Queen Noma Teams Up With DJ Maphorisa and Nay Maps for Anti-Pens Down Single

• Dr Noma Mbeki, known as Queen Noma, collaborated with DJ Maphorisa and Nay Maps on a new single called 'Count Your Blessings'
• The song forms part of Queen Noma's Anti-Pens Down Campaign, set to launch in Mdantsane, East London
• The campaign was inspired by the 2022 Enyobeni Tavern tragedy, where 21 teenagers died during end-of-exams celebrations

Noma Mbeki, popularly known as Queen Noma, has joined forces with DJ Maphorisa and actor-musician Nay Maps to release a new track called Count Your Blessings. The collaboration is the centrepiece of her Anti-Pens Down Campaign, which uses music to encourage young South Africans to celebrate their achievements while making smarter, safer choices.

The campaign is set to launch in Mdantsane, East London, and Queen Noma said she deliberately chose music as the vehicle for the message. Rather than relying on conventional awareness drives that can feel preachy, she wanted young people to connect with the song on their own terms and draw something meaningful from it without feeling lectured.

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Enyobeni tragedy behind the campaign

The initiative is closely tied to the devastating Enyobeni Tavern tragedy of 2022 in Scenery Park, East London, where 21 teenagers aged between 13 and 17 died during an end-of-exams celebration. Overcrowding, underage drinking and suffocation were among the factors linked to their deaths.

Queen Noma said the tragedy hit her deeply and gave her a sense of responsibility to act. She acknowledged that the young lives lost could not be recovered but expressed a determination to honour their memory by protecting the generation that follows.

Importantly, Queen Noma was clear that the campaign is not about stopping learners from marking the end of their exams. Pens down celebrations represent a genuine milestone, and her goal is to ensure those gatherings are joyful and safe rather than dangerous.

Watch the teaser below:

Queen Noma on working with Maphorisa and Nay Maps

"Count Your Blessings" leans into themes of gratitude, urging young people to pause and recognise how far they have come and what still lies ahead. The message is aimed particularly at learners reaching significant turning points in their lives.

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Queen Noma described the recording process with DJ Maphorisa and Nay Maps as a rewarding one. She said each artist brought something distinct to the project, and she believes that variety helped give the song its depth and appeal.

By blending music with a social awareness message, Queen Noma hopes the Anti-Pens Down Campaign will reach young people in a way that feels genuine and relevant, reinforcing that celebrating responsibly and celebrating fully are not mutually exclusive.

Phori said he wants his money from Nota

DJ Maphorisa appeared on Podcast and Chill with MacG on Thursday, 17 September, where Nota Baloyi came up in conversation.

Phori explained how Nota exaggerates his contributions, using a clever glasses analogy to illustrate how facts get twisted online.

Source: Briefly News