[Column] South African Amapiano — A new dance music culture from South Africa
Column en African History![[Column] South African Amapiano — A new dance music culture from South Africa](/../assets/images/column-south-african-amapiano.webp)
Introduction — Why Amapiano now?
Text: mmr｜Theme: Origins of Amapiano, musical characteristics, history of development, main artists, and process of internationalization
In recent years, the dance music genre Amapiano, which originated in South Africa, has been attracting attention not only in Japan but also in club scenes across Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia.
Amapiano is a grassroots music that was born out of the youth culture of townships (low-income urban areas) and nurtured within local communities. Since the 2020s, the spread of streaming and SNS has transformed what was once “underground music” into a global movement.
Chapter 1: Origins and Musical Roots
Background as a music genre
Amapiano is influenced by the following genres:
- Kwaito: Dance/house music that was popular in urban areas of South Africa in the 1990s
- Gqom: Club music originating from Durban
- Deep house, jazz, lounge, soul/R&B
In particular, community outreach through township clubs, street parties, taxi ranks, etc. played an important role in the birth of Amapiano.
Acoustic features
Amapiano’s sound consists of the following elements:
- Log Drum: A distinctive sound that mixes low bass and woody percussion.
- Piano/Keyboard: Genre name “Amapiano” means “pianos” in Zulu
- Unobtrusive drums and shakers: Rhythm structures that make use of pauses and blank spaces
- Tempo: Slow groove around 110–120 BPM
- Vocal: Various styles such as singing, rapping, chorus, etc.
These elements combined to develop music that expressed the youth culture of township clubs and streets.
Figure 1: Amapiano sound structure
Chapter 2: Birth and early development (early to mid-2010s)
Geography and time
The birthplace of Amapiano is Gauteng, South Africa. Particularly important are the townships of Johannesburg and Pretoria.
According to multiple sources, experiments with Amapiano began around 2012, and the unified name “Amapiano” as a genre was established later.
Pioneers and the formation of places
- MFR Souls (Tumelo Nedondwe & Tumelo Mabe) contributed to the formation of early Amapiano
- Audio sources are shared among friends and spread via WhatsApp, clubs, parties and taxi ranks
- This DIY/grassroots spread became the foundation for the establishment of the genre.
Figure 2: Birthplace and initial spread
I got it. Now, I’ll expand on Chapter 3 and onwards, and build a complete draft in Japanese while also inserting Markdown diagrams.
Chapter 3: Establishment and Breaking of Genres (2017-2019)
Solidification of sound/unification of style
From 2017 to 2019, Amapiano’s sonic framework solidified and a common understanding was formed among DJs and listeners. The characteristics of this period are:
- Standardized combination of log drum x piano x percussion
- Tempo is around 110–120 BPM, slow groove is established
- Try out a variety of expressions including vocals and chorus
As a result, Amapiano has grown from just underground music to a genre recognized as a style.
Key artists and turning points
-
Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa
- Album Scorpion Kings released in July 2019
- Promoting genre breakout and commercialization nationwide
- Sequel The Return of the Scorpion Kings (November 2019) was also a success
This period made Amapiano not just a township music, but a nationally and commercially recognized genre.
Figure 3: Artist relationships during the genre establishment period
Chapter 4: Pandemic Period and Accelerating Dissemination (2020-2022)
COVID‑19 and online spread
*Club closed in 2020 due to lockdown
- Artists distribute mixes online (e.g. Balcony Mix) to increase recognition nationwide.
- Young DJs such as Major League DJz are also joining this trend.
Representative album
-
Kabza De Small “I Am the King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust” (June 2020)
- An album that shows the maturity of the genre.
- Composition that can be enjoyed not only for clubs but also as an album work
Diversification of sounds
- Cross-over with jazz, soul, and R&B continues
- Increased inclusivity with the emergence of female singers and new generation artists
Figure 4: Diffusion routes during the pandemic period
Chapter 5: Internationalization and global expansion (2021 and beyond)
Crossing borders Amapiano
- From 2021 onwards, playing at clubs/festivals in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia
- Increase in international collaborations and fusion with Afrobeats
- Streaming data will be played billions of times worldwide (2023)
Large scale live/festival
-
August 2025: Scorpion Kings Live with Friends (Pretoria)
- Approximately 50,000 people mobilized
- Establishing the genre’s status as a “cultural and social symbol”
Figure 5: Internationalization network
Chapter 6: Evolution and Present of Sound — Diversification, Criticism, Future
Diversification of sounds
- Fusion of jazz, R&B, soul, lounge, Afrobeats, and hip-hop *Vocals in Zulu, English and other languages
- Young artists explore new ways of expression
Criticisms and Concerns
- Concerns about “uniformity” and “aiming for hits” due to commercialization
- However, diversification and branching are also progressing at the same time, and the genre is evolving.
Possibilities for the future
*Development not only within South Africa, but across Africa and globally.
- Further growth is expected due to streaming, digital distribution, and spread on SNS
Figure 6: Multidimensional map of sound evolution
Chapter 7: Cultural and social implications
- Amapiano is an expression of youth culture in the township
- Language, regional characteristics, daily life, and festival culture are reflected in music.
- Through internationalization, it also serves as a window for presenting “African youth culture” to the world.
Figure 7: Amapiano as a cultural expression
Chronology
Closing
Amapiano is an iconic South African music genre that has expanded from township underground culture to club festivals around the world. At its core, ““Log drum x piano x percussion x expression of youth culture’’ remains an unwavering origin, but continues to evolve amid diversification and internationalization.
Explore more like this
![[Column] Nyege Nyege: A music group from Uganda that is leading Africa's musical revolution](/../assets/images/column-nyege-nyege.webp)
