The bubbling Afropop twosome Blaq Diamond fuse traditional mbube and maskandi music with R&B and pop to tell stories authentic to their native South African.
• After meeting during a rap battle on the school bus, then-teenagers Danya and Ndu joined forces to perform as a duo at school talent shows. • In 2017, they relocated to Johannesburg and were discovered by South African musician Sjava, who introduced them to the independent label Ambitiouz Entertainment. • That same year, they made their official debut as Blaq Diamond with the album Inqola, which earned a SAMA nomination for Best Afro Pop Album. • Led by the SAMA-winning “Ibhanoyi,” their 2020 album Umuthi peaked at No. 1 on the South African iTunes chart. • That summer, Blaq Diamond partnered with Ambitiouz Entertainment to launch Umuthi Records and sign South African singer-songwriter Sibahle as their flagship artist.