Entertainment

AFRICAN HEARTS BEAT TO THE SOUND OF NEW CLAN BEATS ALBUM

Blazon Magazine September 19, 2019

2 minutes read

South Africa’s rich, dark and smooth beer, Castle Milk Stout officially launched the Clan Beats “Extended Play” (EP), a rich blend of songs produced by music hitmaker – DJ Maphorisa. The musical piece features four African clans, where each song narrates the featured artists’ and praise singers’ journey to rediscovering the richness of their culture. The compilation features Sho Madjozi, KB Motsilanyane, Sjava and Thandiswa Mazwai who have been paired with praise singers from the same clans namely, Dr Sithole, Stoan Seate, Madala Kunene and Zolani Mkiva.

True to Castle Milk Stout’s commitment to the celebration of African heritage, the Clan Beats EP is a continuation of the brand’s 2018 Get it Back campaign, which encouraged Africans to retrace their roots through clan praises. Each track on the EP incorporates clan praises by the prominent praise singers alongside the artists and uniquely features the heartbeat of the praise singer. The creative idea, inspired by the brand’s stance that boldly states, “Our heritage is our heartbeat” is something listeners will experience through the songs, as musicians from different generations collaborate to create timeless music exploring themes related to embracing African culture.

A variety of different music genres feature on the multilingual Extended Play. DJ Maphorisa has carefully produced each track with introspective moments from both the artists and praise singers. “The Clan Beats EP appeals to different audiences who will be brought together by the music genres, the artists’ personal journeys, embracing diverse cultures and the coming together of generations to discuss and understand the importance culture.” said ABInBev Vice President of Marketing :Africa Zone Andrea Quaye.

“The EP is quite unique and very well composed – a true mix of the young and old coming together to connect on common ground. The music fuses clan praises, which pay homage to the past with new-age sounds that the current audience in the music scene identifies with. It synchronously creates a new sound which will show future generations how they too can celebrate their heritage.” concluded Quaye.

Track Listing

The EP kicks off with Thandiswa Mazwai and Zolani Mkiva’s Abuyile Amakhosi, an upbeat afro-pop song that pays homage to the Xhosa cultural group. KB Motsilanyane and Stoan Seate’s Ke A Phela, which translates to “I am alive”, is the second track on the EP and inherently narrates how being rooted in African culture is what keeps African hearts beating. Amapiano inspired Hi Bomba by Sho Madjozi and Dr Sithole calls on the Xitsonga cultural group to embrace their colourful culture with pride. The fourth and final track on the EP is Thina Asizazi, a modern maskandi track by Sjava and Madala Kunene that delves into issues of identity and self-discovery.

Executive producer of the Clan Beats EP, DJ Maphorisa highlighted how the experience inspired him to retrace his roots and learn more about his own heritage “Working on a project that deals with clan praises and the celebration of culture made me want to know more about my own culture. The same can be said about the artists, Sjava for instance, he took the process really seriously. It was clear to see when he was in studio that he did some introspection and put a lot of effort in creating this song. The same can be said about all the other artists who experienced the creation of the album differently, yet they were all passionate and meticulous in crafting this artistic representation of their respective clans. I look forward to sharing the music with the rest of Africa.” concluded Maphorisa.

The Clan Beats EP will be available for download and streaming on all major digital music platforms on Heritage Day, 24 September 2019.

Castle Milk Stout has powerfully documented the creative process of the Clan Beats EP, which will be featured across the brand’s social media platforms: