He sought her feedback and suggested the possibility of collaborating on the project.
“Mnike, I’m gonna tell you now, fun fact, Tyler sent me that song. I can’t even tell you what happened. It was also in the thing of sending a lot of music and he’s like, ‘Gogo, what do you think of this? Let me know, I want you to be part of it.’ Regrets, regrets!” she reflected.
The track featured contributions from Tumelo.za, Nandipha808, Ceeka RSA, and DJ Maphorisa, and quickly transformed into a worldwide hit, gaining traction on social media and topping charts.
Reflecting on the experience, DBN Gogo noted that this moment remains one of her professional “what ifs,” explaining how it simply fell by the wayside during a period of heavy music submissions.
Despite this missed chance, she expressed admiration, thanking Tyler ICU for crafting what she considers one of the most significant Amapiano tracks to date.
“Congratulations to him. That’s the biggest Amapiano song in the world, I think, still to this day,” she stated.
“Mnike” has emerged as a landmark track for the genre, playing a pivotal role in elevating Amapiano to a global audience and familiarizing listeners with the South African sound.
Although DBN Gogo may have missed this opportunity, she remains influential in the scene, actively contributing to the genre’s development and worldwide recognition through her own endeavors.
