Luu Nineleven

Luu Nineleven, who hails from Diepkloof, Soweto plays in the major leagues of South Africa’s amapiano scene. In the early 2010s, the producer, born Luyanda Mazibuko, was among the first crop of house producers to pivot to amapiano as the genre began its ascent. He waded through the uncharted waters, dropping free mixes on file-hosting sites and social media as he built his name alongside the genre itself. The journey was worth it. His 2019 single “Friends With Benefits (Umjolo),” a grooving jam about choosing casual sex over umjolo (dating), caught on and became one of the year’s most essential tracks, as did “Yelele,” his collaboration with Kelvin Momo and DJ Stoks. Since then, he’s consistently released successful singles and EPs, each boasting a healthy lineup of the scene’s notable names and new talents.