Carbonation ver4.0

The life and times of the element called Carbon

FAWL37 – Top 25 of ’25 – Episode 2525

theElement

The Year the Piano Took Over
The countdown begins — From Africa With Love closes out the year with a definitive mix of rhythm, feeling, and fire: The Top 25 for 2025. Every track here tells a story of how far the sound has travelled — from the deep lounges of Kelvin Momo to the street heat of Maphorisa and Kabza De Small. It’s a celebration of the artists who shaped the year and the grooves that never left our playlists.

This is the sound of consistency and reinvention: the log drum evolving, the vocals deepening, the collaborations stretching from Lagos to London, Durban to Pretoria. Amapiano’s core remains the same — heart, bass, and motion — but 2025 proved it can carry every emotion under the sun.

So here it is. Twenty-five reasons the sound remains undefeated. The Top 25 for 2025.

The Top 25 for 2025 Playlist

1 → “Wrong’o” — Stixx, Babalwa M & Boohle
2 → “Mabebuza (Mdu aka TRP Remix)” — Maline Aura, Drega & MDU aka TRP
3 → “As’galavante” — Mas Musiq, Daliwonga & DJ Maphorisa
4 → “Eningi (Remix)” — Kabza De Small (feat. Njelic, GL_Ceejay, Mthunzi & Mkeyz)
5 → “Amanxeba” — Sami Kay, Rox Roberson & Misokuhle
6 → “Ubuhle Bakho” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Kabza De Small (feat. Phila Dlozi)
7 → “Asiyeni” — Sfarzo Rtee, Jazzworx & Thukuthela (feat. DBN Gogo)
8 → “Abantwana Bakho” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Kabza De Small (feat. Thatohatsi, Young Stunna & Nkosazana Daughter)
9 → “Bhampa” — Vigro Deep, Zee Nxumalo & Ch’cco
10 → “Chifre” — Moldeezy daDj
11 → “Money Constant” — DJ Maphorisa, DJ Tunez, Wizkid & Mavo
12 → “Ngibolekeni” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Scotts Maphuma (feat. Sean 1401, LeeMcKrazy, Blxckie & Pcee)
13 → “Amalanga” — Piano City, Kelvin Momo & Thatohatsi (feat. Major League DJz, Tracy & PYY Log Drum King)
14 → “Hello” — Sfarzo Rtee & De Rose
15 → “Emhlabeni” — Kelvin Momo & Da Muziqal Chef (feat. Thatohatsi & Tracy)
16 → “Hello” — Murumba Pitch & Kelvin Momo
17 → “Iphupho” — Kabza De Small & Kelvin Momo (feat. Thatohatsi)
18 → “Dlala Ka Yona” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Enny Man Da Guitar (feat. Focalistic, Ricky Lenyora, Uncool MC & Mellow & Sleazy)
19 → “Laho” — Shallipopi
20 → “Biri Marung (Remix)” — DJ Maphorisa & Kabza De Small (feat. Davido, Focalistic, Mr Pilato, Ego Slimflow, Tebogo G Mashego & Scotts Maphuma)
21 → “Abalozi” — Kabza De Small, Da Muziqal Chef & DJ Maphorisa (feat. Sykes & Mnqobi Yazo)
22 → “Empini” — Kelvin Momo (feat. Thatohatsi)
23 → “Matswale (Scorpion Kings Remix)” — Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa (feat. Caiphus Semenya)
24 → “Awake” — Kelvin Momo (feat. Poizen & Earful Soul)
25 → “Partii” — Kamo Mphela, Aymos, QUE DJ & Jay Music (feat. SpacePose)

The Circle Completed
If 2024 was about expansion, 2025 is about refinement. The producers became composers. The DJs became curators. The dancers became storytellers. Every log drum drop in this list is a signature — a reminder that Africa’s rhythm is still rewriting the global tempo.

The Top 25 for 2025 isn’t just a playlist — it’s a reflection of a movement in full maturity, pulsing with love, life, and the rough beauty that made it all possible.

Turn it up one more time.
From Africa… With Love.

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FAWL36 – The Rough Life v4 – Episode 2524

theElement

Rough Energy, Refined Chaos
The streets are talking again — and they’re not whispering. The Rough Dance Vol. 4 picks up where the smoke last settled, recharging the sound with bass, bounce, and the kind of chaos that only Amapiano’s wildest corners can create. This is where rough meets rhythm, where Gqom’s dark thunder collides with Amapiano’s golden groove.

Here, Maphorisa, Kabza, and Wizkid open the floor with “Money Constant,” setting a tone that’s both global and streetwise. Carbon the Element returns as the experimenter-in-chief, stitching dancehall grit and township soul into digital rebellion with “Zwipa Baby” and “Gqom Banana.” From TxC’s sensual swing on “Bom Bom” to Vigro Deep’s raw propulsion on “Bhampa,” this set is a restless current — a reminder that Amapiano is not just a genre but a gravitational field pulling everything into its orbit.

If Vol. 3 was the foundation, Vol. 4 is the eruption — 25 tracks of energy, attitude, and endless motion. Rougher. Faster. Louder. Let’s move.

