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Afrotrax Reveals Stacked Line-Up for French Montana December Shows

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AFROTRAX, in partnership with PLAYY. Music, is proud to announce that international hip-hop superstar French Montana will perform two exclusive South African headline shows this December, bringing one of the most celebrated live performances in global hip-hop to local audiences.

The highly anticipated event series kicks off at The Ostrich Farm in Cape Town on Friday, 4 December 2026, running from 2:00 PM to 12:00 AM with support acts CASSPER NYOVEST, NASTY C,  YOUNGSTACPT, 25K, JAIRIC (US), RARRI, KANE (DJ), BASSIK. 

It then heads to The Canvas in Johannesburg on Saturday, 5 December 2026, where the event will take place from 1:00 PM to 11:00 PM with support acts CASSPER NYOVEST, KABZA DE SMALL, BLXCKIE,  JAIRIC (US), LUCASRAPS, RARRI, K.KEED, TEDDY TUMI. 

French Montana has become one of the most recognizable names in international music, amassing billions of streams worldwide through hits including Unforgettable,” “No Stylist,” Pop That,” “Ain’t Worried About Nothin‘,” and numerous collaborations with artists such as Drake, The Weeknd, Post Malone, Cardi B, Swae Lee and Chris Brown.

The AFROTRAX series has been created to celebrate the intersection of African culture, music, fashion and global entertainment, delivering world-class experiences that connect international artists with Africa’s vibrant creative communities. Beyond the headline performance, attendees can expect a full-scale festival experience featuring leading local artists, DJs, food vendors, lifestyle activations, premium hospitality experiences and immersive production.

“AFROTRAX represents a new chapter in African live entertainment. Our vision is to build a platform that celebrates African culture while connecting audiences with some of the most influential artists in the world. Launching the brand with French Montana is a significant milestone for us and the beginning of something much bigger.”

The Johannesburg event at The Canvas will deliver a high-energy urban festival atmosphere, while the Cape Town edition at The Ostrich will offer a unique outdoor summer experience set against one of the country’s most iconic event locations.

Additional artists, support acts, VIP experiences and hospitality packages will be announced in the coming weeks.

EVENT DETAILS

AFROTRAX Cape Town

Date: Friday, 4th December 2026
Venue: The Ostrich, Cape Town
Time: 2:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Headliner: French Montana

AFROTRAX Johannesburg

Date: Saturday, 5th December 2026
Venue: The Canvas, Johannesburg
Time: 2:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Headliner: French Montana

TICKETS

Tickets and VIP packages will be available exclusively through PLAYY.

Tickets available ONLY at https://playy.co.uk/

Fans are encouraged to register early for priority access and event updates.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

AFROTRAX & PLAYY. Music

Press Office: [email protected]

ABOUT PLAYY. MUSIC

PLAYY. Music is a global music and entertainment platform empowering artists through music distribution, live events, ticketing, fan engagement, commerce and creator-focused technology. Through its growing ecosystem, PLAYY. connects artists and audiences across digital and physical experiences worldwide.

Wu-Tang Clan Doc ‘The Disciple’ Heads to Netflix October 16

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Oscar-winning filmmaker Joanna Natasegara makes her feature debut with The Disciple: A Wu-Tang Fable, set to premiere on Netflix October 16 after its Sundance debut. The documentary traces the journey of Cilvaringz, the Dutch-Moroccan producer and rapper Tarik Azzougarh, whose fascination with Wu-Tang Clan in the 1990s evolved into genuine involvement. He became part of the group’s inner circle, toured internationally, and developed his craft under the guidance of RZA, who serves as executive producer. Natasegara, acclaimed for The White Helmets, returned to Netflix after that project secured the platform’s first Academy Award.​

The film explores how Cilvaringz’s ambition culminated in the creation of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, a 31-track album as the only copy made available. Sold at auction in 2015 for $2 million, the highest sum ever paid for a musical work, the album’s acquisition by Martin Shkreli ignited debate over scarcity, ownership, and the value of music in the streaming age. Natasegara positions the project as a meditation on artistic worth in an era defined by digital excess, drawing on Wu-Tang Clan’s legacy of community, technical mastery, and innovation while unpacking the consequences of the album’s sale.

