DBN Gogo continues to engage in a significant discussion regarding amapiano’s role within the larger framework of electronic music. In a recent conversation, the DJ and producer highlighted the genre’s essential ties to house music while addressing misconceptions that have emerged, which tend to simplify the complexity of amapiano.
According to DBN Gogo, “Amapiano is layered, it’s not one-dimensional.” She elaborated, “There are soulful elements, there are the heavy log drum sounds, and now there’s 3-step, which shows just how versatile the sound has become.”
On the subject of 3-step, she remarked, “When people talk about house, they sometimes forget that South Africa has been leading in this space for years. 3-step brings amapiano and house together in a way that keeps us rooted but also pushes us forward.”
She expressed concerns regarding the perception of the genre internationally. “People have a certain perception of piano,” she stated. “The responsibility is on us as artists, and on promoters too, to put the music in spaces where it can be appreciated for what it is.”
Additionally, she highlighted a broader issue concerning the misclassification of music worldwide. “Anything that isn’t African-American gets put under the ‘Afro’ umbrella. That takes away from the specific contributions we are making as South Africans.”
DBN Gogo also commented on the global emergence of Afro house, linking it to South Africa’s rich past in electronic music. “Afro tech, Afro house, it’s been here. The difference now is that it’s being reintroduced, sometimes by people outside of where it was created. But amapiano is adding new layers to it, and that’s important to acknowledge.”
Her overarching message was clear: “Amapiano is not just a sound, it’s part of our story in house music. If we protect it and guide it properly, it will continue to grow the right way.”