The Rough Dance Vol. 4 Playlist

1 → “Money Constant” — DJ Maphorisa, DJ Tunez, Wizkid & Mavo
2 → “Dry Wave” — JFS Music (feat. King Tone SA & Soa Mattrix)
3 → “Chifre” — Moldeezy daDj
4 → “Wave” — Unlimited Soul & GiftLunga
5 → “Yebo Lapho (Gogo)” — Felo Le Tee, Scotts Maphuma & Thabza Tee (feat. DJ Maphorisa & Djy Biza)
6 → “Zwipa” — SuG El MusiQ (feat. Retical & Touchdabuka)
7 → “Zwipa Baby” — Carbon the Element x Vybz Kartel x SuG El MusiQ
8 → “Gqom Banana” — Carbon the Element x Vybz Kartel x Kabza De Small
9 → “Gqom Effect Nyk 9” — Ntsako XVI, Sxova & Kabza De Small
10 → “ZEP” — DJ Smallz, ZinedinexSguche & 031 Choppa (feat. Uncool MC)
11 → “Asambe Baby” — Xduppy, DJ Maphorisa, Focalistic & Angekebabuye MC
12 → “Babekelele Bona” — Mellow & Sleazy & Tman Xpress (feat. LeeMcKrazy)
13 → “Sangena” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Mbuxx (feat. Scotts Maphuma & Toss)
14 → “Bom Bom (Shoni Kompo)” — TxC, Pheelz & Scotts Maphuma (feat. Al Xapo)
15 → “Sya’Waver” — Scotts Maphuma (feat. Uncool MC, Mluusician, Dlala Regal & Shaun Stylist)
16 → “Balimele” — DBN Gogo, Tyler ICU & LeeMcKrazy (feat. Khalil Harrison, Tumelo.za, Ceeka RSA & Eltee)
17 → “Bhampa” — Vigro Deep, Zee Nxumalo & Ch’cco
18 → “Ngibolekeni” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Scotts Maphuma (feat. Sean 1401, LeeMcKrazy, Blxckie & Pcee)
19 → “Twerka 4.0 (African Music)” — Bukzin Keyz
20 → “A Collision of Two Worlds” — The Real Prechly, DJ Lux & DJ Guti BPM
21 → “Hamba Nabo” — Shakes & Les, Fake’well, Scotts Maphuma & Uncool MC
22 → “Tobetsa 3.0” — Myztro & Leehleza (feat. ShaunMusiq & Ftears)
23 → “Tobetsa Remake” — Myztro (feat. Focalistic, Daliwonga, ShaunMusiq & Ftears)
24 → “Chef Chenko” — Da Muziqal Chef & Murumba Pitch
25 → “Snokonoko” — Al Xapo, Benzoo & EeQue

The Rough Evolution
The Rough Dance keeps transforming — a living rhythm built from contradiction: order in the chaos, beauty in the distortion, melody inside the madness. Vol. 4 isn’t just for the dancefloor; it’s for the moment when the music takes over and your pulse syncs with the bassline.

When the drop comes, don’t brace — lean into it.
Because life is rough. The music should be too.

From Africa… With Love.

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FAWL35 – The Rough Life v3 – Episode 2523

theElement

🔥 The Fire Doesn’t Fade
Every time we think the floor’s cooled down, the streets remind us — the Rough Dance never sleeps. Vol. 3 is the third act in a saga that refuses to settle. It’s louder, heavier, hungrier — a frontline transmission from the heart of Amapiano’s pulse, where the groove gets gritty and the elegance comes with attitude.

This one’s all movement and muscle: Maphorisa and Kabza hold down the command post, Murumba Pitch and Da Muziqal Chef open the gates, and the new-school mavericks — Leemckrazy, Scotts Maphuma, Shakes & Les, and Toss — show exactly why the sound won’t be tamed. And then there’s Carbon the Element, slicing through the mix again, bridging Lagos to Soweto with a soulful rebellion in “Free Mind (Ziwa Ngale).”

Vol. 3 doesn’t ask for permission. It’s smoke, sweat, and syncopation — all captured in 25 records that breathe the truth of the townships. Welcome back to the Rough Dance.

