Vote HERE and tune in to see who wins on 14 March 2020 on Mzansi Magic and Mzansi Wethu to see who wins!
De Mthuda & Njelic – ‘Shesha’
Amapiano was THE sound of 2019, and this track led the way. Arriving on the ‘Amapiano is a Lifestyle’ compilation in 2018, it was one of the biggest tracks of the previous summer, topping the iTunes chart and racking up well over 2 million YouTube views (audio and video versions combined). It’s an atmospheric slow burner with soulful vocals, a sunny temperament, a killer bassline and some phone tones for the storyline.
Kaygee DaKing & Bizizi ft. Killer Kau – ‘Kokota’
Another amapiano anthem, this one got props from around the globe. Atop a spaced-out rhythm track peppered with drum rolls that just builds and builds, Bizizi and ‘Tholukuthi’ hit-maker Killer Kau drop the catchiest echoed vocals of the year. Pure magic on a dancefloor.
Nasty C ft. Rowlene – ‘SMA (Vol. 1)’
By the time this piece gets published, this video may have 10 million YouTube views! Taken from the rapper’s SAMA-winning ‘Strings & Bling’ album (and also part of 2019 ‘Send Me Away’ singles trilogy), it was released in March – and it’s still ubiquitous. A second collaboration with Cape Town-born singer Rowlene, this huge hip-hop love story has Adele-like cinematics and flickeringly fire trap beats.
Prince Kaybee ft. Indlovukazi, Supta & Afro Brotherz – ‘Gugulethu’
Prince Kaybee won this award last time ‘round with another feature-laden dance smash, ‘Club Controller’. This is just one of the cuts on his 2019 ‘Re Mmino’ album that blew up– see also ‘Banomoya’ and ‘Fetch Your Life’. An Afro-tech inspired tribute to the Cape Town community of Gugs, this restrained and ethereal house cut proves that Prince Kaybee is Black Coffee’s natural successor – and biggest competition.
Sjava – ‘Umama’
2019 was a breakout year for Sjava, with the album this song is taken from, ‘Umqhele’, scoring him SAMA wins for Album of the Year and Best Afro-Pop Album. The video for this massive cut – an acute blend of traditional and high-tech sounds – was shot in his hometown of Bergville in the foothills of the Drakensberg, and it’s as pretty, vivid and sincere as the song itself.
Vote HERE and tune in to see who wins on 14 March 2020 on Mzansi Magic and Mzansi Wethu to see who wins!