South African Old School House Music

This article is a collaborative effort, crafted and edited by a team of dedicated professionals.

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

Looking for some good old school house music from South Africa? Then check out this blog for some great tunes!

Origins of South African Old School House Music

South African Old School House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South Africa in the late 1980s. The style is a fusion of Chicago house, Italian disco, and American hip hop. The music is characterized by heavy basslines, synth riffs, and occasionally rap.

Pre-History: African musical influences in the Cape

South African music has been deeply influenced by the music of Africa, and particularly by the music of the Cape region. The Cape was originally settled by the Khoikhoi and San peoples, who were quickly joined by slaves from Indonesia, Madagascar, Mozambique, and elsewhere. These slaves brought with them a rich musical heritage that was further enriched by the addition of European musical influences. African and European musical traditions were combined in the Cape to create a uniquely South African sound.

The beginnings of House music in the Western Cape

In the early 1980s, a new style of music called House music started to emerge in the Western Cape province of South Africa. House music was a direct descendant of disco and was heavily influenced by the sounds of Chicago and Detroit. The first House tracks were played in small clubs and bars in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and soon the sound began to spread throughout the country.

While House music was initially popular with black South Africans, it soon began to cross over into the white community as well. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, House music became one of the most popular genres in South Africa, with both black and white people dancing to the same beat.

Today, House music is still popular in South Africa, although it has evolved significantly since its early days. The sound has been influence by a variety of different genres, including Hip Hop, electronic dance music, and even traditional African sounds. However, at its core, House music is still the same feel-good sound that people fell in love with in the 1980s.

The rise of South African Old School House Music

In the 1980s, a new form of music called “house music” emerged from the American city of Chicago. House music quickly spread to other parts of the United States, and then to Europe and Africa. In the 1990s, South African musicians began to experiment with house music, and they created a new genre called “old school house.” Old school house music has become very popular in South Africa, and it is now one of the country’s most popular genres of music.

The birth of the “Kwaito” sound

The early 1990s saw the rise of a new sound in South African music, which came to be known as Kwaito. The sound was a fusion of American house music and traditional African music, and it quickly became popular among black South Africans. Kwaito artists such as Mdu Masilela and TKZee enjoyed great success in the early 1990s, with their infectious dance tracks becoming firm favorites at parties and clubs.

The influence of American Hip Hop

In the early 1990s, American Hip Hop started to become popular in South Africa. This was a time of great political change in the country, as apartheid was coming to an end and black South Africans were starting to gain more rights. Hip hop provided a new way for people to express themselves, and it quickly became very popular.

South African Hip Hop artists began to experiment with different styles, incorporating elements of traditional South African music into their songs. This new style of music came to be known asOld School House. It was a unique blend of American Hip Hop and traditional South African sounds, and it quickly gained popularity both within the country and internationally.

Today, there are many famous South African Old School House artists, and the style of music continues to evolve. It is now widely considered to be one of the most important genres in South African music, and its influence can be heard in many other genres as well.

The decline of South African Old School House Music

It is no secret that South African Old School House Music is in decline. There are a number of factors that have contributed to this decline. One of the main reasons is that the sound has become stale and dated.

The rise of Kwaito

In the early 1990s, a new type of music started to emerge in South Africa, known as Kwaito. This was a more funky and urban style of House music that was popular with the black youth of the country. It quickly rose to prominence, and by the mid-1990s, it had eclipsed Old School House music in popularity.

The influence of American Hip Hop

The South African old school house music genre has been in decline since the mid-2000s, when American hip hop began to exert a greater influence on the country’s youth. While South African old school house music was once the dominant form of popular music, it has been increasingly displaced by American hip hop and various electronic dance music genres. This is due in part to the increasing availability of American hip hop music via the internet and other international media outlets. In addition, many young South Africans have been drawn to American hip hop culture due to its perceived coolness and edginess. As a result, South African old school house music has become less popular with each passing year.

The resurgence of South African Old School House Music

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, South African old school house music was the sound of freedom. Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg experienced a shift in sound, as a new generation of DJs and producers took the music in new and exciting directions. South African old school house music is making a comeback, and there are a few reasons why.

The new generation of House music producers

The new generation of House music producers in South Africa are taking the sound back to its roots, drawing on the classic African House sound of the early 1990s.

This new wave of producers is led by the likes of Black Coffee, who has been at the forefront of the South African House music scene for over a decade. His latest album, Pieces of Me, is a perfect example of this new sound, with its deep basslines and African percussion.

Other notable producers include Culoe De Song, whose debut album The Bright Forest was released to critical acclaim in 2016, and Lunga Stuurman, whose track “Uyalile” was featured on Black Coffee’s mix CD Africa Rising.

With the resurgence of interest in the classic African House sound, these new generation of producers are spearheading a revival of the genre that is sure to get feet moving across the world.

The influence of the Internet

The internet has been a game-changer for music, both in terms of how it’s created and how it’s consumed. It’s allowed South African Old School House Music to have a global reach that was previously unthinkable.

There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, the internet has made it possible for music to be shared and distributed much more easily than ever before. This means that more people have access to South African Old School House Music than ever before.

Secondly, the internet has made it possible for artists to connect with their fans much more easily. This has led to a resurgence in popularity for the genre, as fans have been able to discover new artists and connect with them on a deeper level.

Thirdly, the internet has allowed South African Old School House Music to crossover into other genres and reach new audiences. This has led to the genre becoming much more popular in recent years.

fourthly The popularity of streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music has also had a huge impact on the popularity of South African Old School House Music. These platforms have given the genre a global reach and allowed it to grow its audience exponentially.

In conclusion, the internet has been a vital catalyst in the resurgence of South African Old School House Music. It has allowed the genre to reach new heights in terms of popularity and reach, and it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

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