Top 15 Amapiano Artists & DJs In 2022
Meet the top 15 finest South African Amapiano artists and learn why they are the best in the country. Because music is such an important part of South African culture, we’ve produced a list of the top 15 best Amapiano musicians for 2022.
The topic of ‘South Africa’s Top 15 Best Amapiano Artists’ is divisive. The problem with tracking South Africa’s top 15 best musicians is that it’s impossible to do so without being biased.
People will always be curious about the criteria employed to compile a list of South Africa’s Top 15 Best Amapiano Artists in 2022.
Amapiano? What exactly is it?
Amapiano is a house music genre that originated in South Africa in 2012. It is a hybrid of deep house, jazz, and lounge music characterized by synths, airy pads, and wide percussive basslines. (Wikipedia)
Amapiano is a really distinct and different sound, and the fact that it is a mix of many genres is what makes it so explosive.
It’s the Kwaito of the 21st century. Without a question, Amapiano is making waves not only in Mzans (South Africa) but around the world. Some celebrities have risen to prominence as a result of the events. We can all agree that the genre has a hook and that the mood is unique.
Top 15 Best Amapiano artists in South Africa 2022
- (Scorpion Kings (DJ Maphorisa & Kabza De Small)
- Busta 929
- De Mthuda
- Mr JazziQ
- DBN Gogo
- Major League DJz
- Focalistic
- Musa Keys
- Vigro Deep
- Lady Du
- Nkosazana Daughter
- Mellow & Sleazy
- Soa Mattrix
- Boohle
- Young Stunna
1. Scorpion Kings (DJ Maphorisa & Kabza De Small)
Technically, The Scorpion Kings was a hit Amapiano album by DJ Maphorisa & Kabza De Small, a famous DJ, producer, and songwriters duo. However, one cannot exist without the other, and the pair has made a significant contribution to Amapiano culture.
DJ Maphorisa, also known as Themba Sonnyboy Sekowe, is a Grammy-nominated South African record producer, DJ, and vocalist. who is from Pretoria’s little township of Soshanguve. He became famous after composing popular singles for musicians from various genres, such as Uhuru (“Y-Yjukuta”).
DJ Maphorisa’s fans regard him as one of the most hardworking hitmakers on the scene. Maphorisa always sweeps the radio with hits, whether under the moniker Madumane or simply Phori.
Kabza De Small (Kabelo Motha) is a South African artist from Mpumalanga. In 2021, the 29-year-old made headlines as one of the first Amapiano artist to be named to FORBES AFRICA‘s 30 Under 30 list. Kabza De Small has retained his status as the country’s most prolific Amapiano hitmaker. He worked with Ami Faku and DJ Maphorisa on the singles “Asibe Happy” and “Abalele” last year, as well as Young Stunna on “Adiwele.” 2022 is still dominated by his songs. He’s also released new music and remixes with Mdu aka TRP, Boohle, Mhaw Keys, and others.
2. Busta 929
Mfana Thupa, better known by his stage name Busta 929, was born in the South African city of Midrand in the province of Gauteng. Another Amapiano DJ and producer, Busta 929 is one of our top piano recommendations for this year.
Busta 929 knows how to capture and hold his audience’s attention until the end of his song.
His album “Umsebenzi Wethu EP” received multi-platinum certification. With the third chapter of his project “Undisputed Vol 3,” he also dominated the airwaves, and fans couldn’t get enough of it. We’ve heard he has bigger ambitions for the coming year.
3. De Mthuda Amapiano artist
Mthuthuzeli Gift Khoza, better known by his stage name De Mthuda, is a DJ and record producer from South Africa. He is most known for his tracks “Shesha Geza” and “John Wick.” The nominee for the 2021 South African Music Award (SAMA) was born in Vosloorus, a major township in Boksburg, South Africa.
De Mthuda is the epitome of a hitmaker. Mthuda has released new songs and mixes with Sam Deep, Nomfundo Moh, and others, proving to be one of the most consistent artists on the scene. He also recently contributed to Kwiish SA’s new album “Umshiso, Vol 2,” on which he contributed to the majority of the tracks.
4. Mr JazziQ
Mr JazziQ (Tumelo Manyoni) is a South African Amapiano DJ and record producer. He is well known for being a former part of JazziDisciples, an amapiano DJ duo. Tumelo was born in Alexandra, South Africa, north of Johannesburg. Mr JazziQ is one of South Africa’s top Amapiano winners this year. The artist fearlessly walked from Mzansi to London with his piano message.
Amapiano means a lot to Manyoni as a genre since he never imagined how huge it would become for every musician who has dedicated their creativity to it.
In an interview with FORBES Africa, he said: “My artistry has been heavily influenced by my love for all genres of music and fashion. I believe that a combination of these two has allowed me to express my true self through my
music and in how I present myself.”
5. DBN Gogo
DBN Gogo is a South African musician that has taken the music landscape by storm. She is a professional DJ, a musician, and a music producer. During the pandemic, she became well-known in Mzansi for her Lockdown House Party on Channel O and dancing challenges such as the #JerusalemChallenge. The #DakiweChallenge was founded by Mandisa Radebe (DBN Gogo), the 28-year-old female Amapiano artist from KwaZulu-Natal, who got the entire country performing the #DakiweChallenge.
