Kwaito
Kwaito Top 20 – Part 2
Feb
20 Essential Kwaito Tracks: Part 2
Posted on: July 15, 2026
Author: Sanjay Hari
Originally published: February 24
Part 2 follows kwaito as its sound opened out. R&B, hip-hop, ragga and house influences met township slang, vocal chants and drum-machine swing. The songs found room for bigger hooks and bolder studio choices, on radio, in clubs and across South Africa’s borders.
11. Boom Shaka – “It’s About Time”
Released: 1993
Boom Shaka arrived with a sound and image that felt made for a new South Africa. Junior Sokhela, Lebo Mathosa, Theo Nhlengethwa and Thembi Seete combined house, hip-hop and African rhythmic ideas with fearless choreography and fashion. “It’s About Time” carries that early charge: a bold group statement from an act that helped define kwaito for a mass audience.
12. B.O.P – “Traffic Cop”
Released: 1995
Brothers of Peace began as a project involving Don Laka, Oskido and Christos before evolving into the production partnership of Oskido and Bruce “Dope” Sebitlo. “Traffic Cop” is playful but pointed, using a streetwise premise to question authority. Its lean, joyous production also announced two producers who would help shape the sound of Boom Shaka, Trompies, Thebe and Alaska.
13. Jacknife – “Fester”
Released: 1995
Thandiswa Mazwai’s voice gives “Fester” its unmistakable edge. Alongside Kimon Webster and Themba Smuts, she brought a restless vocal presence to a buoyant, bubblegum-leaning beat. “Fester” and the similarly catchy “Chommie” show how playful and theatrical the era’s dance music could be.
14. Arthur Mafokate – “Oyi Oyi”
Released: 1997
Two years after “Kaffir”, Arthur Mafokate proved that he could evolve with the genre rather than simply repeat an early formula. “Oyi Oyi” is driven by a commanding hook, bright rhythmic momentum and the dance-focused approach that made 999 Music a central kwaito force. It reinforced Mafokate’s standing as both an artist and a tastemaker.
15. Abashante – “Senzanje”
Released: 1997
Arthur Mafokate’s 999 Music also gave Abashante a platform to make a memorable contribution. Queenie, Nestum and Aba blend sung and ragga-styled vocals, creating a sound built for audience participation. “Senzanje” captures the visual and physical side of kwaito too: engaging lyrics, dance routines and the electricity of a live crowd.
16. Spokes H – “Peace Magents”
Released: 1997
Letona “Spokes H” Hlatshwayo had already made his name with comic, irreverent hits in the 1980s. “Peace Magents” carried that personality into the kwaito era, balancing humour with a chantable rhythm. His records show that the genre’s history includes artists who brought older township-pop sensibilities into a new dance-music setting.
17. Nina Brothers – “Get Down”
Released: 1999
The Nina Brothers project kept Joe Nina’s musical family close to the centre of the record. With brothers Vusi, Jeff and Thabo in the line-up, “Get Down” leans into a familiar blend of bubblegum bounce, traditional rap phrasing and kwaito rhythm. It is a warm, grounded counterpoint to the more studio-glossy turn of the period.
18. Mandoza – “Nkalakatha”
Released: 2000
Few records united South African listeners as visibly as “Nkalakatha”. Produced by Gabi le Roux, the track gave Mandoza a massive crossover hit without sanding down his kwaito identity. Its title is township slang for a “top dog”, and its hook, attitude and relentless beat made it an anthem across radio audiences that apartheid had long kept apart.
19. Zola – “Mdlwembe”
Released: 2000
Zola’s work carried the hard realities of Soweto into the mainstream, without reducing the township to a backdrop. His voice, delivery and screen presence made him central to the Yizo Yizo generation. “Mdlwembe” has that direct, lived-in force, balancing toughness with the sense of purpose that distinguished his work.
20. Mapaputsi – “Izinja”
Released: 2001
Mapaputsi’s Izinja was a breakthrough album from the Ghetto Ruff stable, and its title track made him one of the defining names of early-2000s kwaito. The record’s appeal is immediate: infectious rhythm, an unforced vocal character and an energy that works as well in memory as it did on the dance floor. Its success earned Mapaputsi major kwaito accolades and secured his place in the genre’s story.
Bonus tracks
The journey does not end at 20. These two tracks deserve a place in any extended kwaito session:
- Thebe – “Ungawa Kum” (1998) Watch on YouTube
- Mashoza – “Kortes (Kasi Luv)” (1999) Watch on YouTube
Together, Parts 1 and 2 trace a path from early township experimentation to a broad, commercially powerful sound. Kwaito still runs through South African house, gqom and amapiano. The bass still speaks. The drums still carry the street.