We go behind the name-change, as Reason’s new handle ‘Sizwe Alakine,’ marks a smart move from Hip-Hop to Amapiano.
From humble beginnings ten years ago, South Africa’s youthful Amapiano genre of music went global over lockdown. Emerging as one of its new voices and by the handle Sizwe Alakine, is the Hip-Hop star better known as Reason.
Sizwe emerged in the South African music scene in 2005, under the name Reason, and soon gained popularity as a Hip-Hop artist. He collaborated with numerous household names, including Kwesta, DJ Maphorisa, and Proverb.
However, having spent over 15 years in the music industry as a hip-hop artist, Reason felt a need to gravitate towards a new sound, a sound that was more aligned with his South African roots.
@SizweAlakine Reflecting on the past couple years in the Hip Hop industry of South Africa and the death of @akaworldwide_ZA @WarnerMusicAfrica
“After so long, I felt a certain gravitation towards a new sound, a South African sound, a sound that was very familiar to me.”
Reason wanted to switch to a sound similar to Kwaito, a music genre he grew up listening to. Then came the idea of changing to Amapiano, a sound that had recently blown up internationally.
Last year, videos with the hashtag #Amapiano received over 1.6 billion views on TikTok across the globe. This trend was also echoed on music streaming services, that saw an increase in streaming of Amapiano music.
Barely six months into his new sound and Sizwe has scored a record deal with a renowned label.
“After so long, I felt a certain gravitation towards a new sound, a South African sound, a sound that was very familiar to me.”
Reason wanted to switch to a sound similar to Kwaito, a music genre he grew up listening to. Then came the idea of changing to Amapiano, a sound that had recently blown up internationally.
Last year, videos with the hashtag #Amapiano received over 1.6 billion views on TikTok across the globe. This trend was also echoed on music streaming services, that saw an increase in streaming of Amapiano music.
Barely six months into his new sound and Sizwe has scored a record deal with a renowned label.
