SAMTHING SOWETO
Samthing Soweto was saved by his love of music since he used mandrax and got involved in crime to escape troubles at home when he was a teenager.
Samthing Soweto is one of the founding members of popular South The Soil He also wrote the group’s hit song Joy.
Samthing Soweto is known for his jazzy and Afropop sound but the transition to the more upbeat Amapiano is something he worries will make him lose his former fan base.
Samthing Soweto was raised by a single mother and is the third of four children.
SHA SHA
Sha Sha would have been a nurse had she not become an Amapiano artist.
While she was still trying to find her footing in the industry, Sha sha used to make country music.
Sia has a major influence on Sha Sha, songs like Chandelier, Elastic Heart inspire her.
KABZA DE SMALL
Kabza De Small was born in Mpumalanga but grew up in Pretoria.
Kabza De Small kicked off his journey in the entertainment industry as a DJ in 2009. He released his first album ‘Avenue Sound” in 2016.
Kabza De Small has collaborated with the likes of MRF Souls, Gaba Canal, Afrosoul Sax, Josiah, Kopzz Avenue, Tribe Franko, and many more artists in Amapiano.
In January 2019, Kabza De Small released Bamba La (Original Mix) featuring Leehleza and in May 2019 his most notable joint project with DJ Maphorisa, Scorpion Kings was released.
In 2019, AmaPiano star Kabza De Small topped Spotify’s list of the most streamed South African artists in the country.
NICKI MINAJ
Nicki Minaj released her own mobile game called ‘Nicki Minaj: The Empire’ in December 2016.
Nicki Minaj started her music career in a rap group called Hoodstarz. There were three other members in the group – Lou$tar, Scagg Beezy and 7even Up.
Nicki Minaj has a tattoo in Chinese written on her left arm that reads “God is with me always”.
Nicki Minaj is acrophobic, meaning she is afraid of heights.
In 2013, Nicki Minaj earned $12 million as a judge on season 12 of American Idol.
KEISHA
Keisha’s debut single “Airplane Mode” is a commentary on her personal experiences with relationships and developing those relationships in the 21st century.
Keisha is 17 years old and is also an introvert.
Keisha prefers dating women over men and has claimed that relationships with men feel forced and unnatural to her.
Keisha’s debut single ‘Airplane Mode’ is a representation of herself as an artist.
INTABA YASE DUBAI
Intaba YaseDubai landed a deal with one of SA’s leading record labels, Ambitiouz Entertainment.
Intaba YaseDubai began his music career back in high school when he was in Grade 9.
Intaba Yase Dubai’s stage name is rooted in wanting a name as majestic and expensive as the Dubai skyline.
Amabunjwa was the first record label Intaba Yase Dubai was signed under by ‘Maskandi’ artist Phumlani Imfezemnyama Khumalo’s.
Intaba Yase Dubai was not always adored by fans, his stage performances were cut short or he would get kicked off stage because the audience would not respond to his sound.
SEAN KINGSTON
At 15 Sean Kingston witnessed his mother and sister go to jail.
Sean Kingston also had a run-in with the law and was charged for breaking and entering at the age of 11.
In 2011, Sean was the victim of a near-fatal jet ski accident that resulted in the singer suffering from a fractured wrist, broken jaw, and water in his lungs.
Sean Kingston’s real name is Kisean Paul Anderson and he was born on the 3rd February 1990.
Sean Kingston recently featured Travis Barker for a new track called “Love Is Wonderful” in late July this year.
SALMA SKY
Salma Sky is a famous World Music Singer, who was born on November 22, 1985 in Zambia.
In November 2012 she won Zambia’s highly viewed Born & Bred Award for Best R&B video.
Salma Sky has 90,000 followers on Instagram.
Salma Sky’s zodiac sign is Sagittarius.
In October 2018 Salma Sky and her father appeared on the Zambezi Magic TV show My Father and I.
MI CASA
J. Something came up with the name ‘Mi Casa’ for their band and it means My House.
The members of Mi Casa met at a party in Sandton. J Something’s brother called him to come and play with Mr Duda and that’s how their alliance was formed.
J. Something’s real name is Joao da Fonseca.
Mi Casa’s album Su Casa took them three months to complete in between gigs.
The group performed at the inauguration of ex-president Obama in
January of 2009.
YOUNOTUS
In 2016, the duo featured on “Please Tell Rosie” by German DJ/producer Alle Farben, which peaked at number 2 in Austria and number 3 in Germany.
The song “Please Tell Rosie” earned the duo a nomination for “Best Single” for the 1LIVE Krone radio award.
In 2018, they released a cover of Liquido’s 90s top hit “Narcotic” together with Janieck and Senex who was former frontman of Liquido.
In 2019, they were nominated for the German radio award 1LIVE Krone in the category “Best Dance Act”.
The duo played in front of a huge international crowd at the official New Year’s Eve party at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate in 2019.
MUSA KEYS
Musa Keys loves music so much that he refers to himself as the ‘Tsonga Michael Jackson’ and like his hero, he wants to make sure all his performances stand out.
After graduating high school he went on to study sound engineering at Damelin but dropped out during his second year.
BABY KEEM
Baby Keem was born in 2000 and grew up in Las Vegas, where he lived with his mother and aunts.
Baby Keem’s grandma influenced him to be creative and that he “never felt” like his family was holding him back.
