DJ Kaymoworld’s latest EP ‘Tried & Tested’ strikes a nice balance between hip-hop and amapiano. The project opens with ‘Don’t Relate’ which comes with strong performances by lyricists Espiquet and Thato Saul.
‘Wrong Turn’ features the unlikely combination of AKA and amapiano rapper TOSS over a slow log drum-laden beat produced by Gobi Beast. AKA recounts his rise, pays his respect to Riky Rick and PRO and gives a bit of advice to up-and-coming rappers before TOSS, who also handles the hook, spits kasi rap bars littered with accessible metaphors and similes. “Izinto z’yashintsha kodwa uTOSS uhlez’ ekhiph’ umlilo/ Baningi abang’feeli, vele ang’drive itaxi, ang’gcwali ngabo”
“My goal is to always curate features that nobody would ever think could happen,” says DJ Kaymoworld about the collaboration.
A majority of the songs on ‘Tried & Tested’ contain both hip-hop and amapiano elements. For instance, ‘Ngithi Lo’ comes with a bouncy 808-based beat accented by the log drum and laced with catchy one-liner hook performed by Kaymoworld himself. It features rappers like Costa Titch and Majorsteez who have successfully blended the two genres alongside scumie and HYPE1108. So does ‘TOP 7EVEN’ which was written by Kaymoworld and Buzzi Lee in studio and features TOSS, scumie and Alfa Kat.
‘KOPA LERATO’ is a subtle nod to the genre that inspired amapiano and a portion of SA hip-hop. The song has that slow kwaito bounce and references Brothers of Peace’s ‘Bop Killer’ (otherwise known as ‘Naja’).
Stream ‘Tried & Tested’ below:
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