Carbonation ver4.0

The life and times of the element called Carbon

FAWL40 – AmaLife Vol 2 – Episode 2603

theElement

Pretty Days, Piano Nights
The countdown continues. The sun is higher, the water is warmer, and the energy is building. AmaLife Vol. 2 carries us one step closer to our first IRL celebration of the year — Amapiano and Soul Vol. 4: Pretty by the Pool.

This life is a pretty place to live in. And Amapiano is life.

It’s the soundtrack to anticipation — the slow build before the doors open, the laughter before the first toast, the bassline before the first splash. This mix leans into that feeling: soulful, warm, textured, and alive. From the tenderness of Thatohatsi and Mas Musiq to the spiritual weight of Kabza De Small and the atmospheric glide of Kelvin Momo, every record here feels like sunlight reflecting off water.

Amapiano isn’t just heard — it’s lived. And this episode celebrates that lived experience: love, community, style, rhythm, and joy.

We’re not just preparing for an event.
We’re preparing for a moment.

AmaLife Vol. 2 Playlist

1 → “Gama Lami” — Mas Musiq & Thatohatsi (feat. Lawd Weezy, Vyno Miller & Xolani Guitars)
2 → “Amalanga” — Piano City, Kelvin Momo & Thatohatsi (feat. Major League DJz, Tracy & PYY Log Drum King)
3 → “Ntwana Yam’” — Babalwa M, Xduppy & DJ Maphorisa (feat. Madumane, Nvcho & Jnr SA)
4 → “Ucingo” — Zee Nxumalo, SLY & GL_Ceejay (feat. Kabza De Small & Shakes & Les)
5 → “Asiyeni” — Sfarzo Rtee, Jazzworx & Thukuthela (feat. DBN Gogo)
6 → “Imali Yami” — Kabza De Small & Da Muziqal Chef (feat. Nkosazana Daughter, Sykes, Lastborn & Shalom G)
7 → “ZEP” — DJ Smallz, ZinedinexSguche & 031 Choppa (feat. Uncool MC)
8 → “Folding Zep” — Carbon the Element x Khelani x DJ Smallz
9 → “eGoli” — CowBoii, Mellow & Sleazy & Scotts Maphuma (feat. Eltee & Novatron)
10 → “Ukuthula” — Kabza De Small (feat. MaWhoo & Young Stunna)
11 → “Uyadlala” — Benny Maverick (feat. Sykes, Zeh McGeba, GL_Ceejay & Orchid MusiQ)
12 → “Ukuphumula” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Sly (feat. Tracy & Thatohatsi)
13 → “Abalozi” — Kabza De Small, Da Muziqal Chef & DJ Maphorisa (feat. Sykes & Mnqobi Yazo)
14 → “10K Yey’nkomo” — Aymos, Mas Musiq & Samthing Soweto (feat. Sha Sha)
15 → “10K Dip (Extended)” — Carbon the Element x MasMusiQ x Teejay
16 → “Bawo” — Gaba Cannal & Xavi Yentin (feat. Russell Zuma, Sipho Magudulela & Ze2)
17 → “Amapiano To The Max” — Carbon the Element x Moliy x Gaba Cannal
18 → “Amanxeba” — Sami Kay, Rox Roberson & Misokuhle
19 → “Say I Do” — Kelvin Momo & Elaine
20 → “Iskhathi” — Soa Mattrix (feat. Bassie, Happy Jazzman & Faith Strings)
21 → “Amasango” — Josiah De Disciple, Sushi De Deejay & Stash Da Groovyest (feat. Khanya De Vocalist)
22 → “Mabebuza (Mdu aka TRP Remix)” — Maline Aura, Drega & MDU aka TRP
23 → “Hello” — Sfarzo Rtee & De Rose
24 → “Thandaza” — Sam Deep & Thatohatsi
25 → “Sowenza Rongo” — DJ Stokie, Leemckrazy & Tman Xpress

Living Pretty, Moving Freely
AmaLife Vol. 2 is about balance — soul and swing, depth and dance, reflection and release. It’s the reminder that beauty doesn’t just exist in big moments. It’s in the groove, the community, the shared rhythm.

As we step closer to Pretty by the Pool, let this mix set the tone. Dress well. Move well. Live well.

Because this life — with the right soundtrack — is a very pretty place to be.