The Rough Dance Vol. 3 Playlist

1 → “Chef Chenko” — Da Muziqal Chef & Murumba Pitch
2 → “Ngibolekeni” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Scotts Maphuma (feat. Sean 1401, LeeMcKrazy, Blxckie & Pcee)
3 → “Zase England” — Blacko SA, Mellow & Sleazy & Scotts Maphuma
4 → “Fede” — Mr JazziQ & Vigro Deep
5 → “Malunde” — Shakes & Les, 031 Choppa & Zee Nxumalo (feat. Springle)
6 → “Sya’Waver” — Scotts Maphuma (feat. Uncool MC, Mluusician, Dlala Regal & Shaun Stylist)
7 → “Ziwa Ngale” — Kabza De Small (feat. DJ Tira, Young Stunna, Dladla Mshunqisi, Felo Le Tee, Beast & DJ Exit_sa)
8 → “Free Mind (Ziwa Ngale)” — Carbon the Element x Tems x Kabza De Small
9 → “Uyaphapha Marn” — TNK MusiQ, DJ Maphorisa & Seun1401 (feat. Scotts Maphuma & Kabelo Sings)
10 → “AmaGlobe” — Leemckrazy & King P (feat. Pcee, Scotts Maphuma, Mpho Spizzy, Infinity MusiQ & 031 Choppa)
11 → “Shayimpempe” — Mavuthela, Swizz Panache & Ribby
12 → “Asambe Baby” — Xduppy, DJ Maphorisa, Focalistic & Angekebabuye MC
13 → “Bassists” — Kota Embassy (feat. Major League DJz)
14 → “Chifre” — Moldeezy daDj
15 → “Laho” — Shallipopi
16 → “Zwipa” — SLIG El MusiQ (feat. Retical & Touchdabuka)
17 → “Sthombe Esihle” — Mluusician, Mark Khoza, DJ Maphorisa & Ricky Lenyora (feat. Focalistic, BigBaller_Ceo & Ch’cco)
18 → “Woza” — Mr JazziQ, Kabza De Small & Lady Du (feat. Boohle)
19 → “Yah Yah Yah 2.0” — Mid9t, Officixl RSA & Benzoo (feat. De Papzo)
20 → “Hao Khonagale” — Xduppy, Seun1401 & LastBornDiroba (feat. DJ Maphorisa, Scotts Maphuma, Mellow & Sleazy, Blacko SA & DJ Njabsta)
21 → “Weskoppies” — Leemckrazy & Toss (feat. Mulest Vankay, Scotts Maphuma, Massive95k & Mdeshkayro)
22 → “Ama Roto” — Reece Madlisa & Zuma (feat. Deepxplosion, Lungstar, Bob Mabena & Stillow)
23 → “ULAZI Dbn Gogo Benzoo (Sgubhu Sethu)” — uLazi
24 → “Yibo” — ShaunMusiq, Mbuxx & LeeMcKrazy (feat. Ftears)
25 → “Hamba Nabo” — Shakes & Les, Fake’well, Scotts Maphuma & Uncool MC

The Gospel of Rough
The Rough Dance isn’t a sound — it’s a stance. Every snare crack and synth stab in this volume carries the rhythm of resistance, joy, and release. These are anthems for those who live by the drumline and measure time in log rolls.

When the drop hits, don’t stand still.
When the bass growls, grow with it.

This is the gospel according to groove.
From Africa… With Love.

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FAWL34 – The Rough Life v2 – Episode 2522

theElement

The Rough Life Continues
No breaks. No breathers. The streets called again — and we answered louder. The Rough Life Vol. 2 is pure ignition, a sonic riot stitched together by sweat, bass, and the fearless innovation of Amapiano’s roughest architects. This isn’t polish; it’s pulse. A statement that the movement never sleeps — it only mutates.

This set moves like a convoy through the night: Maphorisa at the wheel, Kabza navigating every detour, Murumba Pitch and Sir Trill voicing the street gospel, and Carbon the Element bending boundaries between amapiano, R&B, and soul. It’s global, it’s grimy, it’s gospel in motion — the Rough Dance evolving in real time.

What follows is 25 tracks of unstoppable momentum — amapiano stripped down to the bone and rebuilt with brass, bounce, and boldness. The block is alive again. The stance is back.

The Rough Life Vol. 2 Playlist

1 → “Money Constant” — DJ Maphorisa, DJ Tunez, Wizkid & Mavo
2 → “Ba Straata” — DJ Maphorisa & Visca (feat. 2woshortrsa, Stompiiey, Shaunmusiq & Ftears)
3 → “Mara Kay” — Murumba Pitch, Sir Trill, Frank Mabeat & Maeywon (feat. Tumisho)
4 → “Ziwa Ngale” — Kabza De Small (feat. DJ Tira, Young Stunna & Dladla Mshunqisi)
5 → “Could’ve Been Ziwa Ngale” — Carbon the Element x H.E.R. x Kabza De Small
6 → “Free Mind (Ziwa Ngale)” — Carbon the Element x Tems x Kabza De Small
7 → “Ucingo” — Zee Nxumalo, SLY & GI_Ceejay (feat. Kabza De Small & Shakes & Les)
8 → “Trick Or Treat” — Unlimited Soul & Amzin Deep (feat. Kay Keys)
9 → “Chifre” — Moldeezy daDj
10 → “Straata” — Major League DJz & LuuDadeejay
11 → “Amanikiniki” — MFR Souls (feat. Major League, Kamo Mphela & Bontle Smith)
12 → “Yebo Lapho (Gogo)” — Felo Le Tee, Scotts Maphuma & Thabza Tee (feat. DJ Maphorisa & Djy Biza)
13 → “Bhuti Mjongeni” — TreasureDaDeeJaY (feat. Long Wama Inch & DeBoyThando)
14 → “Izinyembezi” — Bongza & Pale Moloi (feat. Ndoose Sa)
15 → “Iy’ntsimbi Zase Envy” — Reece Madlisa & Zuma (feat. Busta 929, Beast Rsa & Dladla Mshunqisi)
16 → “Ama Roto” — Reece Madlisa & Zuma (feat. Deepxplosion, Lungstar, Bob Mabena & Stillow)
17 → “Ufuna Uk’fela Kuphi” — Amu Classic, Kappie, Malemon, Mr Nation Thingz & Muziqal Tone (feat. Kammu Dee)
18 → “Chef Chenko” — Da Muziqal Chef & Murumba Pitch
19 → “Biri Marung (Remix)” — DJ Maphorisa & Kabza De Small (feat. Davido, Focalistic, Mr Pilato, Ego Slimflow, Tebogo G Mashego & Scotts Maphuma)
20 → “Amasango” — Josiah De Disciple, Sushi De Deejay & Stash Da Groovyest (feat. Khanya De Vocalist)
21 → “Twerka 4.0 (African Music)” — Bukzin Keyz
22 → “Pikkewyne Remix” — Mega x Chakie (feat. Meneer Cee, Jay Music & Naiidy)
23 → “Ngibolekeni” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Scotts Maphuma (feat. Sean 1401, LeeMcKrazy, Blxckie & Pcee)
24 → “Nyakanyaka Man” — Ntsako XVI, Shaun 101 & Sxova (feat. Nkulee501)
25 → “Bacardi via Sgidongo” — LuuDadeejay (feat. Kabza De Small & Mac Breezy)

