Musa Keys On What Inspired Him To Feature On Afrobeats Tracks. Fondly referred to by his fans as the Tsonga Michael Jackson, he got his moniker because of his flamboyant style. He knew as early as 13 years old that he was destined for a career in music after he laid his hands on the church’s keyboard.Real name Musa Makamu, he was born in Giyani, Limpopo, but grew up in Polokwane.
Musa combines genres including hip-hop, soul, R&B, and afrobeat to create his distinctive sound. In addition to being an amapiano sensation, the star has shown interest in Afrobeats music on songs like ‘Katara’ and ‘Big Choppa’.
“I think that’s just my sauce, man. I feel like I can’t dispute the artist in me that’s tryna be vocal in a very groovy way. I hadn’t religiously listened to Nigerian songs by then, but I was already like I like this vibe. I like songs that make you feel like you grooving. Even if it’s a smooth song I want you to feel like ‘damn, this thing is so dope’. So I was like let me just do that, and I started listening to Nigerian music, trying to understand them as well.”
“But nonetheless, for me to also go in that direction, I feel like Afrobeats is a universal sound created by [West] Africans. It translates to everybody, whether you are white or Black, you are from the States, you are from South Africa, you are from China, it translates. It’s such a unique universal language. As I said, I love my music being universal. Regardless of whether you are an emotional or happy person, I need you to at least have a feeling toward my songs,” he told MixMag.