• “Amapiano to World”
• “Major global record deal”
• Major League joins Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Cardi B and Burna Boy as label mates.
• Imagine the collabs?

 Amapiano to the world just got real!

Major League DJz have become the first Amapiano artists and DJs to sign with Atlantic Records, along with a “major global record deal”. For those who thought that Amapiano was a genre that had run its course as a popular sound, the slogan “Amapiano to the world”, just got real.

Label mates with superstars Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Cardi B and Burna Boy

The Dinaledi hitmakers have championed the sound with their travels to places such as New York, London, Ghana and Amsterdam. With the signing, twins Bandile and Banele Mbere will now have the extra clout, support and push from power record label Atlantic Records to fulfil their global ambitions. The label is home to superstars Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Cardi B and Burna Boy, among others, who have dominated charts globally, so imagine the possible collaborations.

Amapiano’s creative evolution

Amapiano as a genre too has had its own journey, evolving out of bedroom studios to become a more soulful, jazzy groove. This in turn is currently underscored by further iterations as artists and producers experiment put their own stamp on Amapiano, creating sub genres, and proving the sound is still firmly cultural relevant with its own creative richness.

From hip-hop to amapiano

Originally hip-hop DJ’s, Major League have cleverly attached a similar gravitas to Amapiano, whilst fostering iconic hits, driving the sound forward with virtual parties and collaborations with other artists, one of them being the late Riky Rick. Close friends with the late rapper, the duo paid homage to Riky, acknowledging frequent collaborations with him over the years.

The Future

In an Instagram post announcing the record deal, the DJ Duo said: “It’s been a crazy journey for your boys, and we would love to thank every single person that has been behind us through it all. “PIANO TO THE WORLD” was just a phrase that we believed in so much so that it changed our lives. Thank you to our amazing team, thank you for believing in us and allowing us to lead you. THANK YOU TO @realbalconymixafrica this platform truly changed our lives…

“This is just the beginning, there’s still so much work to do, the door stays open for kids coming after us. Black child your dreams are valid. Let’s dream as a nation because wow the doors are open wide & the world is ready to embrace Africa.

“@atlanticrecords let’s build this ship and lets us sail it in the right direction and make room for the kids to believe that they too can shoot for the stars.”

We’re expecting great things to come of the the deal.