Outro: The Rough Life Manifesto
Vol. 2 doesn’t just continue the journey — it detonates it. The Rough Life is no longer underground; it’s the bloodstream of the block. Every synth stab, every drum fill, every vocal cut is resistance — a reminder that joy can be defiance, and dance can be declaration.

Turn the lights low, volume high, and move reckless.
The Rough Life is not to be learned — it’s to be lived.

From Africa… With Love.

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FAWL33 – The Rough Life v1 – Episode 2521

theElement

Welcome to the Rough Life
The wait’s over — and the bassline just got heavier. The Rough Life Vol. 1 is the rawest, rowdiest chapter yet of From Africa With Love. This one doesn’t whisper; it kicks down the door. Built from the concrete of kasi corners and the sweat of late-night sessions, this is The Rough Dance in full motion — street-certified, speaker-tested, no filter, no finesse.

If Amapiano School was the lecture, The Rough Life is the field trip. The horns are meaner, the chants louder, the kicks dirtier. This is the sound of the South African night: taxis passing, bottles clinking, bass vibrating through the pavement. DBN Gogo, Tycoon, Vigro Deep, Leemckrazy, Mellow & Sleazy, Toss, King P, and Maphorisa all come through swinging — a full-scale collision of rhythm, rage, and release.

You asked for the Rough Dance — and we brought it home.

The Rough Life Playlist

Phase 1: The Charge-Up (Tracks 1–5)
1 → “AmaGlobe” — Leemckrazy & King P (feat. Pcee, Scotts Maphuma, Mpho Spizzy, Infinity MusiQ & 031 Choppa)
2 → “Phunyuka” — Candy Flow RSA, DBN Gogo & ShennyDaDeejay (feat. Loony Q)
3 → “Sangena” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Mbuxx (feat. Scotts Maphuma & Toss)
4 → “On The Floor” — Sir Trill & King P
5 → “Bom Bom (Shoni Kompo)” — TxC, Pheelz & Scotts Maphuma (feat. Al Xapo)

The setup: high energy, no hesitation. This is the ignition point — pure street power. The crowd’s forming. The stance is back.

Phase 2: Pressure Applied (Tracks 6–10)
6 → “Babekelele Bona” — Mellow & Sleazy & Tman Xpress (feat. LeeMcKrazy)
7 → “992” — Tycoon & MDU aka TRP
8 → “Wadibusa” — Uncle Waffles & Royal MusiQ (feat. OHP Sage, Pcee & Djy Biza)
9 → “Partii” — Kamo Mphela, Aymos, QUE DJ & Jay Music (feat. SpacePose)
10 → “Wave” — Unlimited Soul & GiftLunga

Tempo rising, drums rolling. The smoke thickens, the crowd moves as one. This is where the Rough Life gets loud.

Phase 3: The Grind (Tracks 11–15)
11 → “Zama Zama” — Vigro Deep (feat. LeeMcKrazy)
12 → “Iy’ntsimbi Zase Envy (Vol. 2 Kwaito Edition)” — Reece Madlisa & Zuma (feat. Busta 929, Beast Rsa & Dladla Mshunqisi)
13 → “Seka Right” — DBN Gogo, King P & Toss (feat. Mr Nation Thingz & Sponge 101)
14 → “Hao Khonagale” — Xduppy, Seun1401 & LastBornDiroba (feat. DJ Maphorisa, Scotts Maphuma, Mellow & Sleazy, Blacko SA & DJ Njabsta)
15 → “Weskoppies” — LeeMcKrazy & Toss (feat. Mulest Vankay, Scotts Maphuma, Massive95k & Mdeshkayro)

The middle stretch — bass and bounce at full force. This is sweat-on-the-wall Amapiano. Rough. Relentless. Real.

Phase 4: Night Mode (Tracks 16–20)
16 → “Awungeke” — Tyler ICU & Visca (feat. LeeMcKrazy, Mr Nation Thingz, VeeRsa, Cuba Beats, BuddyKay, Tyrone Dee & 2woshort)
17 → “Ufuna Uk’fela Kuphi” — Amu Classic, Kappie, Malemon, Mr Nation Thingz & Muziqal Tone (feat. Kammu Dee)
18 → “Chef Chenko” — Da Muziqal Chef & Murumba Pitch
19 → “Bhampa” — Vigro Deep, Zee Nxumalo & Ch’cco
20 → “Ebasini” — Tyler ICU & LeeMcKrazy (feat. Tman Xpress, Visca, Ceeka RSA, SjavasDaDeejay & Al Xapo)

The sound dips into its darker groove — deeper bass, sharper swing. This is the pulse of midnight Pretoria.

