what’s moving in african music

KaizerBeatZ Expands His Hip-Hop Influence With Star-Studded 2026 Releases

The post KaizerBeatZ Expands His Hip-Hop Influence With Star-Studded 2026 Releases appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag. KaizerBeatZ Expands His Hip-Hop Influence With Star-Studded 2026 Releases.

Usimamane Dismisses K1LLBRADY Diss Tracks: “It’s Almost Hitting Someone Who’s Not Fighting Back”

The post Usimamane Dismisses K1LLBRADY Diss Tracks: “It’s Almost Hitting Someone Who’s Not Fighting Back” appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag.

Flvme Declares His Unreleased Record The Hardest Hip Hop Offering Of 2026

The post Flvme Declares His Unreleased Record The Hardest Hip Hop Offering Of 2026 appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag. Flvme Declares His Unreleased Record The Hardest Hip Hop Offering Of 2026.

New song “Clouds” finds a reluctant Alyssa Caroline hooked on a feeling

Only a couple of months have passed since Alyssa Caroline had us mesmerized with her “It’s Raining” single. The evocative song offered us a perfect showcase of her intimate and melody-driven blend of folk and pop.

Topic & Becky G Deliver “Sorry Papi” Visuals—Watch

Latin pop and house music worlds collide as German electronic producer Topic and US-based singer Becky G deliver “Sorry Papi”.

As we await Obed Padilla’s “Rodeo Clown” EP, watch his video for the infectious title track

Mexican-American Obed Padilla‘s upcoming EP, Rodeo Clown, is now just days away–the project is scheduled for release on May 22 via Big Family Music. Out now is the title track, “Rodeo Clown”.

South African Fans Turn Out for the Return of the ELCLÁSICO Extravaganza

LALIGA successfully brought back one of its flagship fan experiences this past weekend, engaging more than 1,000 fans through the return of the ELCLÁSICO Extravaganza at Fourways Mall.

Capitec Proudly Ignites the Rebirth of Ubuntu Concert

Set to take place at the Joburg Theatre over two nights on the 29th and 30th of May, The Rebirth of Ubuntu concert, curated and produced by renowned guitarist and composer Billy Monama, fuses heritage and cultural diversity.

Skiips Reveals How Emtee & Nasty C’s “Winning” Inspired His Artistic Breakthrough

The post Skiips Reveals How Emtee & Nasty C’s “Winning” Inspired His Artistic Breakthrough appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag. Skiips Reveals How Emtee & Nasty C’s “Winning” Inspired His Artistic Breakthrough.

DJ Fae Fae Celebrates In Style With Star-Studded Birthday Tour Across Gauteng

Zulu Mecca Teases Bold Genre Experiment With Pretoria Trapcardi Sound

The post Zulu Mecca Teases Bold Genre Experiment With Pretoria Trapcardi Sound appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag. Zulu Mecca Teases Bold Genre Experiment With Pretoria Trapcardi Sound.

“They Made Bangers Together”: Fifi Laaa Pushes For A-Reece & MashBeatz Reunion

The post “They Made Bangers Together”: Fifi Laaa Pushes For A-Reece & MashBeatz Reunion appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag. “They Made Bangers Together”: Fifi Laaa Pushes For A-Reece & MashBeatz Reunion.

Nota Critiques Mochen’s ‘North Vol 1: The Prophecy’: “Album Was Unnecessary”

The post Nota Critiques Mochen’s ‘North Vol 1: The Prophecy’: “Album Was Unnecessary” appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag. Nota Critiques Mochen’s ‘North Vol 1: The Prophecy’: “Album Was Unnecessary.” In a candid breakdown that has sparked…

Hear “Mirage” by Jason Ross, Mike Williams & Oaks

After her sterling performance on “Better Now” with William Black, Swedish vocalist Oaks (Winona Oak) once again lent her powerful vocals on another big dance tune: “Mirage” by Jason Ross and William Black.

Dance along to “Jackpot” by the sensational Beatrich

Out now via Runemark Records is the latest offering from London-based Lithuanian artist Beatrich. The song is called “Jackpot”. Beatrich makes music that straddles line between rock and pop.

