Zakes Bantwini is a Grammy-winning South African producer and dance music icon, known for hits like “Osama” and a career spanning over two decades. With his final album Abantu on the horizon, he now shifts focus to building his creative empire, IMG Africa.
Zakhele Madida was born and raised in KwaMashu F-section in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. After matriculating, he went on to study at Natal Technikon (now known as Durban University of Technology) where he received a national certificate in Light Music. This is also where he formed his own record label called Mayonie Productions while completing his final year.
Over the next two decades, Zakes has gone on to establish himself as a pioneer and in the dance music scene with a slew of classic singles and albums such as “Bum Bum”,“Wasting My Time”, “Clap Your Hands”, “The Good Life” and “Love, Light and Music”. In 2013, Zakes released the studio album “The Fake Book and Real Book: My Music Bible” and, the following year, the album was nominated in the Best Dance Album Category at the 20th SAMA Awards. Since “Osama” first went viral on South African Twitter in late 2021, it has become a global sensation.
Zakes Bantwini
Zakes Bantwini is a Grammy-winning South African producer and dance music icon, known for hits like “Osama” and a career spanning over two decades. With his final album Abantu on the horizon, he now shifts focus to building his creative empire, IMG Africa.
Zakes has since been booked to perform across the world in places like Portugal, Spain, Dubai, Qatar and Bali. Fresh off the massive success of his hit single “Osama”, the veteran dance DJ and producer Zakes Bantwini is undoubtedly the man of the moment Over the past year, his mammoth hit single “Osama” has exploded onto the scene and become South Africa’s quintessential global hit of the year. During its historic run, “Osama” has smashed several records, including embarking on a record-breaking run that saw it top Radio Monitor SA for 14 consecutive weeks. (Radio Monitor is a music company that tracks the worldwide airplay of songs). Zakes’ subsequent single “Imali” and his magnum opus album “Ghetto King” have seen him bag a host of awards, including two South African Music Awards (SAMAs) for Highest Airplay and Best Collaboration.
In an unprecedented culmination of this success, Zakes recently won his first Grammy Award for “Bayethe”, his magnetic collaboration with Wouter Kellerman and Nomcebo Zikode. The highest level of accolade that can be bestowed in music, this award is testament to the fact that Zakes has a winning formula. This historic win put to rest any doubts that Zakes is one of the greatest South African musicians we’ve ever seen. Never one to take his foot off the pedal, Zakes recently relaunched Studio, his new lifestyle venue located at the world-famous luxury Cape Town hotel, The Rockefeller. Studio is a lifestyle venue that speaks to an audience of over 23’s that are upwardly mobile young professionals and revellers that enjoy well curated lifestyle experiences. With his imminent retirement following his upcoming victory lap album “Abantu”, Zakes is set to take a back seat and focus on building his company IMG Africa, which is a boutique media agency that manages the likes of Boity Thulo & fellow Grammy winner Nomcebo Zikode.