The story of how house music helped unite the nation of South Africa
Smirnoff and Mixmag link with Black Coffee, DJ Fresh and more
In this episode of Smirnoff and Mixmag’s Global Dancefloor documentary series, viewers travel to South Africa to discover a collection of innovative producers who have used house music to unite the population.
Led by the South African hero Black Coffee, along with SA’s biggest radio personality DJ Fresh and the legendary tastemaker and House Afrika label head Tim White, the story of house music’s impact on the local community is revealed.
After emerging in the late 1990s, a moment when the country gained its freedom and everyone was filled with hope and positivity, house music was there to soundtrack the celebrations. Since then, the distinct style has grown to become a major part of everyday life in South Africa.
As Black Coffee aptly describes, the unique rhythms resonate with locals unlike any other genre: “House music found a home here because it has a certain soul South Africans connect to.”
Watch the Global Dancefloor: South Africa documentary episode below and view all the documentary episodes here
Watch all of Smirnoff and Mixmag’s Global Dancefloor documentaries here