Amapiano music genre is the currrent and biggest sound in and to come out of South Africa. While other musicians were able to launch their music careers by leaning into the sound. With that being said, there are amapiano artists that are influencial especially looking at their talent and where they come from as well as what they have achieved so far.
Here are 10 most influential Amapiano artists:
Kabza De Small
For someone that started from the bottom, Kabza De Small, real name Kabelo Motha has sure made it to the top. He has earned the ‘King of Piano’ name which he was given by his fans and some music giants. He has mostly collaborated with DJ Maphorisa, forming a duo called ‘Scorpion Kings’. Kabza claimed the top three spots for most streamed albums with his offerings ‘I Am The King of AmaPiano’: Sweet & Dust, Scorpion Kings Live and The Return Of The Scorpion Kings. Kabza also topped the list of the most streamed South African artists on Spotify in 2020.
DJ Maphorisa
Themba Sonnyboy Sekowe, popularly known by his stage name DJ Maphorisa is one of the infuential amapiano artists, he was also named on the 100 most influential young South Africans by avance media. He is the amapiano pioneer and influenced upcoming amapiano artists to enter the industry and start making amapiano genre music.
Focalistic
Focalistic real name Lethabo sebetso all the way from Pretoria, has managed to establish an authentic rapping style, using Piroti slang in which he tells a story while ensuring people can still dance to the beat. His recent collabo was with Nigeria’s afro beat stat Davido, which he confirmed it was his dream collabo to wok with Davido. He has made it to the Times Square billboard in New York, and for someone that comes from kasi, he has sure influenced a lot of youngsters to believe in their dreams.
Kamo Mphela
Kamo has achieved a lot for a 21 year old female in the music industry which seems to be male dominated. She has amanaged to put her footprint in the amapiano music genre and has established her name as a brand. The star recently dropped a 4-track Ep which dropped under her own company, Kamo Mphela Entertainment.
Vigro Deep
Vigro Deep is also known as the youngest amapiano music producer. For someone his age he has produced gold selling hits like ‘Ke Star’ by Focalistic. He has also produced hits that kept Mzansi on their toes more especially lockdown festivities.
Sha Sha
Sha Sha’s story reads like fiction after a chance encounter with a cab driver led her to meet and collaborate with critically acclaimed hit maker, DJ Maphorisa. Fast-forward to 2020 and the Zimbabwean songstress beat off some stiff competition to become the winner of this year’s BET Award for Viewers’ Choice: Best New International Act. Add to this her SAMA nominations for Best Collaboration for “Tender Love featuring DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small” and Rest Of Africa Award and this really has been the year that Sha Sha has come into her own, one year after the release of her debut EP Blossom.
JazziQ
Currently on the cover of Spotify’s African Heat playlist, which goes out to over 800 000 subscribers, JazziQ continues to appeal to a mass audience. As a pioneer of Amapiano, emerging as one-half of JazziDisciples, JazziQ has played an important role in Amapiano’s rapid journey from the township into the heart of the mainstream.
MFR Souls
Two-time SAMA nominees, Ma-Ero and Force Reloaded, better known to South Africa as MRF Souls, have had a whirlwind 2020, releasing their second album Musical Kings to critical praise with its lead single “Amanikiniki” going on to make the amapiano duo household names. Merging new-age kwaito elements and a distinct amapiano groove, “Amanikiniki” refers to different flavoured crisps, with the hook asking what flavour you prefer – beef or chicken – a metaphor for the choices we make in life. From Sandton to Soweto, “Amanikiniki” has become a crossover hit that has captured the attention and imagination of a wide audience, reaching over 7.7 million views on Youtube and sparking a nationwide TikTok dance craze in the process, earning them a nomination for TikTok #SongOfTheYear based on the number of local creations in 2020.
Major League DJZ
Born Bandile & Banele Mbere, Major League DJZ have been at the forefront of the Amapiano Culture and released multiple and successful amapiano albums and songs over the years.
Reece Madlisa and Zuma
