Amidst the madness of apartheid, South Africa’s music industry in the 1980s propelled artists quickly to stardom, often at a young age. Some dwindled at the prospect of newfound fame and fortune. Others took on the responsibility and used their power to spread messages of consciousness that would be instrumental in bringing the racist regime to its knees.

By the mid-1980s, South Africa’s bubblegum era was already in full swing. One of the scene’s key acts was Harari, a band that launched the solo careers not only of founding members Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse and ‘Om’ Alec Khaoli but also ‘Funky’ Masike Mohapi, Condry Ziqubu and many others. Their 1985 album Heartbeat featured two new artists who would go on to play a major role in taking SA music into the ‘90s: Sello Twala, known as Chicco, and Danny Malewa, who would soon become better known as Kamazu.

1. Indaba Kabani

2. Victim

3. Why

4. Korobela

5. Mjukeit

6. Atikatareni