Here’s a chance to get a history lesson and get your groove on. Thanks to the incredible diversity of cultures in South Africa (not called the Rainbow Nation for nothing), it’s no surprise that there’s a huge variety of musical traditions. What’s amazing, however, is how the country has consistently produced music that drives dance crazes. There’s afrohouse, brimming with emotion and tribal drums; gqom, with its edgy stripped-back rhythms; shangaan, a high speed, whimsical take on indigenous folk; amapiano, a slower paced hybrid of deep house, R&B and the earlier kwaito style; plus ever more splinters and hybrids, all rooted in the country’s Black communities. Pioneers like Vinny Da Vinci & DJ Christos, Glen Lewis, Tim White and Oskido intersected US house with local styles; economic limitations led to the birth of kwaito, where artists made their own tracks by slowing down house records and adding vocals in their own vernacular.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
More Stories
Rukky Ladoja & Building a Responsible Nigerian Fashion Brand
How to Write About Africa: Collected Works’ Shows Binyavanga Wainaina’s Legacy
Amapiano to the World: The Next Cultural Shift in Mainstream Music
Feeling at Home at New York’s Contemporary African Art Fair
Mr. Eazi on African Music’s Role in Developing and Stimulating the Creative Economy
8 Lisbon Restaurants for Discovering the City’s African Diaspora
Silversea Cruises’ Extended Indian Ocean Island and Southern Africa Programme
Events Specifically Dedicated to Celebrating Black Music and Culture in Europe
Namibia Offers a Wealth of Experiences for Adventurous Travellers
Top Destinations to Visit in Africa
Establishing Manufacturing Nodes across the Continent and Leveraging on the AfCFTA
The Agritech Innovators Bringing Transformative Change to the Continent’s Green Economy