From Africa… With Love.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Pandora | TuneIn | RSS | More

FAWL39 – AmaLife Vol 1 – Episode 2602

theElement

🔥 FAWL 39 – AmaLife Vol. 1
Episode 2602

This Life, This Groove, This Joy
We step into 2026 with the energy of sunlight, the calm of water, and the rhythm of the streets. AmaLife Vol. 1 is the soundtrack to that feeling — the pulse that carries us into the first real-life celebration of the year: Amapiano and Soul Vol. 4 — Pretty by the Pool.

This life is a pretty place to live in, and Amapiano is life. It’s the sound that turns the ordinary into something sacred — the way a log drum rolls through still air, the way a vocal riff hits like sunlight on glass. This mix celebrates that beauty. It’s joy painted in rhythm — a deep inhale before the dance begins.

From Kabza De Small’s soul-laced production to Nkosazana Daughter’s angelic resonance, and Carbon the Element’s genre-bending touch that fuses Kingston to Jo’burg — AmaLife moves with warmth and confidence. It’s the calm before the splash, the invitation before the night.

So get your fits ready. The pool’s waiting. The music’s calling. Life’s about to sound good again.

AmaLife Vol. 1 Playlist

Intro: Carbon The Element Presents: FAWL39 – AmaLife v1
1 → “Ntwana Yam’” — Babalwa M, Xduppy & DJ Maphorisa (feat. Madumane, Nvcho & Jnr SA)
2 → “Valentines” — Nkosazana Daughter (feat. Kabza De Small)
3 → “Abadell” — Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa (feat. Nkosazana Daughter)
4 → “Asiyeni” — Sfarzo Rtee, Jazzworx & Thukuthela (feat. DBN Gogo)
5 → “ZEP” — DJ Smallz, ZinedinexSguche & 031 Choppa (feat. Uncool MC)
6 → “Folding Zep” — Carbon the Element x Khelani x DJ Smallz
7 → “Gqom Banana” — Carbon the Element x Vybz Kartel x Kabza De Small
8 → “Chifre” — Moldeezy daDj
9 → “Nakupenda” — TxC, Davido, Scotts Maphuma & Shoday (feat. Al Xapo & Zlatan)
10 → “Uyadlala” — Benny Maverick (feat. Sykes, Zeh McGeba, GL_Ceejay & Orchid MusiQ)
11 → “Amalanga (Combi)” — Mas Musiq, Lawd Weezy & DJ Maphorisa (feat. TO Starquality, Chley & Kabza De Small)
12 → “Amanxeba” — Sami Kay, Rox Roberson & Misokuhle
13 → “Eningi (Remix)” — Kabza De Small (feat. Njelic, GL_Ceejay, Mthunzi & Mkeyz)
14 → “Say I Do” — Kelvin Momo & Elaine
15 → “Unavailable (Remix)” — Davido (feat. Musa Keys, Tycoon & Sly)
16 → “Mabebuza (Mdu aka TRP Remix)” — Maline Aura, Drega & MDI-J aka TRP
17 → “Colours of Mabebuza” — Carbon the Element x Vybz Kartel x MDU aka TRP
18 → “Iphupho” — Kabza De Small & Kelvin Momo (feat. Thatohatsi)
19 → “Beyoncé Baby” — Focalistic, Ch’cco & Sims Noreng
20 → “Thandaza” — Sam Deep & Thatohatsi
21 → “Swenza Rongo” — DJ Stokie, Leemckrazy & Tman Xpress
22 → “Gama Lami” — Mas Musiq & Thatohatsi (feat. Lawd Weezy, Vyno Miller & Xolani Guitars)
23 → “As’galavante” — Mas Musiq, Daliwonga & DJ Maphorisa
24 → “Chef Chenko” — Da Muziqal Chef & Murumba Pitch
25 → “Tobetsa 3.0” — Myztro & Leehleza (feat. ShaunMusiq & Ftears)

Pretty Life, Pretty Sound
AmaLife is a mood — gratitude in motion, a reminder that the best days start with bass and end with laughter. This one’s for the dreamers, the dancers, and everyone waiting for that first splash of sunlight and sound at Pretty by the Pool.

2026 begins not with noise, but with life.
So smile, sip, and sway — the piano’s playing your song.

From Africa… With Love.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Pandora | TuneIn | RSS | More

FAWL38 – The New Day – Episode 2601

theElement

The Day That the Piano Brings
A new day rises — not quietly, but in rhythm. The New Day marks the dawn of 2026, a year that opens with joy, gratitude, and groove. This is the day that Amapiano brings. Let us rejoice — because the piano brings us joy.