Joanna Natasegara told variety: “For the last five years making this film has been a labour of love and discovery for me. Initially I was inspired by a teenhood love of Wu-Tangand a story about the secret album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin too intriguing to miss. In the making I discovered so much more about why Tarik, myself, and so many of us idolise them. They stand for so much that is so needed right now — community, talent, tenacity, innovation and love. I’m so thrilled audiences will get to spend time in this world I’ve loved so much.

Stream ‘MYSTERY OF RAW‘:

AFROTRAX & PLAYY. ANNOUNCES FRENCH MONTANA FOR TWO EXCLUSIVE SOUTH AFRICAN SHOWS THIS DECEMBER

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Global hip-hop superstar to headline landmark events in Johannesburg and Cape Town

AFROTRAX, in partnership with PLAYY. Music, is proud to announce that international hip-hop superstar French Montana will perform two exclusive South African headline shows this December, bringing one of the most celebrated live performances in global hip-hop to local audiences.

The highly anticipated event series kicks off at The Ostrich Farm in Cape Town on Friday, 4 December 2026, running from 2:00 PM to 12:00 AM. It then heads to The Canvas in Johannesburg on Saturday, 5 December 2026, where the event will take place from 1:00 PM to 11:00 PM.

French Montana has become one of the most recognizable names in international music, amassing billions of streams worldwide through hits including “Unforgettable,” “No Stylist,” “Pop That,” “Ain’t Worried About Nothin’,” and numerous collaborations with artists such as Drake, The Weeknd, Post Malone, Cardi B, Swae Lee and Chris Brown.

The AFROTRAX series has been created to celebrate the intersection of African culture, music, fashion and global entertainment, delivering world-class experiences that connect international artists with Africa’s vibrant creative communities. Beyond the headline performance, attendees can expect a full-scale festival experience featuring leading local artists, DJs, food vendors, lifestyle activations, premium hospitality experiences and immersive production.

“AFROTRAX represents a new chapter in African live entertainment. Our vision is to build a platform that celebrates African culture while connecting audiences with some of the most influential artists in the world. Launching the brand with French Montana is a significant milestone for us and the beginning of something much bigger.”

The Johannesburg event at The Canvas will deliver a high-energy urban festival atmosphere, while the Cape Town edition at The Ostrich will offer a unique outdoor summer experience set against one of the country’s most iconic event locations.

Additional artists, support acts, VIP experiences and hospitality packages will be announced in the coming weeks.

EVENT DETAILS

Friday, 4th and Saturday, 5th December 2026
2pm – 12am
 // ADV R350 // R450 // R550 // R650
Tickets: Cape TownJohannesburg

AFROTRAX Cape Town

Date: Friday, 4th December 2026
Venue: The Ostrich, Cape Town
Time: 2:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Headliner: French Montana

AFROTRAX Johannesburg

Date: Saturday, 5th December 2026
Venue: The Canvas, Johannesburg
Time: 2:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Headliner: French Montana

TICKETS

Tickets and VIP packages will be available exclusively through PLAYY.

Tickets available ONLY at https://playy.co.uk/

Fans are encouraged to register early for priority access and event updates.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

AFROTRAX & PLAYY. Music

Press Office: [email protected]

ABOUT AFROTRAX

AFROTRAX is a live events and cultural platform dedicated to showcasing the best of African music, culture, fashion and entertainment. Through world-class festivals, concerts and experiences, AFROTRAX aims to connect Africa with the global creative community.

ABOUT PLAYY. MUSIC

PLAYY. Music is a global music and entertainment platform empowering artists through music distribution, live events, ticketing, fan engagement, commerce and creator-focused technology. Through its growing ecosystem, PLAYY. connects artists and audiences across digital and physical experiences worldwide.

