Hailing from the Umlazi township of Durban in South Africa, Menzi is one of the early pioneers of gqom.

Photo: Lisanne Lentink

Rising to prominence as a member of the Infamous Boiz, their influence can now be heard in clubs across the world. As a producer, he has supplied beats for some of South Africa’s biggest acts, including Moonchild Sanelly, Mahotella Queens, Zolani Mahola, and Zakes Bantwini. He also runs the annual Gqom Bloq party and Festive Road Block Umlazi.

By diverging from the genre's usual track structure and arrangements, Menzi has crafted a unique sound exploring gqom textures, as shown on his EP Impazamo, recently released by Nyege Nyege’s Hakuna Kulala.

  • Impazamo, by Menzi

  • Impazamo, by Menzi