Tune in to Africa Now Radio With Cuppy This Sunday, March 7th at 2p Lagos/London / 3p Johannesburg/Paris / 6a LA / 9a NYC
Only on Apple Music 1
Cover Star Interview
South African DJ and producer Prince Kaybee is this week’s cover star, and joins Cuppy via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to talk about his latest track, “Ebabayo (feat. Nokwazi).” He also discusses his latest album, The 4th Republic, how he selects collaborators, and Project Hope, an artist incubation programme he founded for women in the music industry.
The Big 5
Cuppy shares the 5 hottest new African tracks of the moment. This week’s selection includes new tracks from Busta 929 feat. Miano & 20ty Soundz; Salatiel feat. Sauti Sol & Locko; Killertunes, Sha Sha, Like Mike & Walshy Fire; Spice Diana feat. Fik Fameica; and Ric Hassani feat. Nicky Jam.
Africa Rising
Benin-born, Lagos-based singer-songwriter and Don Jazzy protégé Ayra Starr is the latest Africa Rising cover star, a campaign which shines a light on the next generation of African superstars. Africa Now Radio features an excerpt from her interview with Nadeska. https://apple.co/3051xdI
Proverb of the Week
South African comedian and actress Tumi Morake shares her favourite African proverb: “Children in a household will share the head of a locust”—reminding us to be generous with whatever we have.
Mini Mix
Cuppy finishes this week’s show with a special mini-mix of Apple Music’s new Africa to the World playlist, which celebrates the hottest artists from across the continent including mega pairings with the world’s biggest stars. This week’s mix features music from Burna Boy feat. Stormzy; Nao feat. Adekunle Gold; Tiwa Savage & Sam Smith; Aya Nakamura feat. Maluma; and Beyoncé, Shatta Wale & Major Lazer. https://apple.co/3sM1H64
Tune in and listen to the full episode this Sunday, March 7th at 2p Lagos/London / 3p Johannesburg/Paris / 6a LA / 9a NYC on Apple Music 1 at apple.co/_AfricaNow.
For a limited time, new customers to Apple Music on iOS and Android in Nigeria and South Africa can enjoy all of this great content with 6 months of free Apple Music through the Shazam app. Returning customers get 3 months of free Apple Music.
Prince Kaybee on being a producer and DJ
“Balancing between being a producer and a DJ, I think you do need other people’s music. For me, it goes way deeper than just playing my own music. Like I said, it inspires me a lot for me to hear things I don’t know in other people’s songs, critically. So, I literally go back to my template and try and see where I can improve myself.”
Prince Kaybee on working with Nokwazi on “Ebabayo”
“One of the things that I really do and give people, especially someone I’m going to collaborate with, is a lot of room to express themselves, as much room as possible. Because I think on the song, if you listen to the instrumental, it doesn’t really give you a happy party mood. It’s a very sad song, sad strings, very emotional song. And I think Nokwazi with the gimmicks and the hook, she came up to try and live up the song, give it some life.”
Prince Kaybee on his reasons for setting up ‘Project Hope’
Prince Kaybee: “ ‘Project Hope’ is solely attracting women. And I feel like from the top of my head, especially in South Africa, if someone asked me who is the top female artist, I literally have to think about it, which is a problem, you know?”
Cuppy: “100%.”
Prince Kaybee: “Yeah. I must just be able to call it out. Yeah.”
Cuppy: “You’re right.”
Prince Kaybee: “If I have to think about it, simply means we have a problem. So we’re trying to change that narrative and give people more female art. And I feel like women are more… Well, according to me, in my experience, I feel like women are more committed than men in anything. It’s just that they need more-“
Cuppy: “Yes, Prince. Tell them.”
Prince Kaybee: “…more exposure. Yeah.”
Prince Kaybee on why ‘The 4th Republic’ is dedicated to his fans
“I dedicated this whole album to my fans because it’s my fourth and they have been very engaging as to what kind of sound they think would suit me better and all those things. I know you kind of listen to everyone, but the hints were there and I took some ideas and got inspired by my fans. So I decided to dedicate this whole album to them so that we can have a conversation with the music.”
Tumi Morake’s proverb
“There’s a Setswana proverb that says [foreign language] . And what it means is that children in a household will even share the head of a locust. But it basically says ‘whatever little you have, you will share with those around you. You will share with your family.’ ”