Emotional Realism Shines in ROZZZQWEEN’s Latest Single ‘Praise Me’

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Birmingham-born Afro-British artist ROZZZQWEEN has released her new single ‘Praise Me’. She has become one of the UK’s most talked-about independent artists through her distinctive voice and her ability to move between soulful intimacy, alternative R&B textures and infectious hooks. Support from BBC Introducing, Radio 1’s Jess Iszatt and Billboard has helped build a loyal fanbase, while a recent collaboration led Maverick Sabre to call her “one of my favourite voices right now“. Named a BBC Introducing One To Watch for 2026, her fearless songwriting stands out for its unfiltered approach to the spaces between confidence and vulnerability.

Praise Me’ weaves together alternative R&B, soul, and razor-sharp storytelling to explore the tug-of-war when you know someone is wrong for you, yet a part of you aches for them to stay. The song plunges into the kind of relationship most people hesitate to confess: where you recognize you deserve more, but love keeps you tethered. Instead of a typical breakup anthem, it captures the charged moment before the split, when logic and emotion wrestle and neither side prevails. The track zeroes in on emotional imbalance, the ache of giving more than you get, and how affection can make us endure what we know we should leave behind. ROZZZQWEEN’s unmistakable voice delivers these truths with power, refusing to tidy up the chaos of craving more from someone while still needing them. As the newest chapter in her monthly single series leading up to an October EP, it deepens the unfolding narrative of real-time growth and experience.

ROZZZQWEEN shared: “Ever been in a relationship with someone who’s just so ungrateful and wrong for you but you’d be damned if they left? This is for the people out there in terrible relationships but feel as though they can’t leave because of that little thing called love.”

Stream ‘Praise Me’: 

Follow ROZZZQWEEN:

SpotifyInstagramFacebook 

Shekhinah Makes Waves with Dynamic New EP, Love On Repeat Vol. 1

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Image Credit: @stephenobi.jpg

Shekhinah released her debut EP, Love On Repeat Vol. 1, on June 5, 2026. The South African singer-songwriter, known for her distinctive vocal timbre and a catalogue of chart-topping pop singles, uses the four-track project to step confidently into house, weaving in the intricate rhythmic patterns of South African three-step. This evolution preserves her core strength: songwriting that is direct and emotionally resonant. Producers Fatso 98, Master A Flat, 2KayMusiq and MotiveSoul shape the EP’s sound, keeping the grooves taut and the production contemporary, always allowing Shekhinah’s delivery to remain front and centre.

Each track makes Shekhinah’s stylistic transition unmistakable. The lead single, ‘Say You Love Me‘, featuring Brandon Dhludhlu, channels a dancefloor momentum that underscores the EP’s genre-blurring intent. On ‘My Baby‘, Dhludhlu returns with Fatso 98, intensifying the low-end while letting the melody unfold with clarity. Shekhinah also collaborates with Simmy, uniting two of South Africa’s most distinctive voices on songs where love and rhythm become inseparable.

What anchors the EP is its unmistakable Shekhinah signature: intimate, soulful, and deeply expressive, even as house and three-step textures frame her vocals. She approaches the project as both a creative exploration and a celebration of the sounds currently shaping her artistry. Love On Repeat Vol. 1 is out now on all major streaming platforms, arriving as a reminder of Shekhinah’s ability to reinvent her sound while keeping listeners coming back.

Stream Love On Repeat Vol. 1 

‘2POPS’ Sets the Summer Tone as Tyga Delivers Another Hit

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On May 22, Tyga released ‘2POPS’, his first solo single of the year and a direct successor to 2025’s NSFW. The Compton rapper first emerged under Lil Wayne’s Young Money label, earning platinum certifications and a top-ten Hot 100 placement with ‘Rack City’, followed by further milestones including the diamond-certified ‘Taste’ featuring Offset. Over more than a decade, his catalog has remained anchored in trap-influenced West Coast rap, favoring heavy bass, memorable hooks, and dance-floor immediacy rather than following fleeting trends.

