Exclusive: Zakes Bantwini Chats About 'Ghetto King', "Black Coffee Is My Brother"

• Zakes Bantwini dropped his smash album Ghetto King earlier this December and it has been doing well in terms of sales and streams
• The music producer told Briefly News that his new Afrotech project has become successful despite Amapiano being dubbed the only dance genre currently
• In an exclusive interview, the Osama hitmaker chats about his music career, life and his family

Zakes Bantwini has dropped one of the hottest albums this festive season. The talented Osama hitmaker released his highly-anticipated project on 3 December and it's available in all official music selling platforms.

Briefly News spoke to Zakes Bantwini in an exclusive Q&A session about his new album Ghetto King, music career and his life.

1. There are a few Afrotech albums that were released this year and did not make waves because of Amapiano; how different is this album from the ones that "flopped" and how will you make sure that this project is successful?

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"I wouldn’t say the Afrotech album which we released "flopped" because we don't know the numbers, but what I will say is my album is already a success; the answer is in the numbers. We have been number one consecutively on radio for 11 weeks; we are the artists with the most googled South African song, and ever since the album has been released it’s been charting, maintaining its spot in the top 3.

"I don't think those Afrotech albums aren’t as popular as they should be because of amapiano or any dominant genre, there are many factors that can cause this (wave decline). I'm saying this because I believe that genres can co-exist, and that was how my album was done to tell everyone that my album can co-exist with the impactful Amapiano releases this year. I blame everyone in the media coming with this narrative that there’s only one genre at a time in South Africa."

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2. Osama and Abantu are massive; any other tracks in the album that people can look forward to banging this festive season?

"When you look at 'Osama' and 'Abantu', people are enjoying it but also when you look at the algorithm numbers, they are saying that the next song that is popular and was popular even before 'Abantu' is 'Girl in The Mirror' and we have another song that is coming in closer. So there are so many songs on the album that people really enjoy, they enjoy 'Girl In The Mirror', they enjoy 'Bawo', 'Amanga', 'Abantu', 'uZalo' which is also a record that is coming very strong on the album. There are so many big jams on the album."

3. Any plans of doing Amapiano in the future or you're sticking to your genre just like your peers (Shimza and others)?

"I don’t wanna be boxed in a genre. I’m doing Afrotech and Dance music as it’s what comes to me quickly and more naturally, but I jump on different songs. I already have a song with DJ Sumbody and Aymos. On Aymos’s latest album I’m on a song called 'Matla' and on the previous album by DJ Sumbody I’m on a song called 'Jabula' which is amapiano, and we are planning to get into studio with Kabza.

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"Josiah De Disciple has reached out with Kweyama Brothers for us to get in studio and make a song, and they are into Amapiano, so we will see where we are going. For me, I will jump on any song that feels right. I don't want to force or follow any genre. If it feels right, I'll jump on any song, be it hip-hop, Maskanda, Amapiano or Gqom."

4. What are you doing to make sure that Afrotech "never dies" in Mzansi?

"I think the question is, 'What can we do so that genres can co-exist?' and that’s what I’m doing. By working with people who come from different genres and making music because we have to prove it to the fans and to you people in media that we can co-exist and to ask you guys to help us co-exist by making sure you support each and every genre and not only 'oh now its Afrotech we are only going to be giving Afrotech artists interviews, we are only going to be playing Afrotech we are only going to be listening to…'

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"We can co-exist, listen to House, listen to Hip-Hop listen to Gqom. You know we have to co-exist, we need everybody to play their role in making sure that genres co-exist in South Africa."

5. Any international features on the album or upcoming projects?

"I have done some international collaborations which are out now. I did a remix for 'Salsa', a song I've done for a guy called Jeff and also Soul Roots, so I'm doing a lot of music with different artists from all corners of the globe, we keep making music. On this album we have a full ensemble of South African talent and who knows, as I'm working on something else maybe next year if the opportunity presents itself I will have an international artist, but I don't follow names mina, I follow music."

6. Black Coffee made nasty comments about your hit 'Osama' a while back, are you guys beefing or you'll let your music speak for itself?

"Black Coffee is my brother."

7. And finally, you've been travelling across Mzansi and the globe, how do you balance your busy work life with your family life? Do you even get time to be with your wife and kids?

"It's tough, I don't want to lie to you, I'm spending most of my time away from family, but I try by all means to keep in contact, the internet has made everything better you are able to make video calls or Facetime so I try by all means to stay in touch, and when I get the opportunity, I spend the time with family."

Zakes Bantwini drops lyrics to 'Osama'

In related news, Briefly News previously reported that Zakes Bantwini has finally released the lyrics to his smash hit, Osama. The song became an instant hit when the music producer played it at Kunye a few weeks back. He even had to push the release date forward because his fans from across the globe couldn't wait for him to drop it on the date he had set.

After dropping the song, the star's fans had been asking him to share the lyrics to the song. At most grooves, people used to make up their own lyrics and sing along with his. He has finally saved those who mumbled through the banger.

Taking to Instagram, Zakes dropped a lyrics video and his excited fans got more confused because they just don't understand the language he sings. According to TshisaLIVE, the DJ explained that the lyrics are in glossolalia, "speaking in tongues".

Source: Briefly News