Baby Keem is best known for his single “Orange Soda” from his second mixtape, Die For My B***h, 2019, which reached 98 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Some of his first influences were Kanye West, Eminem, and Rihanna. Many of the first artists he listened to as a teen were recommended to him by his friends.
He borrowed money from his grandmother and got low-end equipment on Craigslist when he was starting his music career.
KENDRICK LAMAR
Kendrick Lamar was a straight-A student. He has stated that he always enjoyed school.
Kendrick was lucky enough to have seen Tupac and Dr Dre shoot a music video at just eight years old. He witnessed the legendary rappers shoot the promo for ‘California Love’ near his house.
When Kendrick began his career as a rapper, he went by the moniker K.Dot.
In 2015, Kendrick Lamar was awarded the California State Senators Generational Icon Award.
Kendrick became the first hip-hop artist to win a Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2018 for “DAMN”.
SHEKINAH
Shekhinah’s full name is Shekhinah Thandi Donnell.
After collaborating with Mzansi artists such as the likes of Kyle Deutsch and DJ Sliqe, Shekhinah signed to Sony Music Entertainment in February 2017.
Shekhinah received her degree in Arts and Live Performance from AFDA.
Shekinah’s ‘Suited’ video hit 14-million views on YouTube.
Shekinah teamed up with US singer Jason Derulo this year on the song, ’One on One’. Shekinah’s debut album is also making waves abroad.
MR EAZI
Mr. Eazi is Nigerian by birth and an Ogun State indigene; his real name is Oluwatosin Oluwole Ajibade.
Mr. Eazi started recording songs in 2010 as a hobby with a musical group called Code Red.
Mr. Eazi moved to Ghana in 2007 where he studied at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, in Kumasi to study mechanical engineering.
Mr. Eazi is the CEO of PhoneTrader.ng, a company that allows you trade your old phone for a new one.
While studying Mr Eazi always ended the promo bulk SMS he did for shows with ‘’Be Easy” and from there the name stuck.
CARDI B
Cardi B’s real name is Belcalis Almanzar.
In 2018, she revealed she once got butt injections in someone’s basement for $800.
In 2021, Cardi B teamed up with doll brand Real Women Are to launch her very own limited-edition Cardi B doll.
Cardi B is from The Bronx which is a borough in New York.
Cardi B is of mixed nationality. Her parents are from two different countries in the Caribbean. Her mother is from Trinidad while her dad is Dominican.
LIZZO
Lizzo is the singer’s nickname; her real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson.
Lizzo got together with the legendary Prince back in 2014 for his album ‘Plectrumelectrum’, featuring on his song ‘Boytrouble’.
Lizzo took to the red carpet at the BRIT Awards 2020 dressed as a Hershey’s chocolate bar.
Lizzo voiced Lydia in the 2019 film UglyDolls, and also had a role in the Jennifer Lopez flick Hustlers.
MOOSKI
Mooski unloads a remix of “Track Star” that sees him joined by fellow genre-bending hitmakers Chris Brown, Yung Bleu, and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.
The track, which is now closing in on 34 million streams between both Spotify and YouTube after its release in February of 2020.
Mooski began as a gospel rapper back when he was 13 years old. By the time he was 15, after listening to rappers like Lil Wayne and Drake, he turned to more traditional rap.
Mooski performed at Rick Rosse’s daughters birthday party.
He was heavily influenced by PnB Rock with his style and rap flow.
WIZKID
Wiz Kid first started singing at 11 years old under the stage name Lil Prinz.
The first album Wiz Kid released was with a band he formed called Glorious 5 and sold 10,000 copies.
In April 2012, E.M.E signed a joint deal with Wiz kid with Akon’s Konvict.
Wizkid’s first International Collaboration was with Akon on ‘Don’t Dull’ the Remix.
Wizkid is the first African pop star to perform/sell-out Royal Albert Hall in London.
TEMS
Wizkid’s Essence ft. Tems peaks at #8 on US Apple Music. No other African song has entered the Top 100 of the US Apple Music Top Songs.
Tems was arrested in Uganda while there for a live performance in December 2020 for violating COVID 19 safety laws. Luckily she was released and charges were dropped.
The rising star is well known by her stage name Tems however, her real name is Temilade Openiyi.
Tems single ‘ Try Me’ was released in August of 2019 and has racked up an impressive 4 million views on YouTube.
Before ever rising to stardom, Tems would perform mini-concerts in her brother’s room with her guitar at hand.
NASTY C
Nasty C started rapping at the tender age of 9 years old.
Nasty C was heavily influenced in his sound by his older brother who was once a producer.
In 2019 Nasty C was the only South African artist nominated for a BET Hip Hop award in the Best International Flow category.
From the beginning of his rap career, Nasty C has been influenced by hip hop greats such as T.I.
Nasty C’s role model is none other than our very own AKA. Nasty C got to meet and open for him in 2013 at his Alter-Ego nationwide album launch.
MICHAEL JACKSON
On the day that Jackson died on June 25, 2009, Wikipedia, AOL, and Twitter all crashed at the same time at 3:15 pm.
The legendary singer said that his favourite animated character of all time was Disney’s Pinocchio.
To earn extra money on the weekends, Joe Jackson performed in a blues band known as The Falcons.
The hit song “Bad” was originally supposed to be a duet between Jackson and Prince, however, Prince turned down the opportunity due to the lyrics of the song.
“Thriller” is the only music video preserved for posterity by the US Library of Congress, recognizing its contribution to American media and culture.
