Melo B Jones established herself with her distinct sound of boom bap R&B. She first burst onto the scene in the late 2010s with a series of acapella hip hop covers. Since then, she has graduated to making music and released her first body of work with her 2017 EP, The Start. Three years later,…
It has been over three years since Shekhinah came out with her certified gold debut, Rose Gold. After a long hiatus and high anticipation from her fans, Shekhinah returns with her career-defining album, Trouble in Paradise. The 12 track album is a musical journey into declarations of love and the heartbreak of break-ups; showing the…
Released on Bandcamp this past Friday, May 7th, You’re Not Crying We Are, is SWAK CATALOG’S latest two-track EP offering and “K-Hole Dramapiano for the kids”. A record label based in Cape Town, South Africa — SWAK is run by Aryu Jassika (Shaheen Jacobs) and Jumping Back Slash (Gareth Jones), “motivated by failure and fuelled…
The United Kingdom’s mainstream culture has captured the imagination of the world. The underground scene is just as impactful as it has spread far and wide. KEYAH/BLU is a representation of the eclectic and dynamic group of young artists pushing boundaries and making a mark. After multiple collaborations with the likes of Denzel Himself and…
When Bongeziwe Mabandla opened his latest album, iimini (2020), with mini esadibana ngayo (#001), he gently ushered us onto the path of his journey with love found and love lost, and how even when the love is lost, it is never really astray. Unpacking the magnitude of a love so grand and moving was a…
At the tender age of 9 years old in 2010, Willow Smith released her debut single, Whip my Hair. By that time she already had an extensive personal artist history that dates back to her days as an apprentice witnessing her family create music for the world. Prior to her releasing her first album, ARDIPITHECUS…
Having known iJohn (John Van Rooyen) since his early days gritting rhymes between his teeth as a teenager at dingy cyphers in Obs to his evolving career now – marked by loss and love – two things remain clear; John is deeply self-aware and consistent in a way that only an underground MC can be….
There was never one style of music that you could pin to the talented and versatile lordkez. The Kimberly born artist is known for her genre bending sound and striking visual artistry. She is constantly pushing the boundaries and she continues this tradition with her latest project, Juicebox. The four track EP is a slight…
It all started with a lift selfie, Instagram and a meeting on the stairs back in 2015. However, baring witness to the intimate synergy that flows between Sauwcy and Money Badoo in both their interviews and performances, you get the sense that the two have know each other all of their lives. “This strong bond…
Amarafleur has been a figure in South Africa’s underground alternative R&B scene for five years now — having risen to prominence through her 2019 single, “Don’t Let Go” as well as a couple of collaborations within the last three years. Despite the recognition, Amarafleur continued to feel self conscious about her music and overthinking the…
There’s a place in my heart the shape of Johannesburg, pink-purple-sunset-soaked and asphalt scented. Johannesburg, my city, shall I compare thee to a hustler’s slick smile or whistling tune? Unlike most of the world’s cities, Johannesburg’s origin story is an anomaly. Born of gold and a desire for more, the city’s H/history still courses through…
Karun has been a fixture in Kenya’s music scene since she was a teenager as part of the BET-nominated Camp Mulla. Since her departure from the hip hop group, she has forged her own path as a solo musician. Her 2019 hit record, “Glow Up” established her as one of the faces of alternative R&B…