​The track revolves around a signature low-end pulse, with producers Nic Nac, Count Bassy, and Jacob Olofsson shaping a summer-oriented groove that maintains momentum without excess. Tyga delivers his verses with characteristic assurance, the bassline anchoring the production while nuanced rhythmic changes sustain the forward motion. The result is a streamlined, effective single that underscores the qualities that have kept his work in regular rotation: clarity, immediacy, and an unmistakable catchiness.

Accompanied by visuals featuring Deon Cole, the release finds Tyga adhering to the formula that has defined his career. Following the subdued reception of his previous album, ‘2POPS’ serves as a testament to his enduring consistency: bass-driven, hook-laden, and primed for summer rotation. The single integrates seamlessly into his discography, reaffirming the enduring appeal of his established sound.

Watch the music video here:

Global Sounds Collide in the Release of ‘Emotions’ by SPINOFF and Monblaire

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SPINOFF and Monblaire’s collaborative single ‘Emotions’, released May 8, 2026, unites the Mexico City-born, Spain-based producer with one of house music’s most reliable international voices. SPINOFF’s signature sound fuses indie dance and house with tropical inflections, anchored by robust basslines and rhythmic grooves designed for the dancefloor. His club credentials include residencies at Dinsmoor, Houdini, and Bonbonniere, alongside appearances at Silencio in Paris, Sol in New York, Gallery Club in London, Playa Padre in Marbella, and Jolene Sound Room in Miami, with an Ibiza debut on the horizon. Monblaire, whose club-driven productions have found homes on Size Records and Bedrock Records, is recognized for his propulsive rhythms and charting tracks such as ‘The Church‘, ‘Don’t Depend‘, and ‘Energy‘, reinforcing his presence on the global dance circuit.

Drenched in 80s nostalgia and a sultry vocal, ‘Emotions‘ pulses with slick melodies and rolling percussion, inviting listeners on a sunlit journey to the Mediterranean’s heart. The track’s tension crackles, coming alive in the heat of a packed dancefloor. When SPINOFF sent the vocals across the ocean, Monblaire instantly locked in the bassline, and the rest unfolded organically, merging two creative worlds into a single, unforgettable moment. For SPINOFF, it’s another step in his cross-continental evolution; for Monblaire, it deepens his atmospheric club sound while keeping his signature drive. Both artists know music bridges distances faster than any map. ‘Emotions‘ is proof: two stories, one dancefloor.

SPINOFF had this to say: “’Emotions’ is a reflection of the tension and contrast we’re living through right now. Inspired by 80s textures and a sensual, nostalgic vocal, the track blends warmth and darkness into something meant for the dancefloor. It’s about escaping reality, even if just for a moment, and connecting through music.” Monblaire added: “When SPINOFF sent me the vocals, the bass popped into my brain immediately. The rest is history.”

Stream ‘Emotions’:

Follow SPINOFF:

Instagram | Spotify | SoundCloud 

Follow Monblaire:

Instagram | Spotify | SoundCloud | YouTube

The Founding of YouTube A Short History

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YouTube is one of the most influential platforms in modern media, but its origin story is surprisingly simple: a small team wanted an easier way to share video online. In the early 2000s, uploading and sending video files was slow, formats were inconsistent, and most websites weren’t built for smooth playback. YouTube’s founders focused on removing those barriers—making video sharing as easy as sending a link.

Who Founded YouTube?
YouTube was founded by three former PayPal employees: Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. They combined product thinking, engineering skills, and a clear user goal: create a website where anyone could upload a video and watch it instantly in a browser.

