Master KG has reaped the most rewards of Gen Z’s meme culture by using a viral dance challenge to spread youth joy and cement the power of TikTok. He did it while practising social distancing as part of Covid-19 regulations from the comfort of his home, and not even a global pandemic could stop his tumultuous rise.
Before the Jerusalema dance challenge took off, Master KG was long making waves by putting the Bolobedu house sound on the map. Late Bojo Mujo hit Summer Rain set the fire burning inside of him.
The 25-year-old megastar from Calais, outside Tzaneen in Limpopo, first garnered the attention of the nation in 2018 when he scooped the coveted SABC Summer Song of the Year gong with Skeleton Move. It was the year that memes and viral dance challenges ignited Mzansi.
His win upset fellow Bolobedu house maestro King Monada – a bigger name at the time – who was poised to clinch the prize with Malwedhe.
With hits like Ska Bhora Moreki, Monada has equally been trailblazing in the genre. He also used the dance challenge culture to get his piece of the pie – giving the then niche genre modernity, swag and mainstream appeal. Think of the fainting dance craze triggered by Malwedhe.
Predictably, that birthed a rivalry between the two. But in an interview in July last year with Sowetan, Master KG squashed the beef before calling Monada his “homeboy”. He referred to their banter as healthy competition, comparing it to soccer giants Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.
“We did music together before we both blew up. I remember I used to go to his place when things were really tough to make music,” Master KG said.
It’s hard to pinpoint why the Jerusalema Dance Challenge became the biggest dance phenomenon since The Macarena. But one thing that stood out with Master KG is that he unapologetically took his unique Bolobedu sound to the world.
Even when his peers ridiculed his sound, the world was listening. Therefore collaborations with Burna Boy, Akon and David Guetta followed. Even Vin Diesel, Janet Jackson and Chance The Rapper are fans. He made Shazam Global Chart history by becoming the first African artist to top it. He bagged many international awards, including an MTV Europe Music Awards.
In April he took the Global Record of The Year Award at the 2021 Global Music Awards Africa (GMAA) held virtually from Accra, Ghana,
“Taking that Bolobedu sound to the world is something I’m proud of. For the longest time the sound was undermined,” Master KG explains.
“The industry called it names and what the sound has done in return is to be bigger than everyone. The sound has humbled everyone and made the world dance.”
Taking that Bolobedu sound to the world is something I’m proud of. For the longest time the sound was undermined
Aside from Master KG, the internet has also yielded some unorthodox media personalities in the last 10 years. Following the demise of the skhothane scene, Riky Rick took cue from Rihanna’s “omelette dress” at the 2015 Met Gala. He proved how he got his other moniker "King Kotini" when he donned his faceless look at the 2018 SA Music Awards. Memes devoured him for breakfast.
YouTuber Lasizwe Dambuza trended his way to landing a reality TV show on MTV Base.
Vixen Zodwa Wabantu broke the internet by dropping a hot vosho at the 2018 Durban July; while socialite Skolopad’s yellow dress at the 2017 Metro FM Music Awards was provocative and got social media users talking. The two provocateurs’ desperate attempts (including a no-panties policy) to get cameras flashing have been eye-rolling.
From Major League DJz’s Slyza Tsotsi to Black Coffee’s We Dance Again and Uncle Vinny’s quirky signature moves, the dance challenges have continued to capture Mzansi’s vibrant street culture.
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