DJ Speedsta and SA hip hop under fire for outdated playlists

by Nomonde Simelane

With the rise of genres such as amapiano, the hip-hop industry has constantly been on the receiving end of some backlash, regarding DJs failing to stay connected with the current scene, resulting in outdated sets during significant.

Over the past decade, South Africa’s music scene has continued to grow and evolve to reflect mzansi’s rich and vibrant culture. At one point, local hip-hop was arguably at its peak, as various hip-hop songs consistently topped every chart and dominated every platform. However, the run slowly came to an end, as genres such as amapiano have reached unprecedented levels of popularity across the globe, leaving the local hip-hop scene in a state of concern.

Among these woes, event goers and festival attendees have constantly taken to social media to express frustration over the lack of growth that SA hip-hop DJs seem to display. According to these users, these individuals, who are supposed to be custodians of the culture have played a significant role in the genre’s decline locally, as unlike their amaiano counterparts, they seem o be holding on to some outdated playlists, as opposed to promoting the new and fresh tunes that artists are putting out.

After garnering some attention for making controversial comments regarding amapiano, DJ Speedsta has been at the receiving end of some backlash from some internet users who have called him out for playing Knock You Down by Keri Hilson, which was released more than a decade ago.

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