Chad Hurley — product/design focus and early CEO role
Steve Chen — engineering and infrastructure
Jawed Karim — engineering and early concept support
The Problem YouTube Solved
At the time, sharing video often meant emailing huge files or dealing with complicated players and downloads. YouTube made video:

Uploadable by non-experts (simple interface)
Streamable in the browser (no special setup)
Sharable through links and embedding on other sites
Early Growth and the First Video
YouTube launched publicly in 2005. One of the most famous early moments was the first uploaded video, “Me at the zoo,” featuring co-founder Jawed Karim. The clip was short and casual—exactly the kind of everyday content that proved the platform’s big idea: ordinary people could publish video without needing a studio.

Key Milestones Timeline
Year/Date Milestone Why It Mattered

2005    YouTube is founded and launches    Introduced easy browser-based video sharing
2005    “Me at the zoo” is uploaded    Became a symbol of user-generated video culture
2006    Google acquires YouTube    Provided resources to scale hosting and global reach
Why Google Bought YouTube
By 2006, YouTube’s traffic was exploding. Video hosting is expensive—bandwidth and storage costs rise fast when millions of people watch content daily. Google’s acquisition gave YouTube the infrastructure and advertising ecosystem to grow into a sustainable business.

What YouTube’s Founding Changed
YouTube didn’t just create a popular website; it reshaped how people learn, entertain themselves, and build careers online. Its founding helped accelerate:

Creator-driven media and influencer culture
How-to education and free tutorials at massive scale
Music discovery, commentary, and global community trends
From a small startup idea to a global video powerhouse, YouTube’s founding is a classic example of a simple product solving a real problem—and changing the internet in the process.

New UK Music Study: Black Artists Behind 80% of Industry Revenue in UK Since 1994

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Equity and representation issues stand out sharply in the music business according to fresh data released March 17. UK Music‘s report shows that despite massive contributions from Black creators, support structures have not matched their influence. Only 22 percent of senior roles go to Black, Asian or minority ethnic workers. Black professionals point to persistent unfairness in contracts, pay, funding access and general backing within the sector.

Titled Black Music Means Business: Driving Economic Growth In The UK, the document marks Europe’s first major calculation of Black recorded music’s footprint between 1994 and 2023. It reveals these artists delivered 80 percent of all UK music revenue during the period – a total of £24.5 billion from an industry pot of £30 billion. The findings frame Black music as a central force in the UK’s commercial music landscape over those 30 years.

Tom Kiehl, Chief Executive of UK Music, explained: “UK Music wants this report to not only be a point of reference but also a basis for facilitating change and positive action through its recommendations.” Ammo Talwar MBE, Chair of the UK Music Diversity Taskforce, had this to say: “The report should give us great optimism for the future of Black British music. However, this phenomenal cultural force must be nurtured. The aim of the report is to act as an advocacy tool and rallying cry, that is a catalyst for ongoing analysis, growth, increased representation, equity and stronger collaboration, thereby building confidence in Black music.

Read the full report: HERE

Lizzo Releases Music Video for ‘Don’t Make Me Love U,’ Her First New Track of 2026

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While Lizzo lines up a September children’s book about a girl bonding with a flute and steps into the Sister Rosetta Tharpe role for a biopic she is co-producing with Forest Whitaker, she has also dropped her first 2026 release. ‘Don’t Make Me Love U’ arrives with its music video already out, coming after the 2023 album Special and the lawsuit that followed from former staff citing sexual harassment and a difficult work environment. In 2025, she released ‘Love in Real Life’ and ‘Still Down Bad’, setting up the still-unscheduled Love in Real Life album.

The video brings Lizzo face-to-face with the version of herself from the Cuz I Love You era. Tension builds as present-day Lizzo, with blonde hair, stares down her past self. The meeting acts as a bridge between eras, placing past and present in the same frame so the song carries the weight of time without losing its message of embracing the past to move forward. Its emotional core and Lizzo’s ability to explore her authenticity through music are exactly what we’d expect from this release.

This single shows Lizzo treating her career as one continuous project that stretches across formats. The music keeps moving forward as the film and book sides expand, building toward whatever comes next on the announced album. The combination is a natural extension of how she has always worked, keeping listeners tuned in across every lane she occupies.

Watch ‘Don’t Make Me Love U’: