MEGAN THEE STALLION
- She gained a lot of popularity for her song “Savage” which featured Beyoncé in a remix
- Her mother, Holly Thomas, passed away in March 2019 after battling a cancerous brain tumor
- Originally from Houston, Texas, she first garnered attention when videos of her freestyling became popular on social media platforms such as Instagram.
- She refers to her fans as “hotties” and credits her hyperactive fan base for her early success
- She adopted the stage name “Megan Thee Stallion” because she was referred to as a stallion in adolescence due to her height (5′10″[8]) and “thick” body frame
DJ VETKUK VS MAHOOTA
- Zayne ‘Mahoota’ Sibika a Former member of the legendary kwaito group “Trompies”.
- He began collaborating with Dj Vetkuk in 2000 as Dj Vetkuk vs Mahoota.
- The duo has released 5 successful albums to date
- Noted for their sophisticated dress style and foot-stomping, often sexy, hits, Vetkuk vs. Mahoota have been riding high for over ten years
- Mahoota is a co-host and founder of The Spring Day Music Explosion, a twelve show, ten city music festival that is in its tenth year and features 65 artists and deejays from both South Africa and abroad
KWESTA
- Born in Katlehong, Gauteng, a township also known as ‘K1’
- He is currently signed to his own independent media company known as RapLyf Records with co-founder Kid X.
- Having sold 210 000 copies in South Africa, Kwesta became the best selling hip hop albums of all time.
- In 2010, Kwesta was among the few chosen as Brand SA Ambassadors
- His album DaKAR II has won the following awards: SAMA best male artist of the year, SAMHRO highest airplay of the year (Ngud,) SAMA best rap album, SAMPRA highest airplay of the year (Ngud), SAMA best album of the year
FRANK CASINO
- Frank Casino is a South African music artist who works in the hip-hop industry
- Nhlanhla Tshabalala, better known as Frank Casino, was born in Kempton Park, Tembisa, in South Africa
- The rapper believes that his passion for music was greatly influenced by an inborn drive and the support of people he grew up with.
- Frank Casino’s ‘Something From Me album’ was released on 9th March 2018 under Globe Field Records.
- Frank Casino Block Hot album was released in January 2020 and is the artist’s most recent update.
YOUNGSTA CPT
- He wrote and recorded his first song at age 12
- He has released over 30 mixtapes and numerous EPs
- Some of his influences are 2Pac, Notorious BIG, Dead Prez. and Common
- He dropped his debut album “3T” (Things Take Time) on 5th April 2019
- One can describe his sound as the voice of “Kaapstad” (Afrikaans for Cape Town)
H.E.R
- The star—a.k.a. Gabi Wilson—has been singing since she was a child and she can play five instruments.
- Her stage name is an acronym for Having Everything Revealed.
- For H.E.R, she prefers anonymity to celebrity, because she would rather let the music speak for itself.
- She made her first major appearance in ‘Today Show’ as a 12 years old kid where she covered piano for Alicia Keys during one of her performances.
- Her real break came when she signed her first record deal with Sony at 14.
NADIA NAKAI
- Her degree in Marketing, Communication, and Media Studies has no doubt helped her create a brand that is loved by both men and women.
- She appeared on e.tv’s hip-hop show, Shiz Niz, and became the first female rapper to win the show’s Mixtape 101 competition.
- Nadia is also known as Bragga, which is the title of her 2016 EP.
- She grew up with her mother, who had a big influence on her taste in music as a child.
- She is also a voice-over artist and TV presenter.
CASSPER NYOVEST
- Refiloe Maele Phoolo, stage name “Cassper Nyovest” was born in Mafikeng, North West Province on 16 December 1990.
- Altogether, Cassper has released four studio albums
- He was awarded the “Most Gifted Male”, “Most Gifted Southern Artist”, and “Most Gifted Videos of the Year” at the 2014 Channel O Music Awards for “Doc Shebeleza”.