Phase 5: The Street Sermon (Tracks 21–25)
21 → “Madibuseng” — Unknown (feat. Uncool MC & LeeMcKrazy)
22 → “Takalani” — House Of ESAMA, MINOR & Choppa, Jay Music & Benzoo (feat. Don Edward & Arcader)
23 → “Hhay wena Maan” — Shakes & Les & Mbuxx (feat. Scotts Maphuma & Uncool MC)
24 → “Hamba No Choppa” — 031 Choppa, Royal Musiq & DBN Gogo (feat. Djy Biza)
25 → “Jersey Number 21” — Busta 929 & Mr JazziQ (feat. Reece Madlisa, Zuma & Masterpiece WK)

Final stretch — the block anthem section. Brass, chants, chaos, and celebration. The dance doesn’t end; it erupts. This is the sound of the hustle — unfiltered, unafraid, unforgettable.

Final Word:
The Rough Life isn’t about perfection — it’s about pressure and pulse. It’s the sound of survival dressed as celebration.
Let the speakers distort. Let the floor shake.

From Africa… With Love.

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FAWL32 – Amapiano School Vol 4 – Episode 2520

theElement

Preface
The classroom lights flicker back on — and the groove resumes. Amapiano School Vol. 4 is where practice meets philosophy, where rhythm is theory, and every drop, chord, and breath becomes instruction. This volume is built on continuity and collaboration: the return of familiar professors (Kabza, Maphorisa, Kelvin Momo, Mas Musiq) alongside the ever-curious experimentalist Carbon the Element, whose sonic edits transform tradition into new terrain.

Vol. 4 plays like a full-day lecture: morning devotion, mid-tempo reflection, and evening fire. It’s a study in movement — the sacred (“Praise You”, “Ubuhle Bakho”), the sensual (“Ngisakuthanda”, “Empini”), the abstract (“Mabebuza Ocean”, “Colours of Mabebuza”), and the anthemic (“Bayazi”). Each track contributes to a living archive of Amapiano’s evolution — where gospel, jazz, soul, and street sound systems coexist, teaching us that the genre isn’t static; it’s breathing, remixing, remembering, and becoming.

Attendance is once again mandatory. Pens down. Volume up.

Course Outline (in track order)

Lesson 1: Morning Theory – Awakening & Devotion (Tracks 1–5)

1 → “Awake” — Kelvin Momo (feat. Poizen & Earful Soul)
2 → “Novacane Awake” — Carbon the Element x Frank Ocean x Kelvin Momo
3 → “Matswale (Scorpion Kings Remix)” — Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa (feat. Caiphus Semenya)
4 → “Praise You” — Artwork Sounds (feat. Kabza De Small & Stakev)
5 → “Asiyeni” — Sfarzo Rtee, Jazzworx & Thukuthela (feat. DBN Gogo)

Lesson 2: Rhythm Labs – Groove Mechanics (Tracks 6–10)

6 → “Umjita” — Piano City, Zee_nhle & Dj Jaivane (feat. Royce77 & Major League Djz)
7 → “Ngisakuthanda” — Zee Nxumalo & TBO (feat. PYY Log Drum King, DJ Tearz & Dr Thulz)
8 → “Ubuhle Bakho” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Kabza De Small (feat. Phila Dlozi)
9 → “Imnandi Lento” — Mellow & Sleazy, SjavasDaDeejay & TitoM (feat. Tman Xpress)
10 → “As’galavante” — Mas Musiq, Daliwonga & DJ Maphorisa

Lesson 3: Remix & Reconstruction – The Mabebuza Method (Tracks 11–15)

11 → “Mabebuza (Mdu aka TRP Remix)” — Maline Aura, Drega & MDI-J aka TRP
12 → “Colours of Mabebuza (Extended Mix)” — Carbon the Element x Vybz Kartel x MDU aka TRP
13 → “Mabebuza Ocean (No Jay Z)” — Carbon the Element x Frank Ocean x MDU aka TRP
14 → “Uyangithwala” — Stixx & Nvcho (feat. Babalwa M, Thatohatsi & Sia Mzizi)
15 → “Empini” — Kelvin Momo (feat. Thatohatsi)

Lesson 4: Afternoon Studies – Reflections & Resonance (Tracks 16–20)

16 → “Lutho” — Dj Jaivane, Smaki 08 & Wesley Keys (feat. De Rose)
17 → “Iphupho” — Kabza De Small & Kelvin Momo (feat. Thatohatsi)
18 → “Flight Mode” — Kelvin Momo & Mashudu (feat. Tycoon & Omit ST)
19 → “Eningi (Remix)” — Kabza De Small (feat. Njelic, GL_Ceejay, Mthunzi & Mkeyz)
20 → “Soweto Grooves 3.0” — Kelvin Momo

Lesson 5: Evening Electives – The Extended Mix (Tracks 21–25)

21 → “Amanxeba” — sami kay, Rox Roberson & Misokuhle
22 → “Ungangilimazi” — DJ MOSCOW, Brandon Dhludhlu & Cnethemba Gonelo (feat. Frank Mabeat)
23 → “10K Yey’nkomo” — Aymos, Mas Musiq & Samthing Soweto (feat. Sha Sha)
24 → “Abalozi” — Kabza De Small, Da Muziqal Chef & DJ Maphorisa (feat. Sykes & Mnqobi Yazo)
25 → “Bayazi” — Sjavas Da Deejay, Titom & Vyno Keys (feat. Cowboii, Mellow & Sleazy & Nobantu Vilakazi)

Office Hours: Conducted live in the mix by Carbon the Element.
Homework: Revisit the transitions — note how “Awake” becomes “Novacane,” how “Mabebuza” fragments into three interpretations, and how “Bayazi” seals the lesson in movement.
Assignment: Study. Dance. Reflect. Repeat.

