# The Waxonia Desk: Out of Durban

Six records tracing how a Durban sound left the city — the first one on national radio, the one that reached London before it was accepted at home, and the one that turned its rhythms into outright pop.

- **Picks:** 6
- **Genre:** Gqom
- **Years:** 1995–2019
- **Curator:** The Waxonia Desk
- **Updated:** 2026-08-29
- **Curator's page:** https://waxonia.com/artist/the-desk/
- **Canonical page:** https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-gqom-out-of-durban/

## The picks

Selected, not ranked — the order is the curator’s, and carries no claim about which is best.

### [Babes Wodumo featuring Mampintsha](https://waxonia.com/artist/babes-wodumo-featuring-mampintsha/) — [Wololo](https://waxonia.com/track/babes-wodumo-featuring-mampintsha--wololo/)

*2016*

The first gqom record on national radio, and the week a local secret stopped being one. Everything about how the scene made its money is different on the other side of it.

Also on: [Gqom](https://waxonia.com/genre/gqom/).

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/Babes%20Wodumo%20featuring%20Mampintsha%20Wololo) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=bu_hL0iBUmI)

### [Rudeboyz featuring TD Snax](https://waxonia.com/artist/rudeboyz-featuring-td-snax/) — [Mercedes](https://waxonia.com/track/rudeboyz-featuring-td-snax--mercedes/)

*2015 · Goon Club Allstars*

The record that reached London first, on a British label. Being heard abroad before being accepted at home is the oldest distortion in dance music, and gqom got it early.

Also on: [Gqom](https://waxonia.com/genre/gqom/).

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/Rudeboyz%20featuring%20TD%20Snax%20Mercedes) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=CuCPNuBzWBI)

### [Griffit Vigo](https://waxonia.com/artist/griffit-vigo/) — [Come to Durban](https://waxonia.com/track/griffit-vigo--come-to-durban/)

*2016 · Gqom Oh!*

The producer's producer, from the compilation that named the sound overseas. The export edition of a scene is always somebody's shortlist, and this is the record that makes the shortlist look right.

Also on: [Gqom](https://waxonia.com/genre/gqom/).

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/Griffit%20Vigo%20Come%20to%20Durban) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=z-aonW6QHeI)

### [Distruction Boyz featuring Benny Maverick and Dladla Mshunqisi](https://waxonia.com/artist/distruction-boyz-featuring-benny-maverick-and-dladla-mshunqisi/) — [Omunye](https://waxonia.com/track/distruction-boyz-featuring-benny-maverick-and-dladla-mshunqisi--omunye/)

*2017*

The genre's biggest hit, and a credit dispute the producers pursued and won. Both belong on the record: this is what it looks like when a scene's paperwork catches up with its music.

Also on: [Gqom](https://waxonia.com/genre/gqom/).

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/Distruction%20Boyz%20featuring%20Benny%20Maverick%20and%20Dladla%20Mshunqisi%20Omunye) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=26-dVJa5Ejc)

### [Sho Madjozi](https://waxonia.com/artist/sho-madjozi/) — [John Cena](https://waxonia.com/track/sho-madjozi--john-cena/)

*2019*

Gqom's rhythmic ideas turned into outright pop in Xitsonga. Whether that is the sound escaping or the sound being spent is the argument the genre is still having with itself.

Also on: [Gqom](https://waxonia.com/genre/gqom/).

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/Sho%20Madjozi%20John%20Cena) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=H9bGITkIHmM)

### [Arthur Mafokate](https://waxonia.com/artist/arthur-mafokate/) — [Kaffir](https://waxonia.com/track/arthur-mafokate--kaffir/)

*1995*

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.

Also on: [Kwaito](https://waxonia.com/genre/kwaito/), [Dancing to Bad News](https://waxonia.com/theme/dancing-to-bad-news/), [The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred](https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/).

[Search Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/search/Arthur%20Mafokate%20Kaffir) · [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=sep8mvPZW6s)

## About the curator

The people who write the rankings on this site. We keep the lists honest, we argue about the order, and we get asked the same question more than any other: where should someone actually start. These are our answers.

Elsewhere: https://waxonia.com/

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Hand-curated by Waxonia. We host no audio; all links point to streaming platforms.