Kabza De Small

Last Night a DJ Saved My Life

 

Continuing my South African adventures with 2019’s most stream South African artist, Kabaza De Small – which if you’re like me, you’ll have no idea about, or like me the music sub-genre Amapiano that he has become top dog of.

 

His sound, for the unaware like me, has flavours of AtJazz meets Lars Behrenroth -  in that the low tempo, African house rhythms and percussive layers fuse with vocals - spoke and beautiful African chants. The grooves and addictive and have you moving in time before you know it.

 

His brand new album, which cam out late November 2019, ‘The Return of the Scorpion Kings', with DJ Maphorisa is well worth checking out if that Afro-rhythms house vibe is your thing.

The 26 year old Kabelo “Kabza de Small” Motha who is currently topping of Spotify is credited online with be a champion of the whole amapiano scene and influencing its rise in popularity. Born in Mpumalanga he grew up in Pretoria at school he was known as a beatmaker, making rhythms and beats using a ruler and his hands on classroom tables.

 

He released his first album, Avenue Sounds, in 2016 and in 2018 had his first hit with Umshove, featuring DJ Leehleza.

 

Described as an fusion of piano keys, heavy bass that resonates deeply with house, gospel and jazz – the amapiano genre is considered eclectic with influences of dance music which dominate the sound.

 

Fader magazine describes the sound as an oddity.

 

“Amapiano is an oddity that places the fruity elements of a beat – keys, synths and pads – at its core. The bass, which is lifted from 90s kwaito, is secondary, and gets bolstered by kick rolls that come and go.”

 

What’s struck me in this series of South African house music discoveries is the richness of sound - the emotive movement of the music and how the energy is in the flow of the tracks, not just a drop or trick here and there. Kabza De Small has a rhythm, you can feel the music.