many doubted the genre’s viability.
He’d stuck to piano music and produced song after smash. Today, among the numerous performers that perform amapiano music, Kabza De Small is widely regarded as the genre’s monarch.
DJ Maphorisa
DJ Maphorisa follows Kabza De Small in amapiano domination. Despite being a solo artist, DJ Maphorisa occasionally collaborates with Kabza De Small, and the two produce magic together. They’re now known as the Scorpion Kings and the Piano Kings, respectively, for projects they’ve collaborated on.
DJ Maphorisa was a gqom music producer before diving into the realm of yanos. Wizkid, a Nigerian musician, was a big fan of the piano sound, so Phori decided to give it a shot. The rest, as the phrase goes, is history.
Busta 929
Another amapiano DJ and producer, Busta 929 is one of our top piano recommendations for this year. This singer-songwriter understands how to grab his audience’s attention and keep it until the finish of his song.
De Mthuda
You may consider him one of the amapiano thunders out there. Yes, De Mthuda is one of the most strong voices in the Rainbow Nation’s realm of piano music. It’s ironic that, while he believes there is no king of amapiano music in South Africa, he also refuses to claim the throne.
Regardless, he is a major figure in amapiano music and deserves to be included on this list.
Mr JazziQ
This is every mother’s ideal son: a man who will keep his word. Mr Jazziq is one of the year’s biggest amapiano winners in South Africa. The singer walked bravely with his piano message from Mzansi to London.
Then he fulfilled a promise he made to his mother before he became wealthy and famous: he purchased her a Mercedes Benz.
DBN Gogo
One of the winners in this year’s yanos orbit is DBN Gogo, a DJ and vocalist. When she synced her actions at the decks with those of the people standing around her while she played her set, she drew a lot of attention.
Musa Keys
Musa Keys has warmed the hearts of many musicians this year with his releases, with music that readily keys into the soul. This songster has done exceptionally well this year, whether on his own songs or as a guest on other people’s songs.
Major League DJz
Major League DJz, made up of twin brothers Bandile and Banele Mbere, is on a mission to spread the amapiano sound to the ends of the world, and they’ve been doing exactly that. Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom are among the nations they have visited in 2021.
Surprisingly, Bandile and Banele began their careers in hip-hop. They had abandoned rap and begun their Amapiano Live Balcony mixes along the way.
Lady Du
Lady Du feels herself fortunate, and no one can argue with her assessment because, despite having a weak heart, sis is still a stage winner. She can sing and dance without needing to go to the hospital in an emergency, but she can’t run.
Young Stunna
Without Young Stunna, this list would be incomplete. This singer, a protégé of Dj Maphorisa, the Scorpion King, is one of the great winners of 2021. In South Africa, his debut album was well-received.
In fact, one of the project’s songs, “Adiwele,” has become something of a national anthem in Mzansi and Uncle Waffles’ favorite.