- The multi-platinum selling artist started rapping at the age of 12 and dropped out of high school when he was 16 to pursue his dreams.
- He joined stars such as Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, and BasketMouth in condemning the 2019 xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
ARIANA GRANDE
- Ariana Grande began performing onstage when she was a child.
- Her first big break came in 2008 when the 15-year-old landed the role of Charlotte in the Broadway production of 13
- Grande won a National Youth Theatre Association Award.
- During the summer of 2014, Grande teamed up with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj on the single “Bang Bang,” a track that debuted at No. 6 and peaked at No. 3 in the United States.
- In 2017 Grande performed the title track for the soundtrack of the live-action movie Beauty and the Beast.
MAJOR LEAGUE DJZ
- Major League DJz consists of identical twins Bandile and Banele Mbere.
- Born in Boston, USA, the twins moved to South Africa after the apartheid era.
- Major League DJz were highly influenced by the sounds of Jazz and Hip-Hop music which still play a very instrumental role in their music delivery today.
- Very early in their careers, the twins hosted parties for the likes of 50 Cent, Akon, and Fat Joe
- Major League DJz’s vision is to use music to unify youth across Africa.
ABIDOZA
- Abidoza, better known as Amogelang Chabangu is a Dj / Producer from South Africa.
MPHO SEBINA
- Mpho Sebina is a singer-songwriter born in 1989 in the small village of Mochudi in Botswana
- Before pursuing music, Mpho Sebina studied and graduated with an honors degree in International Business from the Multimedia University of Malaysia
- Upon the start of her musical career, she frequently does corporate functions as well as music festivals
- She has shared the stage with the likes of Shekinah, HHP, Freshly Ground, Nnunu Ramogotsi, Shanti Lo, LadySmith Black Mambazo, and Louis Mhalanga just to name a few
- In 2016 she brought Naked Soul Sessions to life, a live music event that features different local artists
BLAQ DIAMOND
- Blaq Diamond is a South African Afro-Pop duo that is composed of Ndumiso Mdletshe and Sphelele Dunywa who is better known as Ndu and Danya
- Both born in 1994 and bred in Ladysmith, KwaZulu Natal, Ndu and Danya shared a lot in common
- They met in 2010 on a school trip where both participated in a music cipher on the school bus.
- Having decided to pursue music together, they came to Johannesburg to get a larger platform for their unique sound
- Jeannie D from Afternoon Express says that many people find their music relatable, and she admires how they keep it real in their music videos.
BEYONCE
- Before she became the solo-artist we know her as today, Beyoncé was the lead vocalist in the girl group Girls Tyme, which was a precursor to Destiny’s Child.
- Despite having her own fragrance, Beyonce is allergic to most perfumes
- After releasing the hit song “Bootylicious” under Destiny’s Child, The Oxford English dictionary paid recognition to the title by coining it as an official word
- Beyoncé continues to support single mothers and children affected by AIDS.
- She is the first woman to win six Grammys in one night.
SHATTA WALE
- Shatta is a Ghanaian born producer and reggae-dancehall musician
- He is best known for his biggest breakthrough hit song Dancehall King which led to winning the Artiste of the Year at the 2014 edition of the Ghana Music Awards.
- Shatta Wale real name Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jnr was born on 17th October 1984
- Charles attended Winneba Secondary School and during that time he was popularly known as ‘Ayoz’.
- He composed a song against the organizers of the Ghana Music Awards titled ‘Me Need No Awards’ because he alleged the organizers robbed him of the Dancehall Artiste of the Year to female Dancehall Artiste Kaakie
MAJOR LAZER
- Major Lazer is a Jamaican-American electronic dance music trio, which includes record producer Diplo, and DJs Walshy Fire and Ape Drums.
- It was founded in 2008 by Diplo and Switch, with Switch leaving after three years in 2011.