From Africa… With Love.

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FAWL31 – Amapiano School Vol 3 – Episode 2519

theElement

Preface
Welcome back, students of the groove. Amapiano School is our living classroom — part archive, part workshop, part dance lab — where the log drum is the metronome and collaboration is the curriculum. Vol. 3 goes beyond showing you what’s hot; it traces how ideas travel: from spiritual call-and-response to street-level bounce, from piano-room subtlety to arena-sized anthems. You’ll hear how motifs echo across artists and eras — a hook returns, a bassline mutates, a vocal texture reappears in a new light — and how producers like Kabza, Maphorisa, Kelvin Momo, and Mas Musiq keep stretching the language without losing its center.

This session is sequenced as a journey. We begin in community — chorus, harmony, and groove as shared ritual — then move through counterpoints and remixes, mood studies and form experiments, before closing with global fusions and late-set elevation. Think of each Lesson as a module: listen for arrangement choices, vocal phrasing, drum programming, and the ways edits and remixes revise the original thesis. Attendance is mandatory. Dancing is encouraged. Reflection is the homework.

Course Outline

Lesson 1: Foundations & Collaborations (Tracks 1–5)

1 → “Asiyeni” — Sfarzo Rtee, Jazzworx & Thukuthela (feat. DBN Gogo)
2 → “Ubuhle Bakho” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Kabza De Small (feat. Phila Dlozi)
3 → “Amalanga” — Piano City, Kelvin Momo & Thatohatsi (feat. Major League Djz, Tracy & PW Log Drum King)
4 → “Thobela” — Stixx & Babalwa M
5 → “As’galavante” — Mas Musiq, Daliwonga & DJ Maphorisa

Lesson 2: Counterpoints & Street Energy (Tracks 6–10)

6 → “As’galavante – Ngibolekeni” — Carbon the Element x Mas Musiq, Daliwonga & DJ Maphorisa x DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Scotts Maphuma
7 → “Bhampa” — Vigro Deep, Zee Nxumalo & Ch’cco
8 → “Mabebuza (Mdu aka TRP Remix)” — Maline Aura, Drega & MDU aka TRP
9 → “Lutho” — Dj Jaivane, Smaki 08 & Wesley Keys (feat. De Rose)
10 → “Hello” — Sfarzo Rtee & De Rose

Lesson 3: Mood Studies & Remix Theory (Tracks 11–15)

11 → “Hello” — Murumba Pitch & Kelvin Momo
12 → “Phephisa” — Stixx, Nvcho & Babalwa M
13 → “Flight Mode” — Kelvin Momo & Mashudu (feat. Tycoon & Omit ST)
14 → “Eningi (Remix)” — Kabza De Small (feat. Njelic, GL_Ceejay, Mthunzi & Mkeyz)
15 → “Ithuba Lam” — Sayfar (feat. Musa Keys, Seekay, Makhanj & Optimist Music)

Lesson 4: Log Drum Labs & Form Experiments (Tracks 16–20)

16 → “10K Yey’nkomo” — Aymos, Mas Musiq & Samthing Soweto (feat. Sha Sha)
17 → “10K Dip (Extended)” — Carbon the Element x MasMusiQ x Teejay
18 → “Wrong Amapiano Artform (Clean)” — Carbon the Element x Coutain x Babalwa M
19 → “Wrong’o” — Stixx, Babalwa M & Boohle
20 → “Emhlabeni” — Kelvin Momo & Da Muziqal Chef (feat. Thatohatsi & Tracy)

Lesson 5: Global Fusions & Closers (Tracks 21–25)

21 → “Awake” — Kelvin Momo (feat. Poizen & Earful Soul)
22 → “Piano Lisho” — TitoM, Yuppe & Eemoh
23 → “Matswale (Scorpion Kings Remix)” — Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa (feat. Caiphus Semenya)
24 → “Need You Tonight” — Kabza De Small (feat. Wizkd)
25 → “Wah Yo Deh Pan Tonight (Mixdown Edit)” — Carbon the Element x Kabza De Small x Ayetian

Assignment: Listen actively. Note your favourite motif across tracks. Then—study, dance, repeat.
From Africa… With Love.

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FAWL30 – Amapiano School Vol 2 – Episode 2518

theElement

Welcome back to class.

Amapiano School Vol. 2 is another deep dive into the artform — 25 lessons in groove, mood, and mastery. The sound stretches from spiritual reflections to street energy, from soulful vocals to boundary-pushing edits, all wrapped in the unmistakable pulse of the log drum.

