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Red Bull 64 Bars Is Back: South Africa’s Rap Game Just Got Real

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6 months ago

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In the heart of Johannesburg, something big is brewing. You can feel it in the air, hear it in the streets, and see it on the faces of hungry MCs. Red Bull 64 Bars is back for its fourth season, and if the lineup is anything to go by, hip-hop fans are in for something special.

When the series first hit South African shores from Italy, it didn’t just arrive—it exploded. It stripped rap down to its rawest form. No hooks, no chorus, no fluff. Just 64 bars of unfiltered skill. It became the platform that separated the hype from the real, and this season is about to raise the bar even higher.

The Legends Are in the Building

Leading the charge this year is Reason, a lyrical giant whose name is etched into South African hip-hop history. When Reason steps in the booth, it’s more than just a performance—it’s a masterclass.

He’s joined by Tony Dayimane, known for his no-holds-barred energy, Kane Keid, whose flow is razor-sharp, and the introspective Kindly Nxsh, who delivers bars that hit just as hard as they make you think. These four set the tone for what’s already looking like one of the strongest lineups yet.

The New Wave Is Ready

As July wraps up, a fresh batch of talent is stepping up to the mic.

LOATINOVER POUNDS brings his genre-bending trap energy. Gigi Lamayne, always fearless and fiercely lyrical, commands attention from the moment she enters the room. Then there’s PHFat, who refuses to be boxed in by genre, and Ziggy4x, whose voice speaks directly from the streets.

Each artist adds a different flavor to the mix, proving that the next generation is not just ready—they’re already here.

From Unknown to Headliner

Some of the best stories in hip-hop start with a mic and a shot. That’s exactly what happened in 2024 when SirBelow Worldwide walked into a Johannesburg booth as a complete unknown. By the time he walked out, everyone was talking.

That same story is unfolding again, with this year’s Booth Tour hitting Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, and Johannesburg. From every corner of the country, thousands of unsigned rappers showed up with nothing but bars and a dream. The tour proved again that the mic doesn’t care who you are—if you’ve got it, you’ve got it.

The Culture Continues

Red Bull 64 Bars is more than a rap series. It’s a cultural moment. A space where raw talent meets professional production, where street cyphers meet studio sessions, and where South Africa’s best voices are finally getting the spotlight they deserve.

Season 4 is ready to launch, and every artist stepping into that booth knows what’s at stake. This isn’t about hype or fame. It’s about the bars. The storytelling. The truth.

The mic is on. The booth is open. South African hip-hop is ready to speak—loud and clear.

Follow the movement at redbull.com or @redbullza on all social platforms to catch new drops, episodes, and Booth Tour highlights.

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Brie Lee, Blue K, Efa & Yara Lane’s “Singenile” Is Taking The Internet By Storm

Published

3 weeks ago

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16/01/2026

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Brie Lee, Blue K, Efa & Yara Lane’s “Singenile” Sparks Bigger Conversation Around Women in SA Hip Hop

South African hip hop is experiencing a refreshing shift as Brie Lee, Blue K, Efa and Yara Lane come together on their powerful new single Singenile.

Released less than a week ago, Singenile is already performing impressively across streaming platforms and social media, proving that the momentum behind young female rappers in South Africa is real and growing fast. The song has been spreading organically, with listeners praising both its sound and its message.

SA Hip Hop 247 also amplified the movement by sharing the track on X, where it quickly caught attention and sparked conversation across timelines.

 

What makes Singenile stand out is how equally each rapper holds her own. Brie Lee, Blue K, Efa and Yara Lane all deliver confident, high energy verses that showcase hunger, lyrical sharpness and individuality. There is no lead or support role here, just four artists moving as one and pushing the culture forward together.

Twitter streets went into full support mode shortly after the release. One user, Erykah’s Gun (@_Khanyisiile), captured the general feeling around the song by tweeting:

 

Nota also cosigned the record.

Another user, gqimm shelele💎 (@MaDhlomo_), highlighted the importance of women opening doors for one another in the genre, tweeting:

The conversation didn’t stop there. Veteran poet and cultural voice Ntsiki Mazwai also weighed in, raising an important point about recognition and legacy. She tweeted:

Her words highlight a deeper layer behind the success of Singenile. While the spotlight is rightly on Brie Lee, Blue K, Efa and Yara Lane, their rise is connected to years of groundwork laid by women who pushed for space, visibility and respect in a male dominated industry.

Singenile therefore feels like more than just a trending single. It is part of a larger story about continuity, acknowledgment and progress. Young women are not only stepping into hip hop, they are thriving, collaborating and shifting narratives, while also reminding the culture to remember those who made it possible.

With the song still in its early days and already making noise, one thing is clear: this is not a moment, it is a movement.

