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South African R&B sensation Elaine has been breaking records and making history since she released her breakout hit "You're The One" which appears in the EP Elements (2019). Today, Spotify revealed she is the most streamed South African woman artist on the platform by South African audiences. She is in the great company of Ami Faku, Demi Lee Moore, Sha Sha and Juanita Du Plessis among others. Elaine is the sixth most streamed South African artist across all genres and genders on the platform. "You're The One" is the most streamed South African song across all genres on the platform. The song surpassed songs such as "eMcimbini (Live)" by Aymos, DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, Mas Musiq, Myztro, Samthing Soweto and "Jerusalema (feat.Nomcebo Zikode)" by Master KG, Nomcebo Zikode. Elaine...

Spotify recently released their respective lists of the most streamed artists, songs and albums globally and in South Africa. While amapiano cornerstone Kabza De Small topped the list of the most streamed SA artists across all genres, the Durban lyricist is the most streamed South African hip-hop artist on the platform in 2020. Nasty C has been appearing on the platform's lists since they started sharing the statistics in 2018, their year of launch in the country. In 2018, Nasty C was the most streamed South African artist across all genres. In 2019, Nasty came third after Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa. This year, the same three artists occupy the same positions on the list of the most streamed South African artists on the platform. Nasty C has had a great run since breaking into the m...

Killbeatz needs no introduction. The producer born Joseph Addison is one of the biggest hitmakers as far as afrobeats is concerned. From R2Bees to Sarkodie to FuseODG to M.anifest, Killbeatz has blessed your favorite singers and rappers alike with the soundtracks to their biggest hits. From the azonto era to the global spread of afrobeats, his contribution to African music as a whole cannot be overstated. However, Killbeatz' influence doesn't stop at just music production. Behind the scenes, he's a complete industry player. The CEO of Ghanaian record label Legacy Life Entertainment, he's responsible for bringing star singer King Promise to the limelight. Despite producing for the crème de la crème of the Ghanaian music industry as well as several international artists over the length of a...

Tanzanian artist Ommy Dimpoz has dropped his latest track "Dede" featuring South African musicians DJ Tira, gqom artist Dladla Mshunqisi and Prince Bulo. The vibrant track is an interesting mixture of a contemporary Tanzanian soundscape and a strong South African dance music flavour. The track is the official follow-up to several other bangers the artist has released in the past including his debut studio number titled "Nai Nai" and featuring Alikiba, "Mama" featuring Christian Bella as well as "Me N You" featuring Tanzanian songstress, Vanessa Mdee among several others. READ: 14 Bongo Flava Classics You Need In Your Life The music video for "Dede" is as vibrant and upbeat as the track itself with ebullient backdrops and energetic choreography at the fore. It will certainly have you wan...

French-born Cameroonian producer James BKS has recently released his latest single titled, "No Unga Bunga" as well as the accompanying music video. This is the artist's third track to be released under Idris Elba's record label, 7 Wallace, following the debut 2018 number, "Kwele". "No Unga Bunga", which features The New Breed Gang, also pays homage to the legacy of the artist's late father and legendary musician, Manu Dibango. The track is the official follow-up to "New Breed" which dropped last year and featured Q-Tip, Elba and Little Simz. READ: 10 Essential Manu Dibango Songs "No Unga Bunga" is a vibrant song with both an upbeat and infectious rhythm. The soundscape, whose instrumentals are insanely synergistic, is signature to the artist's style which fuses Afropop with hip-hop and d...

According to The Guardian Nigeria, the Netherlands has returned a 600-year-old artefact to Nigeria. This comes after the artefact was reportedly smuggled using fraudulent papers through Ghana to the Dutch country. Netherlands ambassador to Nigeria, Harry van Dijk, handed over the Ife Terracotta to Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture. The repatriation of the small but "priceless" Ife Terracotta has been a long journey considering it was reportedly smuggled out of Nigeria in 2019. Read: Black Activists Attempt to Remove Congolese Statue from Dutch Museum According to Al Jazeera, the artefact was stolen from Nigeria's South Western city of Ile-Ife then smuggled into Ghana where the unnamed suspect then boarded a plane to the Netherlands. Africa CGTN reports th...

Sho Madjozi has released her latest mixtape titled What A Life. This is the second official release from the artist following her wildly successful 2018 debut album, Limpopo Champions League. The South African "John Cena" hitmaker has come back with a banging nine-track project. Sho Madjozi's What A Life which is a compilation of bangers with some of her own favourite South African artists. Manu WorldStar, Dr Thomas Chauke, Makhadzi, DJ Mfundhisi, Sunglen Chabalala and Russian Army feature on the mixtape. This mixtape drops just a few months after Sho Madjozi signed a major deal with American record label, Epic Records. Read: Sho Madjozi Shares Tracklist from New Mixtape 'What A Life'Shares The colourful mixtape cover for What A Life show off a collective party vibe and the songs are ...

According to The Citizen, Netflix has decided that Africa's first Original Series, Queen Sono, will not go ahead for a second season. This comes after initial reports in April of this year that Queen Sono had been given the thumbs-up for a second season. Speculations on the possible reasons for halting the show vary, according to IOL. However, Netflix cited difficulties in filming due to challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read: 'Queen Sono' is the Bad-Ass Women-Led African Spy Thriller Like No Other: Here's What its Stars Have to Say About It. Queen Sono lead, Pearl Thusi, released a bittersweet statement to The Citizen in response to the news. "It's so incredible that we as a team got a lifetime opportunity to make history together as there will never be another 'first' Af...

ABC News reports that former Nigerien President Mamadou Tandja reportedly passed away this past Tuesday. The exact cause of death is unclear but reports indicate that the 82-year-old had been battling age-related illnesses for several years. The former head-of-state succumbed to his illness(s) in a hospital in Niamey, Niger. According to VoA, the Nigerien government officially called for the nation to enter into a three-day mourning period. READ: Former Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure Has Died Tandja was elected into Niger's presidency in 1999 and ruled for over a decade until 2010. Tandja was commended for bringing stability to the country when Niger had considerable religious conflicts and was subsequently re-elected in 2004. According to The Washington Post, Tandja attempted to...

Thebe Magugu has reportedly been announced as one of six finalists in the 2021 International Woolmark Prize, according to IOL. The multi award-winning fashion designer from South Africa is gunning for the annual prize which is reportedly worth over two million Rand (approximately USD 131 140). Magugu is contesting against five other finalists from around the world including Nigerian designer, Kenneth Ize. Magugu won the highly acclaimed 2019 LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) award and made history as the first African to do so. This might just be another win for the young designer and we're certainly here for it. Read: South African Designer Thebe Magugu Won the Coveted LVMH Prize The International Woolmark Prize is the longest standing prestigious prize for emerging fashion designers...