6. Major League DJz Amapiano artist
South African popular DJ and twins Bandile and Banele Mbere were born in Boston in the United States, but moved to South Africa at the tender age of five (5). One of the twins is a percussionist, while the other is a deejay.
“We started a movement called ‘new age Kwaito’ with our colleagues,” the duo claimed in an interview with FORBES Africa about their Amapiano breakthrough. “We started a movement called ‘new age Kwaito’ with our peers. This movement was all about making Kwaito music look pretty and young. And after that, we went into Amapiano. Amapiano is Kwaito but falls more onto the dance/house side.”
Major League DJz is on a mission to extend the amapiano sound to the farthest corners of the globe, and they’ve been succeeding.
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7. Focalistic
Lethabo Sebetso, better known by his stage name Focalistic, is another performer on our list of the top 15 Amapiano artists. Pretoria’s Ga-Rankuwa is where he was born and raised.
Sebetso’s breakout song may have been Ke Star, but the extended play (EP) that defined his career, according to the artist, was Ase Trap Tse ke Pina Tsa Ko Kasi (It’s Not Trap, It’s Music From the Hood), which he did with Major League DJz.
“I think that was one of those moments in my career where I knew what I wanted to do and I was confident in what I was doing and changing the game in terms of vocalists who add something to Amapiano,” Focalistic stated in an interview.
8. Musa Keys
Makamu Musa, is a 21-year-old musician best known for his chart-topping tracks Samarian Boy and Vula Mlomo, each of which have over six million YouTube views.
Musa Keys was born in the “city of development,” Polokwane, in the Limpopo area of South Africa, and chose civil engineering over music as a career.
The Amapiano sensation has been on a tear, releasing song after hit to solidify his showbiz career. “I’m different. Like my sound is different. The sound in my music is different. I personally sound different. Crazy. Not a lot of people know that I sometimes sing on my own music,” he told FORBES Africa.
9. Vigro Deep
Vigro Deep, or Kamogelo Phetla, grew up in Atteridgeville, a township west of Pretoria. He was a dancer before deciding to pursue a career in music.
DJ Vigro Deep is a well-known figure in the genre, with his music dominating dance floors across the country.
“I feel like you can mix anything with Amapiano. Like you can mix it with Afro, or hip hop,”. “So to me, it’s something that comes with happiness and where I see it from, how they sound plays and what people do and how the sound goes on is just happiness. Because it’s a whole lot of things,” the DJ, who is between the ages of 20 and 21, explained.
10. Lady Du Amapiano Queen
Lady Du continues to labor this year after being crowned Queen of Amapiano by De Mthuda last year. DJ Hlo, Pabi Cooper, and others have collaborated with the pianist. This year, her hit song “I Did It (Bum Bum)” received even more attention. Meanwhile, Duduzile Ngwenya, who will turn 31 this year, is from Vosloorus, a thriving township east of Johannesburg.
Lady Du hasn’t been on the Amapiano scene for long, but she’s already a force to be reckoned with.
“I had tried every other genre. If you go on Google and search my songs, I’ve done gospel, I’ve done house, I’ve done RnB, I’ve done hip hop,” she remarked.
Lady Du is a DJ and Amapiano artist from South Africa.
11. Nkosazana Daughter
Nkosazanah Nolwazi Kimberly (born 6 October 2000), popular as Nkosazana Daughter, is a South African vocalist. Last year, Nkosazana Daughter gained praise for her efforts on the scene. This year, she has not relented, putting in more work and appearing on new collabs. She joined Kabza De Small on “My Dali” and appeared as a featured singer on the 9th episode of the “Piano City’s series by the Major League DJz. She has multiple collabs with Kabza dominating the airwaves.
12. Mellow & Sleazy
Mellow & Sleazy is a duo formed by two friends. Without them, this list would be incomplete. They are undeniably the most talked-about combo in the country right now. They’ve collaborated with Focalistic, Daliwonga, Sir Trill, Murumba Pitch, and others to create jams. Despite being new to the music world, these pals have long demonstrated that they are among the groups in South Africa’s Amapiano orbit to be regarded seriously. We’re excited to see what more they’ve got up their sleeves.
13. Soa Mattrix
A singer whose musical orbit many would like to inhabit is also deserving of consideration. Soa Mattrix, as Mandla Mashakeni, is a two-time double Platinum producer best known for his 2020 hit song Uthando.
Soa Mattrix is a DJ and producer based in South Africa. On August 15, 1998, he was born in South Africa’s Soweto.
14. Boohle
Buhle Manyathi, better known by her stage name Boohle, is a singer and songwriter from South Africa. “Yini Na,” “Slala Amalunde,” and “Siyathandana” are some of her most popular songs. Her music combines Amapiano, afro-house, afro-soul, and gospel inspirations. Vosloorus, South Africa, is where the 21-year-old was born.
15. Young Stunna
This list would be incomplete without Young Stunna.
Sandile Msimango is a South African singer better known by his stage name Young Stunna. His popular tracks “Bopha” and “Adiwele” made him famous.
One of the major winners of 2021 is this artist, a protégé of Dj Maphorisa, the Scorpion King. He released the chart-topping debut album “Notumato” in South Africa, which received critical acclaim. However, he began 2022 with the most popular song on South African radio, “Adiwele,” which he co-wrote with Kabza De Small. Yes, he has appeared in a number of new entries as well. He was born in the South African town of Daveyton in the province of Gauteng.