The Melody Web what each genre heard, and what it passed on

heard passed on Click or tap a node to recenter. Use a connecting line, or Influence, for the story.

Heard

Disco genre · 1973–

South African bubblegum takes disco’s four-on-the-floor and radio-dance sheen and recodes it as township synth-pop.

Influence
Mbaqanga genre · 1960–

South African bubblegum takes mbaqanga’s township vocal-and-bounce job and recodes it as sung synth-pop singles for radio.

Influence

South African bubblegum

genre · 1980–1994

Also called bubblegum (South Africa), township pop

1980s township synth-pop and disco-jive: drum-machine bounce, sung hooks, and radio sheen (Fassie, Chaka Chaka, Chicco). It hears Disco for the four-on-the-floor radio-dance sheen recoded as township pop, and Mbaqanga for the township vocal-and-bounce job recoded as sung synth singles. It already gives Kwaito that pop-vocal job recoded on a slowed house machine. Empty extra hops are historically checked. US Bubblegum leftover as a homonym, not a parent. Highlife leftover as a West African dance-band neighbor, not a parent.

Listen

  1. Weekend Special Brenda Fassie (1983) YouTube · Spotify
  2. I'm in Love with a DJ Yvonne Chaka Chaka (1985) YouTube · Spotify
  3. We Miss You Manelow Chicco (1987) YouTube · Spotify
  4. Ag Shame Lovey Brenda Fassie (1980s) YouTube · Spotify · Amazon
  5. I'm Burning Up Yvonne Chaka Chaka (1980s) YouTube · Spotify

Passed on

Kwaito genre · 1993–

Kwaito takes South African bubblegum’s township pop-vocal job — sung hooks, synth sheen, radio dance — and recodes it as chanted Tsotsitaal/Zulu over a slowed house bed.

Influence

Disco → South African bubblegum

meter and groovetimbre and productionfunction and contextstrength: highscholarly consensus1980–1990recordingradiodance

Mechanism

South African bubblegum takes disco’s four-on-the-floor and radio-dance sheen and recodes it as township synth-pop. Strength high. US Bubblegum leftover as a homonym, not this parent. Mbaqanga leftover as the township vocal parent (other edge).

Evidence

Early-1980s Johannesburg disco-jive singles (Chicco, Fassie) on drum machine and synth (Grove; Starr).

Debate

Whether township bubblegum simply is disco. The named club four is disco’s; the named late-apartheid township pop school is the recoding.

Mediators

artist: Chicco; community: Johannesburg township pop studios

Mbaqanga → South African bubblegum

meter and groovefunction and contextmelodystrength: mediumscholarly consensus1980–1990recordingradiodance

Mechanism

South African bubblegum takes mbaqanga’s township vocal-and-bounce job and recodes it as sung synth-pop singles for radio. Strength medium. Disco leftover as the other dance-floor parent (other edge). Maskanda leftover as a Zulu guitar neighbor, not this hop.

Evidence

1980s Johannesburg radio pop (Fassie, Chaka Chaka) keeping township language and bounce under drum-machine disco (Grove).

Debate

Whether bubblegum simply is mbaqanga with synths. The named electric township jive band is mbaqanga’s; the named 1980s township pop single is the recoding.

Mediators

artist: Brenda Fassie; community: Johannesburg township pop studios

South African bubblegum → Kwaito

melodyfunction and contexttimbre and productionstrength: mediumscholarly consensus1993–2000recordingradiodance

Mechanism

Kwaito takes South African bubblegum’s township pop-vocal job — sung hooks, synth sheen, radio dance — and recodes it as chanted Tsotsitaal/Zulu over a slowed house bed. Strength medium. US Bubblegum leftover as a homonym, not this parent. Mbaqanga leftover as an older jive parent (other edge).

Evidence

Fassie/Chaka Chaka-era township pop into early kwaito radio (Grove).

Debate

Whether kwaito simply is slowed bubblegum. The 1980s sung pop single is bubblegum’s; the named house-rap township school is the recoding.

Mediators

artist: Arthur Mafokate; community: Johannesburg township pop studios