In the early 1990s, Kwaito music was being crafted in townships across Johannesburg, South Africa and ushered in the country's era of hip-hop, house-pop and trip-pop. Kwaito stemmed from the youth needing a creative outlet for their frustration with the political injustices happening in their townships — similar to how rap was birthed and nurtured as therapy for trauma happening in our neighborhoods due to political inequalities. The word Kwaito is literally derived from the Afrikaans word "kwaai," which translates to "angry."
Kwaito tracks are usually a mixture of English, Zulu, Xhosa and Iscamtho. It's best explained as house music merged with South African native sound and influences from legends like Brenda Fassie and Miriam Makeba. Rap has been the creative freedom we needed across the diaspora and it has worked as a very necessary tool in mobilizing.
If you love great music, you'll appreciate the variety of sound on this list! Here are five South African artists you need to know.
1. Kwesta
Kwesta is the heart and soul of South African hip-hop/rap. He's raw and authentic and you hear it within the grit and rasp of his voice. RapLyy, the label he co-founded with Kid X, has been popping and headlined the Umbeshubhelo festival over the Easter holiday. Kwesta is an OG in the ZA rap game — he's not new to this. With over a decade under his belt, features from Wale, opening for T.I and garnering a standing ovation from Sway in the morning following his freestyle, he has been instrumental in paving the way for South African hip-hop artists to gain attention abroad.
2. Moon Child Sanelly
She's literally everything you didn't know you needed in your life, until you got it. Moonchild is the self-proclaimed "Advocate for the Female Orgasm" with hooks that'll be stuck in your head for days (no, seriously, I catch myself singing "Weh Mameh" at least twice a day). Credited for ushering the afro-pop/trip-pop genre into South Africa, her joy and confidence are absolutely infectious, and it resonates through her music. Moonchild's staple blue locs, self-designed wardrobe and unabashed self-acceptance even has Cosmopolitan Magazine calling her an icon.
3. Kid X
Kid X is definitely nice to look at. He's got the whole "bread-bae" thing going for him, but I digress. Beyond him being eye candy, he's a really dope lyricist and the co-founder of Raplyf. His laid-back demeanor creates the perfect "grab-a-drink-and-get-lit-at-the-kickback" vibes. Currently, his record Aunty, featuring ChianoSky, has been number one on the Trace Urban charts for the past three consecutive weeks.
4. Msaki
Msaki is a lover and healer. Her music transports you into a daydream. Listening to Msaki's melodies is a journey in spirituality, freedom and self-awareness. You don't have to understand Xhosa to feel her music because she's gifted in a way that transcends language and hits straight at your core. She is a whole entire vibe, y'all. Get your life, a glass of wine and just press play.
5. DJ SLIM
You can tell when a DJ actually loves and appreciates the music for the art of the music. DJ Slim is the G.O.A.T. when it comes to crafting the hottest SA mixes for every mood. He feels out the vibe so well that at SXSW, I witnessed a crowd asking him for a three-peat in the booth. I mean, who else do you know can get the most popular South African artists on one track?
