South Africans have the best dancing rhythm of any country in the world. We are the best. If you disagree, show me which country beats us. All our tribes — Pedi, Zulu, Tswana, Xhosa, Tsonga, Venda, Sotho, Ndebele, Swazi — contribute to this point. Even the Afrikaners will get there eventually, either by force or peer pressure.
Our dancing styles and abilities amalgamate and evolve into many of the trending TikTok dance challenges, such as “Tswala Bami,” “Cash Kontant,” “Kwenzakalani,” “Biri Marung,” “Skomota Dance,” “Bhebha,” and Robot Boii’s “Salary.” (I can list so many dance challenges because I follow them quite closely — you should see me dance!)
I haven’t written an essay like this, talking about music, in a long time. The last music articles I wrote were:
- The Neurological Effect of Sister Bethina on Black People and The Beatles’ way
- Learn the Psychological Effect ‘Oe Batla Kae’ (The Song) Has on People and the Three Ingredients Hit Songs Have
Amapiano is an innovation.
In 2023, I tweeted that amapiano is like the internet and ragga — infusible with many music genres and singing styles. Ragga can be combined with various music styles and even overlaid with other vocals, such as R&B, rap, or kwaito. Similarly, the internet has integrated into areas like banking, dating, and socialising (social media).
The internet was a revolutionary innovation, much like reggae, which gave rise to subgenres such as ragga and dancehall. Similarly, amapiano is a versatile genre that blends seamlessly with others. Many amapiano producers originally worked in different musical styles, and its vocalists often have roots in gospel, Afro-pop, hip hop, or kwaito. For instance:
- Mashudu has an opera background.
- Kabza De Small’s debut album Avenue Sound is a fusion of house and lounge.
- Daliwonga, with a background in choir music, is often accompanied by LeeMcKrazy, as seen in their BBC performance.
- Before amapiano, Maphorisa was renowned for producing hits across Durban kwaito, house, gqom, Afro-pop, afrobeats, and hip hop.
- Major League DJz started as hip hop DJs.
- Young Stunna was a skilled rapper before transitioning to amapiano.
- Samthing Soweto was part of the afro-acapella group The Soil.
Each of these artists, when contributing to amapiano, brings a distinctive South African flair to the music. Their diverse backgrounds and styles create a fresh, authentic sound that is uniquely South African.
Amapiano has been around for more than 10 years now. I first heard it in 2011 at groove events, played by DJs like Snow Deep (shout out to him — a pioneer of the genre’s commercial appeal).
Today, we are in an era where new producers and vocalists are making amapiano their first genre.
Amapiano is now one of South Africa’s best-known exports, rivaling even Nelson Mandela’s global recognition.
In my main work, I write about the evolution of innovation. Music genres are a form of innovation too. I define innovation as the fusion of two or more elements to create something new — “novel” being the technical term.
Amapiano is a genre that evolved out of Pretoria’s influences. By 2015, it was bubbling in mainstream groove joints in Pretoria’s townships: Mamelodi, Atteridgeville, and Soshanguve. Of course, some might argue it also emerged in Alexandra — fair enough to a point!
Amapiano evolved from house music, disco, and Pretoria’s Bacardi music. Bacardi itself evolved from disco house. The name “amapiano” comes from the use of MIDI keyboards mimicking piano sounds traditionally played in deep house, with the Zulu prefix “ama-” describing the instrument “piano.”
MIDI controllers and the production software Fruity Loops were instrumental in the genre’s development because they were economical. MIDI controllers were affordable, and Fruity Loops was widely pirated.
There is ongoing debate about amapiano’s origins, with some claiming it started in Johannesburg, particularly Alexandra. Johannesburg popularized the name “amapiano,” as people there tend to Zulu-ize everything. In Pretoria, it was simply called “piano” or “le’piaono” in Sotho/Pedi/Tswana.
Producers across the country, especially from Johannesburg, made significant contributions, but amapiano’s style, production ethos, and foundational elements — particularly Bacardi and a specific piano-led deep house — hail from Pretoria. This is an anthropological truth.
You can also see Bacardi’s re-emergence in mainstream amapiano with tracks like “August in December” by Mulest Vankay, “Born Again” by Sia TheBee and Snokie, and “Telenova” by Focalistic, Mellow & Sleazy, Enny Man Da Guitar, and Reece Madlisa.
This fusion is an example of how amapiano incorporates other genres. In his case, amapiano’s tempo is around 108 BPM, while Bacardi’s faster 120 BPM elements have slowed down to fit.
Amapiano has continued to evolve. The log drum, a now famous plugin, was introduced to the genre by DJ and producer MDU a.k.a TRP – many producers like Kabza De Small attest tot his. His name is said in full, like “A Pimp Named Slickback” in The Boondocks cartoon series.
Over time, amapiano has moved away from its heavy reliance on MIDI controller piano. Some recent tracks do not feature piano at all, but they are still amapiano — bitches.
Today, amapiano is global.
Kabza De Small and Maphorisa
Maphorisa, coming from the gqom wave, transitioned into amapiano and elevated its quality and international appeal. His collaboration with Kabza De Small — a DJ and producer with a keen ear and impeccable production — has yielded countless hits. Their contribution deserves immense respect.
Can Amapiano Be Copied Outside South Africa?
I have yet to hear a non-South African amapiano song that earns respect. Like America’s hip hop, which is now over 50 years old, non-American artists struggled to create dominant hip hop for years. Only a few achieved global success. The same is true for Afrobeats — no artists outside West Africa (Nigeria and Ghana) have achieved worldwide fame in the genre.
This is not a snide remark; it’s simply the way it is. Even in R&B, only a few non-American artists made their mark, with Craig David being a notable exception.
Amapiano, like these genres, reflects the unique fusion of South Africa’s rich cultural heritage and rhythm. This is not to discourage anyone from producing amapiano — go ahead. But understand that it evolves from a lineage of genres unique to South Africa – and some, although not from South Africa, are interpreted with a South African tone: Bacardi, kwaito, maskandi, house, and more.
In the 90s, we danced to kwaito, itself a modernization of the pantsula dance, which was influenced by how South Africans danced to jazz. Kwaito had a tempo under 100 BPM. Disco influenced this evolution, and house music brought tempos closer to 120 BPM. Pantsula dancing adapted to house music, while sbujwa, a more sensual dance, also emerged.
All these styles have shaped how we dance today. South African producers create music that reflects this rhythm. It’s difficult for outsiders to replicate.