- Major Lazer has released three full-length albums
- They have also released two EPs
- Major Lazer’s live shows previously included hype man Skerrit Bwoy, although he left the group in 2012 to pursue religion.
MILEY CYRUS
- Cyrus was born to country singer and actor Billy Ray Cyrus and his wife, Tish, and grew up on her family’s farm outside Nashville.
- Her father was initially reluctant to let her follow in his show business footsteps
- at the age of nine, she landed a role in an episode of his TV series Doc.
- In 2005 Cyrus auditioned for the lead role in Hannah Montana, a Disney Channel series about a girl who leads a double life as a normal middle-school student and, with the help of a blonde wig, as a glamorous pop singer.
- Cyrus was a coach on the television singing competition The Voice in 2016–17
HILLZY
- He is a qualified computer scientist
- The Cape Town-based Zimbabwe-born R&B/ trap soul artist and producer has released covers of popular songs that have amassed serious numbers
- His song ‘You are enough’ is an encouragement to women who have been made to feel small
- Most of his music would fall into the genres of RnB or soul.
- To date, he has released Overdue (The Love Mixtape) and T.U.T.O.R (The University Take Over Reloaded).
SHA SHA
- She has been hailed by many as “the queen of amapiano“
- She was awarded Best New International Act at the 2020 BET Awards
- Her music journey began after joining the choir, subsequently taking vocal and piano lessons as a child.
- After gaining prominence with her vocals on the songs “Akulaleki” by Samthing Soweto, “Nge Thanda Wena” by Mlindo The Vocalist and “We Mama” by Scorpion Kings, Sha Sha released her debut EP, Blossom in 2019.
- She is a Zimbabwean singer from Mutare.
PRINCE KAYBEE
- Prince Kaybee is a South African house music producer, DJ, and television personality.
- He rose to fame as the winner of the second season of the SABC1 reality competition 1’s and 2’s, in 2015.
- Originally from the town of Senekal in the Free State, he is the youngest of 36 children.
- In 2013, he was introduced to the church by his booking agent and got saved.
BUSISWA
- She is a South African singer-songwriter and poet.
- Busiswa got the opportunity to work with Beyonce ‘Queen Bey’.
- Busiswa has won the hearts of many in Mzansi especially with her dance moves, but her rise to fame did not come that easy.
- Busiswa Gqulu was born on the 8th of November 1988 in Mthatha, Eastern Cape
- Busiswa was introduced to the love of reading and poetry by her primary English teacher and this saw her perform at some poetry sessions to this day
TNS
- He was born Nkazimulo Ngema; 18 July 2000 in Mandeni
- His hit songs including ‘Banomoya’, ‘My Dali’, and ‘Club Controller’, have brought the rising star to the limelight.
- TNS mentioned that Prince Kaybee allegedly wanted to buy one of his songs titled ‘Club Controller’.
- He had to grow up in the streets, the place to sleep, and how to get a meal were one of his big challenges.
- He is also a loving partner and father. Many times he has shared with followers pictures of his girlfriend and son on Instagram
21
- He is signed to Don Cannon and DJ Drama‘s Generation Now record label and Atlantic Records.
- He is also the co-founder of his own musical collective, Private Garden
- He is best known for his 2020 single “Whats Poppin“, which peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100.
- Harlow was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, where he would begin his rap career.
- Harlow began rapping at age 12 when he and his family moved from Shelbyville, Kentucky
CIZA
- Ciza is an Afro Pop & Afrobeats musician from Benoni, South Africa
- He is the son of Nhlanhla Nciza, a lead singer of the group Mafikizolo and Thembinkosi Nciza, South African music mogul, popularly known as TK Nciza.
- Ciza started singing and writing songs at the age of 15 and did his first steps into the professional music scene in 2019 at the age of 18
- His first official single “Come Alive” was released in July 2020
- He is signed under Top Boy Records under Top Entertainment Global, music labeled by TK Nciza & David Hampton.
