The Internet space across the continent has been heated in debate over the past 24
hours over the subject of one genre: Amapiano.
It all began when American hip hop star, Swae Lee, tweeted:
“Wait till y’all hear Swae Lee on Amapiano “
Boomerang ! a massive out cry from South African Twitter users who claimed that the American had failed to recognise the roots of the genre.
The pressure prompted Swae Lee to issue
a video apology in which he acknowledged the genre’s South African roots.
Meanwhile, in the West, Nigerian music lovers were eager to point out just how much artists like Asake have added to the burgeoning amapiano sound.
However, this did not sit well with South Africans who felt as if the roots of the genre needed the credit they deserved.
Apparently, amapiano certainly originated from the streets of Pretoria, in South Africa, the rest of the continent – and indeed the world – appears invested in the sound.
