WHEN THE BEAT DROPS: THE MAGIC OF AMAPIANO AND AFRICAN CHILDREN

By Cuma Pantshwa

• Music is life. And dance? It’s like oxygen to African children.
• In the olden days, our elders gathered around a fire to tell stories; today, our children gather around beats.
• The power of digital spaces—especially for African children – they are claiming space globally—not just as dancers, but as trendsetters and cultural leaders.

There’s something electric that happens when amapiano music hits the speakers—especially when children are in the room. It’s not just music; it’s a magnetic force pulling them to the floor. A call to joy, to movement, to expression. And I saw it firsthand on Day 1 of the Africa Children’s Summit. What a privilege it was to witness!

Although the children who gathered at the summit came from different cultural backgrounds and languages from across the continent, they all understood the language of amapiano; it needed no translation.

When Biri Marung song of the year 2024 by Mr Pilato, Tebogo G Mashego and Ego Slimflow came on and filled the hall, the transformation was instant. Children who had been shy just moments before sprang to life. The summit hall became something else entirely—alive, joyous, unstoppable.

“Ay mahn, sho
Biri Marung

Bosego kaofela omfe biri marung
Ay biri marung
Bare biri marung
Ay ake robale
Bosego kaofela omfe biri marung
Ay biri marung

…… the chorus and intricate lyrics were mimed all around to moving bodies.

The dance floor wasn’t planned, but it was inevitable. for a moment, they forgot about speeches and titles like “chairperson,” “child president,” or “speaker,” and were simply free—jubilant, flexible, and full of life, just as we know them to be.

I especially loved seeing a teenage boy take over the stage—his moves bold and effortless, gliding from one end to the other with absolute confidence. He was pure magic! The crowd circled around him, cheering him on as he owned the space like a born performer.

Moments like these remind us that dance isn’t just fun—it’s also freedom. For children, especially, movement is a language of healing, identity, and expression.

Music is life. And dance? It’s like oxygen to African children.
What is it about us Africans and music? We dance at weddings, cultural ceremonies, and community gatherings. Give us a song, and we will dance! It’s part of us. And our children? They take it to another level. Their bodies move before their minds even catch up; my one-year-old nephew is already experimenting with his own funky moves. Maybe we’re born with it—this rhythm, this instinct, this flair.

I come from the kwaito generation—a force in its own right. I’ve always believed amapiano is kwaito’s child!

Amapiano has taken the world by storm, becoming one of South Africa’s biggest cultural exports.
Even international superstars are taking notice. Beyoncé has incorporated South African dance moves—from pantsula steps to amapiano grooves—into her iconic stage performances. Chris Brown recently had tongues wagging, and videos of him doing Amapiano-inspired moves went viral, earning him praise and admiration from across the continent. Our moves, our sound, our spirit—it’s contagious.

According to a feature titled Rainbow Grooves by Jak Hutchcraft, Amapiano “exploded into a worldwide phenomenon” over the past decade. South African singer Tyla even scooped a Grammy for her hit Water, becoming the first solo South African artist to chart on the US Billboard in 50 years. Spotify reported a jaw-dropping 5668% increase in Amapiano streaming from 2018 to 2023. And TikTok? Over 3.3 billion views on the hashtag #Amapiano. From Korea to Scotland to Sweden, people are filming themselves grooving to music born in Mamelodi and raised in our townships.

What fascinates me the most is the instinctive way children form a circle when music plays. Just like in the olden days, when our elders would gather around a fire to tell stories, today, our children gather around beats. One child steps into the circle, busts a move, and then steps back to let the next one shine. It’s rhythmic in itself!

We make music to be shared. We make dance moves to be passed on. As one local from Mamelodi put it, “It inspires a sense of patriotism. Just as long as we stay authentic to the story and how we speak about the story.” I couldn’t agree more.

And we must acknowledge the power of digital spaces—especially for African children. Through platforms like TikTok, African children are claiming space globally—not just as dancers, but as trendsetters and cultural leaders. They’re not waiting to be discovered—they’re leading the wave, shaping global trends, and owning their stories.

Amapiano is not just a genre—it’s a movement. It’s groove, it’s culture, it’s healing, it’s joy. It’s how we come back to ourselves after the hard days. It’s how we make sense of pain, triumph, and love. And our children? They are the ultimate storytellers. Their brilliance, their beauty, and their artistic expression are not only being noticed—it’s being loved.

I’m always in awe of our spirit. Through trials and adversity, we rise. Time and time again, we rise. We are joyful people who inspire the world—and the world is watching, captivated by the African spirit. There’s no doubt: give a child music and they’ll show you joy. Give them space, and they’ll show you the future.

Long live the beat. Long live the circle. Long live the children.