Major League DJz confirmed for amapiano residency in Accra

The brainchild of event company Pioneers of Amapiano in partnership with the Mr Eazi-led talent incubator, emPawa Africa, the programme, which is now in its second year, seeks to encourage the growth of the genre beyond South Africa and grow a global urban audience.

Alongside Afrobeats, amapiano is the most consumed music genre on the continent, tracing its foundations to fusions of kwaito, Afro-house, gqom, jazz and hip hop.

Major League DJz join other notable practitioners of the genre such as DBN Gogo, Felo Le Tee, Focalistic and Uncle Waffles who have played at the event.

“Anyone that has been a follower of South African music can certainly agree that the amapiano genre has taken music fans around the world by storm and Major League DJz has been instrumental in shining the spotlight and shaping this genre globally,” a statement reads.

“From rocking the streets of Mzansi to setting ablaze their sets overseas, the dynamic music duo has headlined key shows in Africa, the United Kingdom and the USA, most recently adding the coveted Coachella Festival and Hi Ibiza to their already impressive resume.”

Signed to Atlantic Records, Major League DJz are 2022 BET Award nominees and are popular for their Balcony Mix sessions which began during the COVID-19 pandemic. In June, to set the global record for the longest duo DJ session in history after playing a 75-hour mix at Sandton City, South Africa.

While in Ghana, Major League DJz will also join other big amapiano names including Uncle Waffles and Kamo Mphela as well as DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small’s collaborative project Scorpion Kings at the Afro Nation Festival, which will take place in Accra’s Black Star Square on 29 and 30 December.

“The spirit of amapiano right now to me is African dance music that brings the world together,” the pair told Mixmag in August. “It breeds African soul. I think that’s why it’s even brought Africa closer together, or brought South Africa closer to [the rest of] Africa.”