Listen: “Wild Love” by Daniella Binyamin

2026 is the year that Swedish singer-songwriter Daniella Binyamin releases her debut album, Good Things Will Come If You Wait.

Jahan Nostra, Samir and Zhaklina Serve Up “That Bop”: See the Luxurious Visuals

My attention was recently drawn to the new collaboration between US rapper Jahan Nostra and Italian artist & producer Samir when I heard “That Bop”, a laidback soulful hip hop anthem.

Experience the Vibrant Sounds of Dumomi The Jig’s New Album, Parallax

Nigerian-British musician Dumomi The Jig got to unveil his first proper album last week (he’d released an EP towards the end of 2025).

Bianca Tilici’s “Keep Fighting” featuring TELLAMAN and BRX is truly motivational

Bianca Tilici is one of the fastest rising artists in the Romanian music scene. Often heard on pop/dance bangers, the singer/songwriter’s latest effort is just as anthemic.

Listen: LOSTNOTE – “Fumes”

For a seasoned musician with over two decades of dedicated craftmanship, chasing trends isn’t something LOSTNOTE is about to do. In fact, the Denver native is known for pushing the envelope with his music.

Mathilde Widding Returns with “Burning Pockets of Love” As She Finishes Up Her First Album

Rising Norwegian songstress Mathilde Widding has her sights on her first album. Recently, the young singer offered us a taste in the form of her “Burning Pockets of Love” single.

“Wishful Thinking” by Meli Foster-Turner is a broody yet upbeat singalong: listen

It’s quite incredible that an artist as young as Meli Foster-Turner could make a song as powerful as “Wishful Thinking”. The self-written piece is such an earworm: a broody yet upbeat song that blends introspective lyricism with…

Samro announces 120 recipients of the 2026 Music Creation Support Fund

The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (Samro), a foundational stakeholder in the country’s creative economy, has committed a further R3m to the 2026 edition of its flagship Music Creation Support Fund (MCSF), awarding grants to…

Pangolin: Kulu's Journey musical score hits the high notes

Pangolin: Kulu's Journey, has been nominated for both an Emmy Award and a Bafta for its musical score.

BNXN and Sarz Are “Back Outside” With New Anthem

Nigerian afrobeat mainstays BNXN (singer-songwriter) and Sarz (producer) recently announced a collaborative project named The Game Needs Us. Out now is the first single, “Back Outside”.

NESYA Delivers an Immersive Experience with the New Music Video for “Put The Fries In The Bag.”

NESYA is creating in her own signature style. Raised in a religious household in Nebraska, the American artist secretly yearned for the freedom to be her authentic self.

Korean pop artist HEYOON delivers ‘seriously unserious’ EP—listen

Korean artist HEYOON’s light-hearted approach to life is perfectly captured in her just-released new EP, seriously unserious.

Moodssupply is back with “Love You, Bye!”: listen

Dutch musician Moodssupply is keeping the singles coming this year. Out now is “Love You, Bye!”, his third offering of 2026. The uber-funky pop-laced song features a contagious blend of old school grooves with modern production elements.

Offica’s “Life I Chose” Single is Here: Watch Music Video

Irish rap artist Offica is all about affirmations in his new, “Life I Chose”. Featuring an enchanting blend of afro-house and rap, “Life I Chose” is a personal anthem about his strong belief in the path he took.

Jordan Anthony Rues Having A “Wrong Impression” in New Single

As the follow-up to his powerful duet with another rising pop singer Chloé Caroline, Australian newcomer Jordan Anthony served up “Wrong Impression”. The new single captures Jordan in a moment of introspective.

Drakensberg Boys Choir returns to Joburg with “Music in the City 2026”

This June, Johannesburg’s cultural calendar will again resonate with the unmistakable sound of one of South Africa’s most iconic musical institutions as the Drakensberg Boys Choir returns to the stage for the highly anticipated Drakensberg…

SA bids farewell to opera legend Mimi Coertse

South Africa is mourning the loss of internationally acclaimed opera singer Mimi Coertse, who passed away on Monday at the age of 93.

Live set for South Africa comeback with December 2026 shows

After nearly 10 years, Live are heading back to South Africa, with two December 2026 shows set for Cape Town and Pretoria.

