Busiswa, DJ Lag, Karen Nyame KG and Scratchclart talk about the impact of the pandemic on amapiano and gqom, what it was like getting back to the clubs when things opened up again, and the global rise in popularity of these genres.
Busiswa is a singer and poet from South Africa. Her music career began when she featured on Sir Bubzin’s track Syaphambana in 2011, and she’s since gone on to feature on DJ Zinhle’s global hit My Name Is, as well as Beyonce’s My Power as part of The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack. She’s released three studio albums, and her most recent single Lagos came out late last year.
DJ Lag is a prolific DJ and record producer who is widely recognized as the king of gqom music, a genre of electronic dance music from Durban in South Africa. His bass-heavy, minimalist sound has pushed him into the upper ranks of the global electronic music scene, and last year he released his debut full-length album, Meeting with the King.
Karen Nyame KG is a producer, DJ and broadcaster who has been one of dance music’s true innovators of the last decade. She’s been dubbed the Goddess of Rhythm, and is known for her energetic, polyrhythmic sound that is lighting up the clubs of London and beyond.
Scratchclart is an electronic musician, DJ and record producer who is part of the fabric of grime music and UK funky. He’s the head of the highly respected DVA Music label, and in recent years he’s been building bridges between music scenes in the UK and South Africa, in particular with his DRMTRK series and his new EP Beyond Gqom & Grime.