The Amapiano sound from South Africa, an electronic music movement born on the streets, has recently been introduced into the country’s music industry, with musicians from all over the African continent and the world vying for a piece of it.
Currently, the Amapiano music genre appeals to both music lovers and musicians, but few are aware of its rich history, its pioneers, the challenges the genre has faced, and its growth and evolution.
The History of Amapiano Music
Amapiano is a house music style. Its sound is derived from already existing genres of music popular in South African townships. You don’t have to be a music expert to hear the traces of Deep house, Kwaito, and Jazz represented by synths, airy pads, and wide basslines.
Amapiano began in Johannesburg’s townships, primarily Alexandra, Vosloorus, and Katlehong. Amapiano has been around since 2014, despite its recent continental and global recognition. Amapiano’s origins are also linked to South Africa’s administrative capital Pretoria, specifically Atteridgeville and Mamelodi.
The beloved and iconic genre name, as seen in this SHAYA! documentary about the history of Amapiano, was coined by musical duo MFR Souls. “Amapiano” translates to “pianos” in English. “Ama” is a plural article used as a prefix before singular words or nouns to make them plural in Xhosa, Zulu, and Ndebele.
Many people have contributed to the survival of the Amapiano music genre. DJ Da Kruk, for example, created an Amapaino hour on his YFM show. DJs used to send him a truckload of music submissions with the Amapiano sound. This is what gave Amapiano music one of its first radio plays.
The Amapiano sound is now everywhere, but it was previously nearly impossible to hear on the radio. Every day, a truckload of new Amapiano songs are released via mp3 blogs for free download and messaging apps. Some become instant hits, others endure to become classics, and still others become the go-to songs for DJs to play to get clubs or parties rocking!
Aside from MFR Souls, other Amapiano pioneers include JazziDisciples, Kabza De Small, and KWiiSH SA. They are responsible for the electronic music movement’s survival to this day.
Amapiano Music’s Evolution
Without a doubt, Amapiano music is one of South Africa’s fastest-growing genres. Amapiano became a popular mainstream genre in 2016 and 2017. It is gradually spreading to other African countries and, eventually, the entire world.
South Africans, and Africans in general, enjoy using dance to express themselves creatively. After hearing a baseline from a DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, or Virgo Deep song, one may find it difficult to refrain from busting out a dance move. Many vocalists, including Samthing Soweto, Njelic, and Bontle Smith, have had the opportunity to be featured on Amapiano radio and street hits.
Amapiano has welcomed newcomers such as Semi Tee, Shasha, Miano, and Kamo Mphela, as well as original hip-hop artists such as Cassper Nyovest and Focalistic, who rap over traditional Amapiano instrumentals. Personally, I am excited to see what the future holds for the Amapiano genre. Amapiano music has also spread out to Nigerian Music industry as many Nigerian performing artists like Zinoleesky, Rema, Naira Marley, etc produces amazing and captivating amapiano songs.
Amapiano Music Criticism
South African DJs have criticized Amapiano music for being too similar to gqom, deep house, and ordinary house music, calling it an uncreative subpar version of the gqom genre, which originated in KwaZulu-Natal.
In 2019, Amapiano surpassed gqom as the most popular genre for getting people to dance.
Following the release of Semi Tee and Milano’s song, Labantwana ama Uber, Amapiano was heavily criticized, particularly by the elderly, for encouraging inappropriate behavior and drug use. Personally, I believe it is unjust to extend your dislike for a song’s lyrics to an entire genre of music, especially since this is not the first genre of music in which a musician has said anything “inappropriate.”