Mshayi

Born Madoda Mbeki in the early ‘90s, Cape Town’s Mshayi is a pioneer of the sound known as gospel gqom or emotional gqom—a richly melodic regional variant of the electronic style developed in Durban, on the other side of South Africa. As an entrepreneur, Mshayi got his start selling chickens in the Gugulethu township, and eventually became co-owner of Rands Cape Town, a popular shisa nyama (grilled meat) spot. But his true calling was music: Having grown up on Afro house, he found himself enraptured by the synth-heavy gqom of Mr Thela. By 2019, the two were collaborating on energetic anthems like “Shaya”, “iParty” and “Ngeke Badaniswe”, which features heartfelt vocals from gospel singer Betusile. His commitment to his adopted city is evident from the title of his 2020 album with Mr Thela: Make Cape Town Great Again.