What is Kwaito?
“It’s a revamped kind of disco music” -figure in third video below
Kwaito is a dance music created by Black South Africans before and during the early parts of post-apartheid South Africa. Sonically, it features slowed house music tracks with deepened bass that are rapped over in various indigenous languages (Zulu, Sesotho, etc.) or English. The early artists would rap about their lives in the townships (these were places where Black people, Indians, and “Coloreds” were forced to live).
To give some context, white supremacists of Dutch and British descent enacted the laws of apartheid in 1948 through the use of the “National Party.” They created this “apartness/segregation” that tormented people of color, but especially Black South Africans for about 50 years. White supremacist land extortion, censorship, prohibition of business ownership, police harassment, and outright physical violence were prominent issues Black South Africans faced.
The predecessors of kwaito are a mix between a few musics, particularly bubblegum and mbaqanga, the former having a similar feel to disco (look to Brenda Fassie). In the early 90s, Producers and DJs (DJ Oskido, DJ Christos, DJ Vinny Da Vinci, DJ Lakuti) would establish this music of freedom in the club/rave scene. This early scene was overwhelmingly white, and police would harass Black musicians anytime they’d play on the “white side” of Johannesburg. This didn’t stop them from going to non-segregated clubs, like Fourth World, Razzmatazz, and Carnalita, to enjoy themselves.
Finding their own sound and interest in house music, Black DJs and producers would craftly reprogram 90s house compilation CDs. Kwaito, more so than the European imported techno (y’all i know techno is from Detroit don’t be alarmed), drew in all the Black South Africans who would go out in droves and buy the music.
Since the beginnings of this music, kwaito and the DJ culture surrounding it has gone on to influence other artists and musics e.g. Black Coffee
Other figures to check out: Trompies, Kabelo, Zola, Mzambiya, Mandoza, Thandiswa Mazwai, Boom Shaka, Thembi Seete, Lebo Mathosa, and many others.
Check out these videos and mixes on Kwaito and Dance music culture in South Africa: