Apple Music is shining a spotlight on the new wave of hip-hop acts that emerged in 2024 by featuring them on their flagship playlist, Rap Life Africa.
Rap Life Africa is home to hip-hop’s heavy hitters and songs that speak to the moments that define culture today. It’s only fitting that Apple Music closes out a year of covers by featuring rising stars Usimamane, Tony Dayimane, Ziggy4x and KindlyNxsh.
These emcees have brought an exciting new energy to the hip-hop scene and have dominated the charts. Newcomer Usimamane, whose viral track “Cheque” catapulted him into the limelight, released his debut album through gamma. which hit number #1 on the Apple Music album charts, marking a major achievement for the freshman.
Tony Dayimane also dropped his much anticipated debut Red October: Induction featuring heavyweights Okmalumkoolkat, Kwesta and Emtee, while Ziggy4x brought a fresh new sound from Cape Town with his viral track “Honne” and his debut EP Gangsta Baby. In a year of notable remixes, newcomer KindlyNxsh’s “Eish Chief” got the superstar treatment from none other than Nasty C.
“The streets have been dying hard for something fresh, and what makes my sound resonate with people is relatable lyrics, soulful vocals, cultural relevance, catchy melodies and emotional authenticity.” – Usimamane
“We caught hip-hop at a space where it wasn’t shining like it was back in 2016, 2017 and, respectfully, the genre of amapiano was everywhere and often compared to our genre because it was new and the same for hip-hop, all we needed were new faces in the game…” – Tony Dayimane
“I think because my music is raw and authentic, the combination of my voice, lyrics, content and texture of my production gives a full picture that’s easier for people to buy into.” – Ziggy4x
“Hip-Hop in South Africa has gone through a lot as a whole. In the past few years, we’ve lost multiple vital hip-hop heavyweights, and after their passing, it’s left us in a challenging place as consumers and creators. This year, I feel that everyone, including myself, became extremely hungry and ready to fill the spaces our late legends have left behind for us.” – KindlyNxsh
This fresh class of rappers rose to the occasion by creating conversation around the genre and proving that it’s still as culturally relevant as ever in Mzansi.
