Subgenre of house music from South Africa
Gqom Other names Igqomu gqom tech sghubu[1] 3 step Stylistic origins Cultural origins Early 2010s, Durban , KwaZulu-Natal , South Africa Typical instruments Derivative forms Amapiano [11]
Gqom ([ᶢǃʱòm] ) (igqomu ([iᶢǃʱòmu] ), gqom tech, sghubu or 3-Step ) is an electronic dance music genre and subgenre of house music that emerged in the early 2010s from Durban , South Africa,[12] pioneered by music producers Naked Boyz, Rudeboyz,[13] [14] [15] [16] , Sbucardo, Griffit Vigo,[17] [18] Nasty Boyz, DJ Lag ,[13] [19] [20] Menzi Shabane,[21] [22] Distruction Boyz [23] and Citizen Boy.[24] [25]
Unlike other South African electronic music, traditional gqom is typified by minimal, raw and repetitive sound with heavy bass beats but without the four-on-the-floor rhythm pattern.[12]
Music industry personnel who were pivotal in accelerating the genre's international acclaim in the genre's initial developmental phases included the likes of South African rapper Okmalumkoolkat , Italian record label Gqom Oh owner Nane Kolè, as well as other South Africans, including event curator and public relations liaison Cherish Lala Mankai, Afrotainment record label owner DJ Tira , Babes Wodumo , Mampintsha and Busiswa .[26] [27] [28] [29]
A raw 2-minute demo featuring a basic gqom sample, devoid of vocals, showcasing the somewhat unconventional rhythmic pattern of gqom, distinct from the typical four-on-the-floor
rhythm .
^ Bandcamp. "Menchess-Point Blank(gqom tech) Category" . Bandcamp . Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2023 .
^ Weichenrider, Phillip (19 April 2016). "Gqom-Musik aus Südafrika" . Die Tageszeitung: Taz . Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2024 .
^ James, Keith (11 October 2017). "Premiere: Emo Kid Explains South African Club Sound 'Sghubu', Shares New Track "Asbambeki" " . Complex UK . Archived from the original on 6 December 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023 .
^ Miya, Madzadza (16 December 2020). "Interview: DJ Lag is Firm on Taking Gqom To The Rest of the World" . OkayAfrica . Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2024 .
^ "DJ Lag is one step closer to Meeting with the King" . Pan African Music . 16 December 2021. Archived from the original on 16 December 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2024 .
^ Bruce-Jones, Henry (30 August 2019). "DJ Lag showcases uThayela gqom on Uhuru EP" . FACT . Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2024 .
^ Pasiya, Lutho (8 November 2019). "Distruction Boyz introduce Electronic Gqom Music (EGM) on new album" . IOL . Archived from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2024 .
^ Miya, Madzadza (18 August 2020). "Interview: Mshayi & Mr Thela Are Reviving Cape Town's Gqom Scene With Their Unique Take on the Genre" . OkayAfrica . Archived from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2024 .
^ Tiwane, Bonginkosi (30 August 2023). "Think you know everything about Gqom? Have you heard Afrikaans Gqom?" . The Citizen . Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2024 . {{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link )
^ Langa S, Phumlane (27 February 2024). "This collective of artists is looking to bring gqom music back" . Drum . Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024 .
^ Shumba, Ano (9 August 2019). "Top amapiano songs of 2019" . Music in Africa . Archived from the original on 9 August 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2024 .
^ a b Oliver, Huw (2016-01-22). "Gqom, the foot-stomping new sound of South Africa's townships" . The Guardian . Archived from the original on 2018-09-03. Retrieved 2019-02-19 .
^ a b Dazed (2015-06-05). "What the foq is gqom?" . Dazed . Archived from the original on 2020-06-22. Retrieved 2020-05-18 .
^ "Meet the 'unsung heroes' behind gqom music: Rudeboyz" . TimesLIVE . Archived from the original on 2019-12-04. Retrieved 2020-05-18 .
^ "Rude Boyz – The Music Imbizo" . Archived from the original on 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2020-05-18 .
^ "FADER Mix: RudeBoyz" . The FADER . Archived from the original on 2021-01-23. Retrieved 2020-05-18 .
^ Kriger, Themba (23 October 2020). "Griffit Vigo's "I Am Gqom" Returns to the Roots of Gqom" . Redbull . Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023 .
^ "Success In Reverse: Dj Lag Talks" . www.theransomnote.com . Archived from the original on 2020-08-14. Retrieved 2020-05-18 .
^ D’Souza, Mikey Burey,Shaad (2018-12-10). "DJ Lag's Noisey Mix Shows How Fast Gqom Moves" . Vice . Archived from the original on 2020-09-15. Retrieved 2020-05-18 . {{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link )
^ "DJ Lag | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links" . AllMusic . Archived from the original on 2020-12-19. Retrieved 2020-05-18 .
^ Renoncourt, Francois (14 April 2020). "South‑African artist Menzi explores a new facet of the Gqom" . Pan African Music (PAM) . Archived from the original on 17 May 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2023 .
^ Bennett, Esme (15 April 2020). "Menzi Impazamo" . The Quietus . Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023 .
^ "Distruction Boyz and gqom: The South African sound taking over Europe" . BBC . 2 November 2018. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2023 .
^ "Gqom: A deeper look at South Africa's new generation of house" . FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music . 2016-01-05. Archived from the original on 2018-10-27. Retrieved 2018-10-27 .
^ Cite error: The named reference :4
was invoked but never defined (see the help page ).
^ Reporter, Staff (2013-11-21). "Okmalumkoolkat: The koolkat of future kwaito" . The Mail & Guardian . Archived from the original on 28 November 2013. Retrieved 2024-06-07 .
^ Weichenrieder, Philipp (19 April 2016). "Gqom-Musik aus Südafrika" . Taz.de . Archived from the original on 20 April 2016.
^ Cite error: The named reference :1
was invoked but never defined (see the help page ).
^ Adimora, Makua (27 March 2023). "These are the most exciting gqom producers right now" . DJ Mag . Archived from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023 .