Nadia Nakai Criticizes Hip-hop DJs for Their Lack of Support

Nadia Nakai criticizes Hip-hop DJs for their lack of support for local music, suggesting that perhaps amapiano DJs show more solidarity within their genre.

Nadia Nakai, a prominent figure in South Africa's hip-hop scene, recently took to her Instagram Stories on a Sunday to express her dissatisfaction with local hip-hop DJs and their track selection. In her critique, she singled out DJ Milkshake, a fellow local hip-hop DJ, for his tendency to overlook local hip-hop in favor of classic US hip-hop hits like DJ Khaled's "All I Do Is Win."

Nakai's frustration was palpable as she exclaimed, "I'm so sick of you hip-hop deejays. I'm actually dropping hip-hop tracks, and you don't play the sh*t! I used to talk to DJ Milkshake about it too! I'm talking about you, @djmilkshake!"

Her critique extended to the repetitive play of "All I Do Is Win," as she questioned the frequency of this particular track in DJ Milkshake's sets. However, she did make a notable exception for DJ Ayanda MVP, acknowledging MVP's active support for new hip-hop releases.

In addition to her critique, Nakai brought up the distribution of DJ packs from local artists. These packs, designed to assist DJs in promoting local talent, are made readily available to all local DJs through DJ D Double D's Northside DJ Tools. Nakai's point was clear – there should be no excuses for the lack of local hip-hop play within the community.

She emphasized this sentiment, stating that she has been fighting hip-hop DJs for years and that she also fought for Naa Mean. She then urged them to do better.

Nakai's posts stirred a range of reactions on social media. Some, like Twitter user @mapholobz, sympathized with her frustration while acknowledging the challenge of introducing unfamiliar tracks to hip-hop audiences. @mapholobz suggested that intensifying promotional efforts could help bridge this gap.

Meanwhile, @badmilk_za concurred with Nakai's sentiments, asserting that hip-hop sets often lack variety and appear oblivious to music released after 2017, especially among established DJs in the genre.

In essence, Nakai's critique shed light on a pertinent issue within the South African hip-hop community – the need for local DJs to actively support and promote homegrown talent. Her frustration, shared by others, underscored the importance of diversifying playlists and staying current in a rapidly evolving musical landscape.