The Influences Of Pretoria’s Bacardi Sound On A New Wave Amapiano Hits. While the debatable birthplace of the amapiano often points to townships in Johannesburg, many enthusiasts argue and rather mention those of Pretoria. Before these conflicting remarks, however, there was a sound uncontestedly birthed in the city now known as Tshwane. During the 2000s, artists and DJs/producers such as DJ Mujava, DJ Spoko, House Station, Mzo Bullet, and others
many mainstream amapiano artists, particularly those that come from Pretoria have cited Mujava as their inspiration. Focalistic, who is always vocal about the influence bacardi house has in his music, declared in an interview with French publication Pan African Music, “we are the children of Mujava.” The opening track to his 2021 EP President Ya Straata is a heartwarming ode to the genre, aptly titled Barcardi Ke Religion (which translates to “bacardi is a religion”). On “16 Days No Sleep,” from the same EP, Foca borrows the popular “vele vele pash pash” from an underground bacardi hit. The song also interpolates the bassline of DJ Nyiko’s “Sweety Ngwago Ke Busy,” another beloved bacardi hit.
The once popular bacardi house sound has been experiencing a renaissance through amapiano. This second coming, and fusion of the two genres started showing its face to the earth in mid-2021 on songs such as the recently officially released (but leaked) hit track “Trust Fund” from DJ Maphorisa (& Madumane), Kabza De Small, Focalistic and the late Mpura, produced by Mellow & Sleazy.
Mellow & Sleazy have been spearheads, and are leading the pack. The Tshwane-natives — who hail from the townships of Ga-Rankuwa and Soshanguve — grew up being surrounded by the gritty, distorted sounds of bacardi house blasting through the speakers of neighbours or from jukeboxes of nearby taverns.
