{
  "slug": "arthur-mafokate",
  "name": "Arthur Mafokate",
  "description": "Arthur Mafokate appears 4 times in our Kwaito, Dancing to Bad News, The Waxonia Desk — Out of Durban, and The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred lists, placing as high as No. 1. Hand-curated, with a reason for every pick.",
  "updated": "2026-08-29",
  "url": "https://waxonia.com/artist/arthur-mafokate/",
  "appearanceCount": 4,
  "distinctRecordings": 1,
  "years": {
    "first": 1995,
    "last": 1995
  },
  "highestPlacing": {
    "rank": 1,
    "list": "Kwaito"
  },
  "appearsOn": [
    {
      "kind": "genre",
      "slug": "kwaito",
      "name": "Kwaito",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/kwaito/",
      "entries": 1
    },
    {
      "kind": "curator",
      "slug": "dancing-to-bad-news",
      "name": "Dancing to Bad News",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/theme/dancing-to-bad-news/",
      "entries": 1
    },
    {
      "kind": "curator",
      "slug": "the-desk-gqom-out-of-durban",
      "name": "The Waxonia Desk — Out of Durban",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-gqom-out-of-durban/",
      "entries": 1
    },
    {
      "kind": "curator",
      "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
      "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/",
      "entries": 1
    }
  ],
  "tracks": [
    {
      "trackKey": "arthur-mafokate--kaffir",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/arthur-mafokate--kaffir/",
      "title": "Kaffir",
      "year": 1995,
      "label": null,
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "A dance record built around a plea not to be called a slur, and the first real controversy of the new South Africa. Sold over half a million copies and defined what the genre was allowed to be about.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "dancing-to-bad-news",
          "name": "Dancing to Bad News",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/theme/dancing-to-bad-news/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-gqom-out-of-durban",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — Out of Durban",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-gqom-out-of-durban/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Arthur%20Mafokate%20Kaffir",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=sep8mvPZW6s",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": 1,
      "on": {
        "kind": "genre",
        "slug": "kwaito",
        "name": "Kwaito",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/kwaito/"
      },
      "artist": "Arthur Mafokate"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "arthur-mafokate--kaffir",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/arthur-mafokate--kaffir/",
      "title": "Kaffir",
      "year": 1995,
      "label": null,
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "A dance record whose hook is a plea not to be called a slur, released a year after the first free election. Half a million copies sold to people moving to it, and the first serious argument the new country had about its own pop music.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
          "kind": "genre",
          "slug": "kwaito",
          "name": "Kwaito",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/kwaito/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-gqom-out-of-durban",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — Out of Durban",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-gqom-out-of-durban/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Arthur%20Mafokate%20Kaffir",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=sep8mvPZW6s",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": null,
      "on": {
        "kind": "curator",
        "slug": "dancing-to-bad-news",
        "name": "Dancing to Bad News",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/theme/dancing-to-bad-news/"
      },
      "artist": "Arthur Mafokate"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "arthur-mafokate--kaffir",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/arthur-mafokate--kaffir/",
      "title": "Kaffir",
      "year": 1995,
      "label": null,
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "Here for the inheritance rather than the moment. Kwaito is what Durban's producers were working after, and whether gqom continued it or replaced it has never been settled by anyone.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
          "kind": "genre",
          "slug": "kwaito",
          "name": "Kwaito",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/kwaito/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "dancing-to-bad-news",
          "name": "Dancing to Bad News",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/theme/dancing-to-bad-news/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Arthur%20Mafokate%20Kaffir",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=sep8mvPZW6s",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": null,
      "on": {
        "kind": "curator",
        "slug": "the-desk-gqom-out-of-durban",
        "name": "The Waxonia Desk — Out of Durban",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-gqom-out-of-durban/"
      },
      "artist": "Arthur Mafokate"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "arthur-mafokate--kaffir",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/arthur-mafokate--kaffir/",
      "title": "Kaffir",
      "year": 1995,
      "label": null,
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "A dance record built around a plea not to be called a slur, and the first real argument of the new South Africa. Half a million copies, and a genre given its subject.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
          "kind": "genre",
          "slug": "kwaito",
          "name": "Kwaito",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/kwaito/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "dancing-to-bad-news",
          "name": "Dancing to Bad News",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/theme/dancing-to-bad-news/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-gqom-out-of-durban",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — Out of Durban",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-gqom-out-of-durban/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Arthur%20Mafokate%20Kaffir",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=sep8mvPZW6s",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": null,
      "on": {
        "kind": "curator",
        "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
        "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/"
      },
      "artist": "Arthur Mafokate"
    }
  ],
  "curates": null
}