In the neon-lit crucible of South Africa’s electronic music scene, Amapiano has emerged as a cultural juggernaut, its hypnotic rhythms and sultry basslines seducing dancefloors from Soweto to Sydney. Now, with Mix It Up Vol. 3, Grammy-nominated producer Musa Keys attempts to play global matchmaker, pairing the genre’s infectious groove with an international coterie of voices. The result is a three-track EP that’s as much a statement of intent as it is a musical offering—a glossy, if somewhat uneasy, handshake between Amapiano’s raw township roots and its commercial aspirations.
At the helm, Keys brings his Midas touch, fresh off platinum plaques and continental conquests. His executive producer credit promises a palpable sheen even before pressing play. The EP’s creation, split between Nando ”s-branded studios in Johannesburg and London, speaks volumes about the project’s slick packaging and corporate underpinnings. It’s Amapiano via boardroom, with all the pros and cons that entails. The collaborator list reads like a worldbeat fever dream, and each track on the EP attempts to showcase a different facet of this global fusion.
Stream “No Police” Here:
“Come Closer,” the lead single, pairs Teni with Toby Franco, offering a more straightforward take on Amapiano’s global potential. It’s a sleek, radio-ready confection that flirts with the genre’s signature elements while sanding down its rough edges for mass consumption. Teni’s honeyed vocals glide over Franco’s production, creating an earworm that’s as likely to dominate Lagos lounges as London clubs. “No Police,” featuring Unknown T and Duppy, injects UK drill’s gritty urgency into Amapiano’s languid tempo. It’s perhaps the most intriguing experiment on the project, a dark horse that hints at unexplored territories where Amapiano’s sultry basslines could intertwine with drill’s
confrontational energy.
The EP closes with “Living My Life”, ripe with A$AP NAST’s Harlem swagger colliding with Teni’s Afropop melodics over Nkulee’s Amapiano production. It’s a bold closing encore, marrying New York’s concrete jungle with Lagos’ vibrant energy and Johannesburg’s township pulse. The track oscillates between infectious and disjointed, never quite settling into a cohesive groove but fascinating in its ambition.
Throughout these tracks, the danger lies in dilution—in trying to speak to everyone, the EP risks saying nothing particularly compelling to anyone. The cognitive dissonance is palpable: Is this a genuine attempt at cultural exchange and community upliftment or a savvy marketing ploy dressed in philanthropic garb?
Mix It Up Vol. 3 Cover Art
Ultimately, Mix It Up Vol. 3 embodies the growing pains of a genre at a crossroads. Amapiano, born in the townships and nurtured in underground clubs, now finds itself courted by the mainstream, its raw energy bottled and branded for global consumption. Musa Keys and his cohort of international stars may well usher in a new era for the genre, expanding its reach and appeal. But at what cost? As the log drums echo through Nando’s-sponsored studios, one can’t help but wonder if something essential is being lost in translation.
In its pursuit of a worldwide audience, Mix It Up Vol. 3 risks becoming a cautionary tale—a reminder that in the alchemy of genre fusion, not all that glitters is gold. The true test will lie in whether these tracks can transcend their marketing narrative to deliver something genuinely fresh and vital. Until then, this EP stands as a fascinating, if somewhat troubling, an artefact of Amapiano’s ongoing globalization—a genre caught between its roots and its reach, trying desperately to have its peri-peri chicken and eat it, too.
Stream Mix It Up, Vol.3 Here: https://paradise.ffm.to/mix-it-up-vol3