It’s a “Mad World” as Franky Perez serves up new album: stream Dámelo

Known for his vibrant, funk-fueled sound, talented musician Franky Perez delivered magic in the form of his new album, Dámelo. The LP is eleven tracks long and opens with the super funky title-track, “Dámelo“.

New song finds Juliana Beltrán feeling “Delusional”: listen

With us here is the newest single from Bogotá-based Colombian singer-songwriter Juliana Beltrán. Titled “Delusional”, it’s her first offering of the year.

The Sound of Freedom

What does freedom sound like? In South Africa, freedom of expression isn’t just a constitutional right; it’s the very DNA of our sonic landscape. It echoes across generations and bends fearlessly through genres.

Mona et Toi deliver “Jail Cell” as they ready their debut album

Barcelona-based indie duo Mona et Toi retuned last week with a brand new single, presenting us with another showcase of their genre-blending sound. Called “Jail Cell”, the new song leans heavily into rock.

Remington Super 60 return with new single, “Time to breathe”

Formed by Christoffer Schou in late 1998, just before the turn of the millennium, Norwegian indie pop band Remington Super 60 have delivered some great tunes over the years.

Exciting new artist Lula Gold shares bubbly new single “Wrong Lane”

Lula Gold Multi-talented artist Lula Gold is an exciting addition to the UK music scene. The Manchester-based alt-pop singer, songwriter & producer impressed us last year with her singles “Criminal Mind” and “Live Without You”.

The Living Orchestra Presents “Animal Party”: Hear the New Single

The song “Animal Party” by Canadian symphonic funk rock collective The Living Orchestra is really infectious. Blending funk grooves with rock rock and an orchestral texture, it shows us what the outfit is all about.

Tan Brown teases upcoming new EP with another single, “Green Glow”

Following a break that lasted a couple of years, Berlin-based R&B singer Tan Brown returned early this year with “S4TEOTW”. To new listeners, the song provided them an entry point into the world of the New York-native artist.

R&B singer Maxwell returns to SA in August

Multi award-winning American R&B & Neo-Soul icon, singer-songwriter and record producer, Maxwell, makes an exciting return to South Africa for anticipated shows set in Pretoria and Cape Town.

Stream RL’s first mixtape, Solitude

American singer and songwriter Robert Lavelle Huggar (now using the moniker RL) fronted the R&B group Next to massive success. He’s now doing solo projects. Recently, RL served up a new album called Solitude.

Listen: Cullen Emadrey – “DO THAT”

From Detroit comes this amazing artist Cullen Emadrey. You really need to give his latest single, “DO THAT”, a listen. The moody alt-R&B song is about an intense desire, the kind that makes one ignore red flags readily.

Listen: “I Thank You” by Sunstone

London music producer Sunstone (or Sunstone Collective) has just released a new album. It is a 14-song collection called Ultima: Ascension. One of the track on the album is “I Thank You”, a soulful track with textured production.

Get Drawn Into the Dreamy Soundscape of Kina and EKKSTACY’s “Impatience”

A Naples native, Italian producer Kina got catapulted to break-out success by single “Get You The Moon” (featuring Snøw). His debut album (and the only one released so far) arrived in 2023, deeply cementing his place in the indie musician…

Master Peace teams up with Thomas Day for this earmworm called “Love Hate”

Right on the heels of rising London artist Master Peace’s warmly received EP, Stupid Kids, arrives a new single. Called “Love Hate”, the song is a collaboration with Thomas Day, the rising pop singer-songwriter from the US.

Broadcaster and presenter Johnny Davids passes away at 49

South Africa’s media and entertainment industry is mourning the loss of broadcaster and presenter Johnny Davids, who passed away in the early hours of Thursday, 16 April 2026, at the age of 49.

The 2026 Music Business Masterclass

The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (Samro), in partnership with the Academy of Sound Engineering, is pleased to announce the 2026 intake of the Music Business Masterclass (MBM).

Tamia to headline Women’s Month celebration tour across SA

International R&B star Tamia is set to return to South Africa this August as the headline act for The Biggest Women’s Month Celebration Tour Experience, bringing her signature soulful sound to three major cities.