“Let’s See If You Here At Year 10,” AKA On Amapiano Takeover. Roughly nine years after the genre’s creation, even the name speaks to coexistence of African and Western, established and contemporary, influences. Birthed in South Africa’s Black townships in the country’s Gauteng province, the Amapiano music movement borrows from the musical ancestry of the communities in which it was conceived. Since amapiano became popular, there has been a never ending debate on the survicival or Hip Hop.
AKA has weighed in on the never-ending amapiano vs hip-hop debate, telling followers that as long as South African music is winning, there is no need to fight. However, the star said Hip Hop has been around for over 20 years and he is wondering if amapiano will still be relevant after 10 years. “Amapiano is South African music, so it’s okay. But at the end of the day, IP Hop has been here for over 20 years, piano you can have one, let’s see if you’re here at year 10,” he said.
Amapiano’s foundations are in Kwaito, music created in the ’90s as South Africa transitioned into democracy. Afro and deep house, tech-house, jazz and folk are also immediately recognizable threads in the sound. What has emerged is a meeting of these influences with the creative, tech-savvy and DIY spirit of the country’s youngest generations.