From township blocks to festival stages, Amapiano continues to renew itself with every sunrise. It speaks to the struggle, the celebration, and the stillness between the two. The New Day is that first light after the long night: a sonic sunrise where Kelvin Momo, Kabza De Small, Maphorisa, TXC, Focalistic, and the entire new wave of producers remind us why this movement is unstoppable.

This mix celebrates the dual spirit of Amapiano — faith and fire. Faith in what the music means to the culture, and fire in how it keeps reinventing itself. From “ZEP” to “MONEY CONSTANT,” from “Abantwana Bakho” to “As’galavante,” this is the rebirth of the sound — proof that every log drum carries light.

It’s 2026. The groove returns. The New Day begins.

The New Day Playlist

1 → “ZEP” — DJ Smallz, ZinedinexSguche & 031choppa (feat. Uncool MC)
2 → “Folding Zep” — Carbon the Element x Khelani x DJ Smallz
3 → “Wah Yo Zep Pan” — Carbon the Element x Ayetian x DJ Smallz
4 → “Mabalabala” — Officixl RSA, Benzoo & Sizwe Alakine (feat. Bob Mabena, Mellow & Sleazy & Mid9t)
5 → “Mavhoko” — SelbisticSoul
6 → “Asiyeni” — Sfarzo Rtee, Jazzworx & Thukuthela (feat. DBN Gogo)
7 → “Amalanga” — Piano City, Kelvin Momo & Thatohatsi (feat. Major League DJz, Tracy & PYY Log Drum King)
8 → “Money Constant” — DJ Maphorisa, DJ Tunez, Wizkid & Mavo
9 → “Gqom Banana” — Carbon the Element x Vybz Kartel x Kabza De Small
10 → “Chifre” — Moldeezy daDj
11 → “Nakupenda” — TXC, Davido, Scotts Maphuma & Shoday (feat. Al Xapo & Zlatan)
12 → “Welele” — TXC, Mavo, Shoday & RALD (feat. Leemckrazy, Al Xapo, W4DE, Carter IV & Smeez & D3an)
13 → “Dlala Ka Yona” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Enny Man Da Guitar (feat. Focalistic, Ricky Lenyora, Uncool MC & Mellow & Sleazy)
14 → “Abantwana Bakho” — DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy & Kabza De Small (feat. Thatohatsi, Young Stunna & Nkosazana Daughter)
15 → “Amanxeba” — Sami Kay, Rox Roberson & Misokuhle
16 → “Wrong’o” — Stixx, Babalwa M & Boohle
17 → “Eningi (Remix)” — Kabza De Small (feat. Njelic, GL_Ceejay, Mthunzi & Mkeyz)
18 → “GTAmapiano” — Jaydon Lewis
19 → “Tobetsa Remake” — Myztro (feat. Focalistic, Daliwonga, ShaunMusiq & Ftears)
20 → “Tobetsa 3.0” — Myztro & Leehleza (feat. ShaunMusiq & Ftears)
21 → “Snokonoko” — Al Xapo, Benzoo & EeQue
22 → “Bhampa” — Vigro Deep, Zee Nxumalo & Ch’cco
23 → “Beyoncé Baby” — Focalistic, Ch’cco & Sims Noreng
24 → “Mabebuza (Mdu aka TRP Remix)” — Maline Aura, Drega & MDU aka TRP
25 → “As’galavante” — Mas Musiq, Daliwonga & DJ Maphorisa

The Joy That the Piano Brings
Amapiano has always been more than a genre — it’s a language of light. A song for those who survived, and a celebration for those still dancing. The New Day reminds us that even after chaos, the groove remains.

The bassline still prays. The synths still shine. And every drop of sound carries a little bit of grace.
So as the new year dawns — move freely, laugh loudly, and love deeply.

The piano is calling. Let us rejoice.

From Africa… With Love.

The first person to read this far gets free tickets to the Amapiano IRL event: Amapiano and Soul Vol 4: Pretty by the Pool (The Cool Cooler Affair). It’s a simple but tough freebie. On this episode, what’s the name of the artist that says “Carbon!” the 5th time it’s heard? WhatsApp call: 1+868+683+BIGC(2442) and say the name of the artist. That’s it! Good luck! We’re by the pool on March 1!!!!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Pandora | TuneIn | RSS | More

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Pandora | TuneIn | RSS | More

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Pandora | TuneIn | RSS | More

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Pandora | TuneIn | RSS | More

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Pandora | TuneIn | RSS | More

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Pandora | TuneIn | RSS | More

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Pandora | TuneIn | RSS | More

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Pandora | TuneIn | RSS | More