South African DJ and music producer Maphorisa has revealed that collaborations between South African and Nigerian artistes helped create a pathway for Amapiano music to gain widespread popularity in Nigeria.
Speaking about the international growth of the South African-born genre, Maphorisa said South Africans effectively gave Nigerian artistes the “green light” to embrace and produce Amapiano after successful collaborations helped introduce the sound to a broader audience.
Maphorisa Highlights “Sponono” Impact
Maphorisa pointed to “Sponono,” a major collaboration involving South African Amapiano stars Kabza De Small and Nigerian music heavyweights Burna Boy and Wizkid, as one of the songs that helped strengthen the connection between the two music industries.
According to Maphorisa, the success of the record played an important role in exposing Amapiano to Nigerian music fans and contributed to the genre’s growing influence beyond South Africa.
“So, doing that, I knew that we gave them a green light to do Amapiano,” Maphorisa said.
He described “Sponono” as an influential record whose impact helped Amapiano connect with a wider Nigerian audience.
DJ Maphorisa, DJ Tunez, Wizkid, Mavo – MONEY CONSTANT (Visualizer)
Nigerian Music Stars Influenced Maphorisa
The South African producer also acknowledged the influence of several Nigerian music personalities on his career and musical development.
Among those he mentioned were Don Jazzy, D’banj, P-Square and Davido, highlighting the impact Nigerian music has had on the broader African entertainment industry.
Maphorisa praised Nigerian artistes for their approach to music and their ability to aggressively pursue opportunities in the global entertainment market.
“Nigerians are very smart, and they are very aggressive,” he said.
The comments come amid the continued growth of Amapiano across Africa and international music markets, with collaborations between South African and Nigerian artistes helping to strengthen the relationship between Amapiano and Afrobeats.
Source: newsthemegh.com