Tyla accepts the award for Best African Music Performance for Water during the Premiere ceremony of the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 4, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana will go toe to toe in tonight’s epic Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash at the Stade de la Paix in Côte d'Ivoire, with both teams, in it to win it.
But the battle against the 11 men on each side is not only a sporting one, with Bafana Bafana unexpectedly raising the bar and the hopes of 60 million people in Mzansi with their performances at the tournament.
South Africans are starting to believe that Bafana can continue on the national high of the Springboks winning their fourth Rugby World Cup in Paris last year.
Other recent SA wins on the global stage include Trevor Noah winning an Emmy Award, Dricus du Plessis being crowned the UFC middleweight champion and musician Tyla winning a Grammy - at just 22 years of age. A whole lot of good has happened for Mzansi recently.
Tonight’s Afcon clash against Nigeria has reignited that patriotic spirit in everyone, with Cape Town, Pretoria and Durban, and people in Abuja and Lagos partaking in friendly banter on social media, raising the stakes higher for the game.
Nigeria and South Africa always rival each other, even in music. The debate on Amapiano and Afrobeats was recently sparked again with Tyla’s Grammy Award win, which was a major win despite Nigeria’s Osumlade, Burna Boi and Davido being nominated in the same category.
The two genres of Amapiano and Afrobeats are among the most played music in Africa and around the world. The genres, which are synonomous with both countries, have the world on watch, getting A-list attention from the likes of Rihanna, who says her favourite songs are ‘Unavailable’ by Davido featuring South Africa’s very own Musa Keys and Tyler ICU’s ‘Mnike’.
@oliwiaratyska 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦 or 🇳![CDATA[]]>🇬 ? 👀 #tiktoksa #tiktoknaija #amapiano #dance #afrobeats ♬ dźwięk oryginalny - Oliwia Ratyńska
In celebrating this heavyweight clash at the Afcon 2023, and spreading the love between Team Naija and Team South Ahh, these are some of the songs you want to add on your playlist to warm you up for the match.
1. ‘Imithandazo’ - Kabza De Small and Mthunzi featuring Young Stunna, DJ Maphorisa, Sizwe Alakine and Umthakathi Kush
2. ‘Masithokoze’ - DJ Stoke and Eemoh
3. ‘Funk 55’ - Shakes, Les and DBN Gogo featuring Zee Nxumalo, Ceeka RSA and Chley
4. ‘Amalobolo’ - Kelvin Momo and Babalwa M featuring Stixx and Nia Pearl
5. ‘Dalie’ Kambo Mphela featuring Baby S.O.N Tyler ICU, Khalil Harrison
1. ‘Lonely at The Top’ - Asake
2. ‘Holy Ghost’ - Omah Lay
3. ‘Commas’ - Ayra Starr
4. ‘Feel’ - Davido
5. ‘Yawa’ - Fireboy DML