DJs have frequently fused gqom with hip-hop and sgubhu, which adheres to the traditional 4-beat structure of house music (contrasting with the 3-beat style of 3-step). The collective known as RudBboyz mentioned that they sometimes incorporate elements of hip-hop and pop into gqom; Masive described to Independent Online that gqom is “just beats”, but combining various sounds with the beats and drums leads to something distinctive.
Masive stated that their initial inspiration came from a style characterized as broken beats: RudeBoyz took this foundation and developed it into a darker sound, utilizing strings, synths, and percussion to explore an “almost metal, hard rock” vibe. This began in 2011-12, according to his account.
Rudeboyz worked with Sykez and Skillz on the single “Sisekakeni Babies”, released in the same year as Dlala’s track “iPlan”.
“iPlan”
Dlala’s significant single debuted on his 2023 EP Permanent Music 3; it quickly amassed over 2 million streams on Spotify. The track was subsequently certified 2x Platinum and reached the top position on South Africa’s Billboard chart.
He mentioned in an interview with Independent Online that he aimed to touch on the emotional and societal challenges encountered daily, crediting Sykes and Zaba for “breathing life” into the song.
The composition features a persistent bassline and agile percussion; it builds toward an anticipated climax, but nearly four minutes in, a short instrumental segment precedes a tempered, restrained vocal. Following this, a drum roll intensifies the energy, as Dlala’s electronic percussion takes a prominent role, with the compressed snares leading the sound.
Thukzin’s musical journey began at a young age, inspired by his uncle, a DJ himself. Thukzin started performing at local venues in Durban and now hosts his own solo concerts, often selling out three-day events dubbed “Dlala Thukzin Weekend”. GQ recognized him as one of the nation’s most influential DJs.
