When it comes to music, local will be even more lekker and the west wilder than ever as musicians and contemporary artists throw it back to bring it forward in a year of genre-defying greatness. We all have that one friend who is an edgelord preaching “amapiano is falling off”. But I’m glad to inform you and any other lovers of the log drum that this is simply not true.
Amapiano, or yanos, is still the number one genre in Mzansi and without a doubt our beloved Rainbow Nation’s most potent cultural export. What is true, though, is the growth of other genres in the country that are either a derivative of the now global genre or inspired by its aesthetics. In 2025, 3-step and Afrotech took a leading role on South African and international dancefloors.
Ciza’s Isaka was unequivocally the soundtrack of the year and will likely go down as the genre’s breakthrough record. 3-step is likely to be at the epicentre of South Africa’s biggest hits in 2026 and beyond. Hip-hop was the greatest casualty in the rise of ’piano (I hope you read that with the thickest South African accent), but the genre is showing signs of not backing down without a fight.
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Four Horsemen, Stogie T’s mammoth record with fellow stalwart Maggz and contemporary greats A-Reece and Nasty C, was the genre and community’s “moment of the year”. It’s celebration of penmanship and pure rap skill was a fitting finale to a year in which South African hip-hop had a bit of a reckoning. The infamous 5FM interview between DJ Speedsta and K.Keed turned out to be a silver lining on what have been the genre’s cloudiest days since rappers were seen as nothing but “ama-YoYo” and “American wannabes” in the early 2000s.
It’s looking more likely that South African hip-hop in 2026 will be aiming to appreciate and celebrate the traditional aesthetics of rappers as the genre and community seek their voice and relevance once again. But while the purists find their mojo, the kids, as they say, are alright. Remember I said yanos is influencing other genres?
Well, hip-hop is one of them. Not directly though. Walk with me.
The success of a South African sonic aesthetic has emboldened younger artists to lean into the tapestry of the country and carve a lane for themselves. Imagine a classic mid- to late-2000s DJ Cleo beat, but with raps on it? Or a standard Big Nuz or Okmalumkoolkat instrumental with a rhyme here and there? Now imagine all the lyrics in Ispiroti (Pretoria slang) and you have my South African artist to watch in 2026: MfanaTouchLine.
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