Let’s go DEEP
I am a traveller so when I do my travelling I need something to keep me going. House music has always been there and reliable like a good tonic. I want to share a bit about the inception of house music in South Africa and other parts of the world.
There is no single definition of what house music really is but once you hear the rhythm then you will know it. On a more serious note now; contrary to popular believe, the genre started in the US, Canada and the UK. I recall that Chicago is one of the States that made it more prominent.
Like Muslim religion, house has its own Mecca, places that are deemed to be the night-clubs of the world, playing deep house non-stop. Ibiza in Spain is one of the places; recently New York has been the greatest host of house music giants such as the likes of Louie Vega, Quentin Harris, and Roger Sanchez. These are some of the internationally acclaimed DJs from way back.
Bringing the beat back to our continent, South Africa has always been a leader of house music production. Pioneers of house music here are the likes of DJ Christos, Glen Lewis, Vinny Da Vinci, DJ Oskido, DJ Khabzela and Dj Ganyani to mention a few. During these times, DJs played from records also known as vinyls and nowadays things have turned digital and that makes it is easier to purchase tracks through online stores.
Because house was easily accessible, it suddenly became super easy to be a DJ, you don’t really have to love music to become one, you can be an academic working 9-5 then be a DJ on weekends, just because you can. Its dominance became more and most people started appreciating it.
We classify house music differently in South Africa while it falls within the following categories; deep house, tribal house, deep tech, commercial house, electro etc. The main focus for the purposes of this article would be on deep house. Deep house is to some extend associated with corporate functions where people in that market use it a lot for entertainment. It is played in posh venues in metropolitan cities as lounge music. Those are venues such as St Yves in Camps Bay, Alba Lounge in V&A Waterfront Cape Town, Rhapsody’s in Sunnyside Pretoria etc. Deep house gained some kind of status compared to the other types of house music.
I continue to see deep house in that light too, associated with class. Often it carries with it some jazzy notes, beautiful vocals, a message of love and some poetry at times. It speaks a universal language. I personally support most international DJs however, I prefer empowering our local talent. DJs that stand out for me internationally are the likes of Louie Vega, Atjazz and Lovebirds. Local DJs would be Julian Gomes, DJ Black Coffee, Glen Lewis, DJ Christos including young up and coming DJ Thibo Tazz.
I still then continue to hit the beat along the Karoo and the Drakensberg in the heat of the night driving knowing that I have my house beats keeping me company.
By: Thabang Motapanyane
The Colloguy 
out of words right now. “deep house is so beautiful, it always carries the massage of love, talks to the soul. #impressed.
You really are talented dude!!A piece well written and simply to connect with! Let’s go Deep..lol!!!
“two simple word by a sometimes distant poet trying to find his way through misty fogs of thought his word intertwined like a kalidescope in his mind an nothing seemed to click until Fatima I’m inspired by the rhythms of my solitude and the pulsations in my chest that beats louder and louder with each passing breath until theres nothing left but just to write it down Guided my muse, and i don’t even know her name but someone helped me with these metaphors , something got me through this verse Maybe her name is Inspiration and she lays upon my bed and creeps into my head and fill my mind with funky thoughts, designing all my dreams , hopes and desires I’m Inspired I’m inspired by the moon, the earth’s disco ball I’m inspired by the winter ,summer, spring and fall and words pop into my mind like rain against glass and burn through my soul, first slow and the fast I hear sounds and feel feeling like i never felt before it’s like a celestrial hint knocking at my door and hence forth that thing that keeps me so deep that rush we all feel when we we all stomp our feet so i rise to the occasion to give glory to the underground it’s not enough to be a witness i have to write it down I’m Inspired I’m inspired by the collective way we choose to celebrate with dips, spills, spins, and turns like natives of the brick jungle we dance within these walls with utter antcipation of bass drops and filtered loops and we sing and we shout, and give thanks the now for this moment in time for the symbolic way that we enjoy one another sister to sister brother to brother we understand this need so go forth my house nation and never forget , you’re my true inspiration I’M INSPIRED”
key mchana. so deep you can feel it going down your stomach. well written and true, but you should have went deeper, and deeper
“Love song 28” and “I want you in my soul” are just the best way to sum up this beautiful piece of work. Deep house is just one of those music genres that takes you places without moving an inch of your body and it just allows your spirit to travel, I can only imagine what it does to one they actually on the road.Nice work dude