Listen to Singenile Below

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Is AMAPIANO genre dying?

The Rise, Transformation, and Future of Amapiano briefly explained.

Amapiano has grown into one of South Africa’s most popular sounds, blending unique beats and rhythms that continue to capture audiences locally and globally, while some question its future and how the genre might be dying, let’s delve into the factors that cause that & what is happening.

Published

2 months ago

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26/11/2025

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The Rise, Transformation, and Future of Amapiano.

The Rise, Transformation, and Future of Amapiano briefly explained.

Amapiano has grown into one of South Africa’s most popular sounds, blending unique beats and rhythms that continue to capture audiences locally and globally, while some question its future and how the genre might be dying, let’s delve into the factors that cause that & what is happening.

Amapiano is not dying in the sense that the audience is dropping. The numbers are still increasing in Amapiano, but the mega superstar era seems to be coming to an end because many artists are making it now, and they step over each other’s rise to becoming mega stars. The genre has peaked, and it is unlikely to peak higher than it did in past years.It won’t die. It will remain very high, but one thing could happen that would make it look like it died in the coming years, and that is evolution. Black people aren’t known for keeping one sound the same over and over. Black people are music, so what will start appearing more often is Amapiano crossing over into other genres through experimental sounds that may morph it into something else. Crossovers with Afro beats, kwaito, and hip hop have already begun.With sounds like 3 step coming in, it may never peak where Amapiano once peaked, but Amapiano may combine with it to evolve the sound. It is likely to become something harder to identify as piano, similar to how RnB is difficult to identify nowadays, but the genre will remain, at least in this lifetime.And surprisingly, it continues spreading globally. As normalised as it is in SA, it is still a sound others are learning or getting used to out there.

What are your thoughts on the genre. Hit us in the socials comments, we’re looking forward to hearing from you.

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Music

AKA’s “Touch My Blood”: One of the Greatest Album Rollouts in South African Hip-Hop History

Published

2 months ago

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26/11/2025

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AKA’s “Touch My Blood” One of the Greatest Album Rollouts in South African Hip Hop History

When conversations about iconic SA Hip Hop rollouts come up, AKA’s “Touch My Blood” is always mentioned for a reason.
It was not just an album rollout. It was a cultural moment.
A masterclass in branding, fan engagement, and long term storytelling that still stands as one of the best South Africa has ever seen.

Below is a breakdown of why TMB remains a blueprint for modern artists.

1. Social Media Mastery. AKA Did the Work Himself

Organic Hype Building

This was not marketing. It was pure storytelling in real time.

2. Fan Engagement. The Legendary Fan First Album Cover Challenge

This was a game changer.

  • AKA opened a public challenge for fans to design the album cover
  • Hundreds of creatives submitted artwork
  • The winning artwork became the official cover
  • Fans felt ownership and the challenge went viral

This level of community involvement was ahead of its time.

3. Aesthetic and Identity Building. The Red Era

AKA treated Touch My Blood like a full world, not just an album.

Brand Identity

  • Introduced bold red branding with black and yellow accents
  • Dropped Touch My Blood merch including t shirts, hoodies, and accessories
  • Hosted pop up stores in Joburg and Cape Town
  • Placed the release date on billboards and any visible space he could book

Everywhere you looked you saw red.
Artists today still try to achieve this, but few match the level of execution.

4. Music Rollout. Two Years of Set Up

AKA built the sound brick by brick.

  • Released The World Is Yours in 2016 to introduce a new sonic direction
  • Continued to release singles shaped by old South African samples to build a sound identity
  • Spaced all releases to create a clear narrative
  • Even at shows he would dim the room in red light to reinforce the theme

This was long term vision, not a rushed release.

5. Press Run and Media Presence

AKA was everywhere.

  • Metro FM and YFM interviews
  • Touch My Blood mini documentary
  • MTV performance
  • HYPE Magazine interview
  • Direct questions answered for fans online
  • A constant presence in the media timeline

He took control of his story and it paid off.

6. The Post Rollout Was Just as Powerful

Even after the album dropped, AKA kept pushing.

  • Changed hairstyles to match the album’s gold moment
  • Released multiple music videos
  • Stayed trending with high energy moments
  • Continued to strengthen the Touch My Blood brand long after release week

He understood something many artists forget.
Rollouts do not end on release day.

Why Do Album Rollouts Feel Lost Today

  • The microwave era makes artists move too fast
  • Fans do not sit with singles for long
  • Labels push quantity over storytelling
  • Artists do not build full worlds around their albums
  • Very few understand branding the way AKA did

The art of the rollout is not dead. It is just rare.

Which album rollout stands out for you, and why

Let’s talk.

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