Tracklist

Carbon The Element Presents:

1: Maline Aura, Drega & MDU aka TRP – Mabebuza (Mdu aka TRP Remix)
2: Mas Musiq, Daliwonga & DJ Maphorisa – As’galavante
3: Carbon the Element x Mas Musiq, Daliwonga & DJ Maphorisa x DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Scotts Maphuma – As’galavante – Ngibolekeni
4: Dj Jaivane, Smaki 08 & Wesley Keys – Lutho (feat. De Rose)
5: Sfarzo Rtee & De Rose – Hello
6: Murumba Pitch & Kelvin Momo – Hello
7: Kelvin Momo – Teka
8: Carbon the Element x Teejay x Kelvin Momo – Teka Moon Light
9: Stixx, Nvcho & Babalwa M – Phephisa
10: Kelvin Momo & Mashudu – Flight Mode (feat. Tycoon & Omit ST)
11: Kabza De Small & Spirit of Praise – Nasempini (feat. Ayanda Ntanzi, DJ Maphorisa & Stakev)
12: Kabza De Small – Eningi (Remix) [feat. Njelic, GL_Ceejay, Mthunzi, Mkeyz & Simmy]
13: sami kay, Rox Roberson & Misokuhle – Amanxeba
14: Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa – Jabulile (feat. Russell Zuma & Young Stunna)
15: Carbon the Element x Barrington Levy x Kabza De Small – Be Happy, Be Strong (Jabulile)
16: Aymos, Mas Musiq & Samthing Soweto – 10K Yey’nkomo (feat. Sha Sha)
17: Carbon the Element x MasMusiQ x Teejay – 10K Dip (Extended)
18: Kabza De Small, Da Muziqal Chef & DJ Maphorisa – Abalozi (feat. Sykes & Mnqobi Yazo)
19: Kabza De Small – Need You Tonight (feat. Wizkd)
20: Carbon the Element x Kabza De Small x Ayetian – Wah Yo Deh Pan Tonight (Mixdown Edit)
21: Sfarzo Rtee, Jazzworx & Thukuthela – Asiyeni (feat. DBN Gogo)
22: Piano City, Kelvin Momo & Thatohatsi – Amalanga (feat. Major League Djz, Tracy & PW Log Drum King)
23: DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Kabza De Small – Ubuhle Bakho (feat. Phila Dlozi)
24: Stixx & Babalwa M – Thobela
25: Mellow & Sleazy, SjavasDaDeejay & TitoM – Imnandi lento (feat. Tman Xpress)

The faculty is stacked: Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, Kelvin Momo, Mas Musiq, and MDU aka TRP keep the foundation steady with essentials like “Jabulile,” “Abalozi,” and “As’galavante.” Voices like Russell Zuma, Sha Sha, Phila Dlozi, and Young Stunna deliver the stories, while Carbon the Element returns to remix the rules — twisting classics into fresh experiments with tracks like “Teka Moon Light” and “Be Happy, Be Strong.”

From the meditative glow of Kelvin Momo’s “Teka” and “Flight Mode” to the communal power of Spirit of Praise’s “Nasempini,” the curriculum here is as wide as it is deep. The set closes with the raw energy of Mellow & Sleazy’s “Imnandi Lento,” a reminder that piano is still for the dancefloor, first and always.

This is Vol. 2 of the lecture series — and the learning has only just begun.

From Africa… With Love.

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FAWL29 – Amapiano School Vol 1 – Episode 2517

theElement

Class is in session.

Amapiano School Vol. 1 is a lesson in rhythm, depth, and versatility — 25 tracks that chart the many ways the Piano speaks. From soulful ballads to dancefloor anthems, from experimental flips to gospel-tinged grooves, this episode feels like a full curriculum.

Kabza De Small, Kelvin Momo, Mas Musiq, and DJ Maphorisa lead the faculty, bringing forward essentials like “Eningi (Remix),” “As’galavante,” and “Umusa.” Their collaborators — Sha Sha, Nobuhle, Babalwa M, and Aymos — provide the voices that carry the lessons home.

The syllabus covers it all: reflective cuts like Kelvin Momo’s “Awake” and Murumba Pitch’s “Hello,” fire remixes like Mdu aka TRP’s “Mabebuza,” and experimental mashups courtesy of Carbon the Element, from “Let’s Be Happy On Deck” to “Amapiano To The Max” and “Nasty Amalanga.”

