The Culture Edit: Africa is the Future. Why are we still trying to leave?

"Sub-Saharan Africa was the fastest-growing music region in the world in 2024, with revenues jumping 22.6% – driven largely by streaming. Spotify’s payouts alone to Nigerian and South African artists totalled about $59 million last year. Amapiano is exploding globally, Afrobeats is topping charts, and African artists are showing up on Coachella stages and Grammy ballots. What happened to K-pop for South Korea and reggaeton for Latin America is now happening here. But if we’re not careful, we’ll let the wave lift everyone but the local scenes it comes from.

"You’ve heard the narrative before: “make it out of Africa.” It’s the same thing every kid in Cape Town hears. “If you’re serious, move to Joburg. If you’re really serious, move to London or L.A.” It’s not hard to see why. The international co-signs are pouring in. Tyla has become a chart-topping global phenomenon. Burna Boy and Tems are selling out arenas. Rema’s “Calm Down” crossed a billion Spotify streams. Even the Grammys added a “Best African Music Performance” category in 2024. So yeah, the attention feels like it’s there – not here. 

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"But here’s what that story misses: Africa isn’t just exporting talent. It’s becoming the centre of the global industry. While the rest of the world tightens belts, Africa is being treated as the next frontier. Universal Music Group announced early last year that it would cut costs by €250 million, starting with layoffs across its global recorded music division. Warner Music Group raised its job cuts to around 750 staff – 13% of its workforce. Spotify laid off 1 500 employees – 17% of its team. Even Apple, usually a model of employment stability, trimmed jobs in its digital services division.

"Yet, as these companies shrink in Europe and the U.S., they’re hiring in Africa. UMG has expanded its Def Jam Africa division, Sony and Warner are posting roles from Johannesburg to Nairobi, and Spotify is recruiting across marketing and artist development in South Africa. Danilo Queiros, founder of Quiet Life Co and one of Cape Town’s most forward-facing music thinkers, summed it up perfectly on a CAYACast episode last year: 'Africa is the fastest-growing music industry in the world right now. For a long time, I was like, ‘How do I get out of Africa and into the international scene?’ Now I’m like, ‘Africa is the place’. People overseas – Spotify, the major labels – they’re laying off teams all around the world; they’re hiring in Africa.' And it’s not just for the big-name genres. His business’s motto – “ARTLAB: a rising tide lifts all boats” – sums it up. Afrobeats and Amapiano may be the headlines, but they’re opening doors for every artist across the continent, from R&B to jazz to hyperpop.

"Just look at the South African landscape. While Amapiano is our biggest cultural export right now, it’s only one face of our artistic identity. Artists like Maglera Doe Boy and Ziggy 4x are pushing rap into new territory, mixing language and swagger with surgical precision. Filah Lah Lah‘s lush R&B is world-class, intimate and sharp. In the experimental scenes, Internet Girl is blowing open hyperpop. On the soul, jazz, and folk side, Zoë Modiga, Jabulile Majola, and Internet Athi are making music that’s spiritual, visceral, and deeply South African. And let’s not forget the veterans pushing genre boundaries – BCUC, Moonchild Sanelly, and of course, Black Coffee, who now sells out Cape Town venues as effortlessly as he packs clubs in Ibiza.

"So the question becomes: if Africa is rising, why do we still measure success by leaving?

"Part of the problem is infrastructure. For all our talent, the local industry still doesn’t always support artists the way it should. There’s limited touring circuits, inconsistent funding, and radio still plays it safe. But that’s changing – slowly. Platforms like Spotify are building African-specific teams and investing in visibility. Initiatives like Spotify’s Greasy Tunes, a pop-up celebrating South African music and food, and Mother of Music (MOM), a four-day Cape Town festival spotlighting local talent, are creating spaces for artists to thrive at home. 

"But if we want to future-proof this moment, we have to shift our own mentality. Building a local base isn’t a compromise – it’s a foundation. We need more grassroots festivals, more independent collectives, more venues that believe in homegrown scenes. Cape Town can’t just be a “launchpad” or a “stepping stone” – it should be a destination. Because when artists stay local, they don’t shrink. They root. And that makes everything else grow.

"Africa isn’t waiting for a seat at the table. We’ve already built our own. But to keep eating, we need to make sure the kitchen – local venues, crews, collectives – is still running. So yes, dream global. But start here. Build here. Cape Town isn’t the prequel. It’s chapter one." 

*You've just read an instalment of The Culture Edit, a Time Out Cape Town series that digs deeper into the stories behind the streets, symbols, and experiences that shape how we travel - and how we live.

This isn’t your standard city guide. Each edition of The Culture Edit will explore cultural tension points that sit just below the surface of our daily lives: What does “local” actually mean in a place with as many-layered identities as Cape Town? We’ll look at everything from fashion to food, language to landmarks, sacred practices to public parties - asking not just where to go, but how to go there with respect, curiosity and context.

Come rediscover parts of our culture that don’t always make the brochure, as told from the inside, out. Have a story to share? Drop us a mail at hello@timeoutsouthafrica.com