AfroTech is a prominent dance music style in clubs around the world — but in its country of origin the genre's future hangs in the balance. Setumo-Thebe Mohlomi reports on the need to support creativity and spirituality within South Africa's scene Waving hands reach for the sky, or something beyond it; some with flat palms [...]
In South Africa's burgeoning ballroom scene, pioneering figures and DJs are finding their own ‘Ha’ in the country's past, and in the contemporary sounds of gqom, amapiano, and Afrobeats. Tazmé Pillay learns more “DJ, cut the beat.” The room falls silent — an unforgivable sin anywhere else, but this is no nightclub. This is a [...]
The musical artist Musa Keys performing at the Afro Nation festival in Miami, in May.Photograph by Chris Allmeid / Courtesy Afro Nation A new form of South African dance music is thriving. A pair of twin brothers, known as Major League Djz, want the rest of the world to pay attention. It was [...]
It will be a hot summer for the Neapolitan DJ. And infinitely interesting when it flows into a hot autumn Mimmo Falcone is MoBlack , someone who immediately believed in afro house so much that he became its disciple. He left from Sant'Antonio Abate, a town half an hour's journey from the city of Naples, with the intention [...]
This frenetic, TikTok-ready sound is taking over the streets of Lagos—and beyond. But is it ready to go mainstream? The Nigerian genre cruise (AKA freebeat or cruise beat) seems designed to cause the body to move before the mind understands what's happening. It's a delirious blur of vocals and drums, influenced by other African [...]
There are a number of parallel Afro house scenes developing within London’s underground, as a variety of influences propel the movement in new directions. NKC reports WORDS: NKC | PHOTOGRAPHY: JEROME KIDMAN 28 FEBRUARY 2023 AN AFRO HOUSE MOVEMENT As Scratcha DVA puts it, “the bounce” is back in UK club music, and we owe it [...]
For those who don't know you, tell us a little about yourself, where you are from, and how you first got into dance music. I was born and raised in South Africa, but grew up in the US. I got into dance music via the Winter Music Conference. Some NYC friends suggested [...]
Upon Mavin Records' 10 year anniversary, Madzadza Miya speaks to founder Don Jazzy and the label's roster of talented stars and staff about its decade of dominance and role in making Afrobeats a global phenomenon WORDS: MADZADZA MIYA | PHOTOS: RICHIE IGUNMA | ART DIRECTION: VASSILIS SKANDALIS | ART DESIGN: JUDE AMPONSAH | ASSISTANT & [...]