Tracklist

Carbon The Element Presents: FAWL30 – Amapiano School Vol 2
1: sami kay, Rox Roberson & Misokuhle – Amanxeba
2: DJ MOSCOW, Brandon Dhludhlu & Cnethemba Gonelo – Ungangilimazi (feat. Frank Mabeat)
3: Kabza De Small – Eningi (Remix) [feat. Njelic, GL_Ceejay, Mthunzi, Mkeyz & Simmy]
4: Stixx, Nvcho & Babalwa M – Phephisa
5: Chronical Deep, LaTique & Kabza De Small – Hayi Baba (feat. Leehleza & Ezra)
6: Murumba Pitch & Kelvin Momo – Hello
7: Maline Aura, Drega & MDU aka TRP – Mabebuza (Mdu aka TRP Remix)
8: Tycoon – This Dance (feat. Kabza De Small & MDU aka TRP)
9: Sha Sha, Kelvin Momo & Sykes – Ndawana
10: Mas Musiq, Daliwonga & DJ Maphorisa – As’galavante
11: Carbon the Element x Mas Musiq, Daliwonga & DJ Maphorisa x DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Scotts Maphuma – As’galavante – Ngibolekeni
12: Nobuhle & Kabza De Small – Umusa
13: DJ Stokie & Eemoh – Masithokoze
14: Carbon the Element x Ella Mai x DJ Stokie – Let’s Be Happy On Deck
15: Kelvin Momo ft Sino Msolo – Madlamini
16: Piano City, Kelvin Momo & Thatohatsi – Amalanga (feat. Major League Djz, Tracy & PW Log Drum King)
17: Aymos & Mas Musiq – Amabhoza (feat. MaWhoo)
18: Kelvin Momo – Awake (feat. Poizen & Earful Soul)
19: Kelvin Momo & Da Muziqal Chef – Emhlabeni (feat. Thatohatsi & Tracy)
20: Gaba Cannal & Xavi Yentin – Bawo (feat. Russell Zuma, Sipho Magudulela & Ze2)
21: Carbon the Element x Moliy x Gaba Cannal – Amapiano To The Max ft. Skillibeng & Shenseea
22: Carbon the Element x Coutain x Babalwa M – Wrong Amapiano Artform (Clean)
23: Stixx, Babalwa M & Boohle – Wrong’o
24: Mas Musiq, Lawd Weezy & DJ Maphorisa – Amalanga (Combi) (feat. TO Starquality, Chley & Kabza De Small)
25: Carbon the Element x Kabza De Small x Tinashe – Nasty Amalanga

This is not just a playlist — it’s instruction in how wide the spectrum of Amapiano truly is. Consider this the first volume in a new lecture series.

From Africa… With Love.

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FAWL 28 – Back To Basics (B2B) – Episode 2516

theElement

Sometimes you’ve got to strip it down and bring it home. Back to Basics is exactly that — a return to the essence of why we started From Africa With Love: the music that makes us move, the songs that live in our bones, the culture that carries us forward.

This set blends brand new heat with timeless classics. Burna Boy opens the gates with “Update” before the piano takes over. Heavyweights like Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, Kelvin Momo, Mas Musiq, and Da Muziqal Chef run the show, delivering anthems like “Imali Yami,” “Nana Thula,” “Abalele,” and “Asibe Happy.”

There’s fire in the collabs — Scorpion Kings’ “eMcimbini” still commands dancefloors, while TitoM & Yuppe’s “Tshwala Bam (Remix)” with Burna Boy adds new fuel to a global flame. Carbon the Element flips familiar favorites into fresh experiments with “I Love Nana Thula” and the extended “19K Dip.”

And then there’s the soul: Kelvin Momo’s “Awake” and “Mfula,” Kabza & Mthunzi’s “Imithandazo,” and Sfarzo Rtee & De Rose’s “Hello” hold space for reflection in between the fire.

Tracklist

1: Burna Boy – Update
2: Tycoon & MDI-J aka TRP – 992
3: Kabza De Small & Da Muziqal Chef – Imali Yami (feat. Nkosazana Daughter, Sykes, Lastborn & Shalom G)
4: Kelvin Momo – Awake (feat. Poizen & Earful Soul)
5: Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa – Nana Thula (feat. Njelic, Young Stunna & Xolani Guitars)
6: Carbon the Element x Ckay x Kabza De Small – I Love Nana Thula
7: Scorpion Kings – eMcimbini ft Aymos, Samthing Soweto, Mas Musiq & Myztro
8: Kelvin Momo & Da Muziqal Chef – Emhlabeni (feat. Thatohatsi & Tracy)
9: Reece Madlisa & Zuma ft Busta 929, Beast Rsa & Dladla Mshunqisi – Iy’ntsimbi Zase Envy
10: Sayfar – Ithuba Lam (feat. Musa Keys, Seekay, Makhanj & Optimist Music)
11: Aymos, Mas Musiq & Samthing Soweto – 10K Yey’nkomo (feat. Sha Sha)
12: Carbon the Element x MasMusiQ x Teejay – 10K Dip (Extended)
13: sami kay, Rox Roberson & Misokuhle – Amanxeba
14: Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa – Abalele (feat. Ami Faku)
15: Kelvin Momo – Mfula (feat. Cnethemba Gonelo & NATASHA MD)
16: Kabza De Small & Kelvin Momo – Iphupho (feat. Thatohatsi)
17: Sfarzo Rtee & De Rose – Hello
18: Dj Jaivane, Smaki 08 & Wesley Keys – Lutho (feat. De Rose)
19: Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa – Asibe Happy (ft. Ami Faku)
20: Kabza De Small & Dlala Thukzin – Ngyozama (feat. Sykes, Young Stunna, Nkosæana Daughter & Tracy)
21: Maline Aura, Drega & MDU aka TRP – Mabebuza (Mdu aka TRP Remix)
22: TitoM, Yuppe & Burna Boy ft S.N.E – Tshwala Bam (Remix)
23: Mas Musiq, Daliwonga & DJ Maphorisa – As’galavante
24: Carbon the Element x Mas Musiq, Daliwonga & DJ Maphorisa x DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Scotts Maphuma – As’galavante – Ngibolekeni
25: Kabza De Small & Mthunzi – Imithandazo ft. Young Stunna, DJ Maphorisa, Sizwe Alakine & Umthakathi Kush

This is a full-circle moment: new drops, dance favourites, and classics that remind us where the sound began.

Back to basics. Back to the love.


From Africa… With Love.

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