5 Interesting Facts About South African House Music
(UPDATED on ) –
#1 South Africa is the only country in the world where house music is popular, mainstream music. [1]
South Africa is the biggest purchaser of deep house music per capita in the world. The record sales are massive here. [2]
Shaun Duvet
#2 House music first became popular in South Africa in the 80s. It used to be called international music. The music genre first got popular in Pretoria, one of the capital cities of South Africa, when a group of DJs started playing house music in clubs.[1]
#3 House music was spread by DJs and record owners. In the Limpopo Provence, it used to be called Ganyanyi music in reference to DJ Ganyanyi who used to make cassette tapes that he distributed to taxi drivers.[1]
“Where politicians fail, music will always win. Music will always bring people together because we all have a heart, and with your heart comes a heart beat. If you play music to it, before you know it, we’re all on the same rhythm.”
DJ Fresh
#4 House music has inspired several music sub-genres in South Africa like kwaito, gqom, and amapiano. Certain South African cities have their own distinctive house music styles. Styles and trends quickly change.
#5 Taxi drivers still play an important role in spreading the music. For example, inner-city minibus drivers helped spread gqom music by constantly playing the music genre over their sound system. [3]
“House music found a home here because it has a certain soul South Africans connect to.”
Black Coffee
References
