Scenes from South Africa: Cape Town Music

Watch a micro-documentary about Cape Town’s diverse music scene for the Obey You Collective: South Africa series.


"It's a smorgasbord: a collection of international sounds with a local influence."

There's been a running theme throughout Obey You Collective: South Africa, our series that showcases exciting scenes from South Africa’s eclectic, burgeoning underground. The idea that young South Africans can now carve their own career path that's not necessarily the expected or conventional route—whether it's making surreal street art, waacking and krumping, or becoming a musician—has been popping up regularly throughout our exploration of the country and its most creative inhabitants. It's like award-winning street dancer Tarryn Alberts explained in her interview: "It’s about being free with who you are, pushing your dreams and chasing goals. A lot of children finish school and they actually feel like, 'I can do that thing I’ve always wanted to do.'" No matter who you ask, it's an exciting time to be young in South Africa.

That's certainly the case in Cape Town—particularly in the realm of emerging music. A few months ago, we looked inside Cape Town's tight-knit, attention-grabbing stance car scene and today, we're presenting a micro-documentary about the coastal city's vibrant and ever-evolving music scene. Featuring interviews with a handful of the area's ascendant acts from a variety of genres, the video discusses the fickle Cape Town crowd, the importance of the live show, and the city's tendency to absorb influences from all over the world: "It's a smorgasbord—a collection of international sounds with a local influence," explains producer Das Kapital. Watch the full mini-doc above; it's all set against crisp, stunning visuals of local Cape Town parties. For more, explore all of the Obey You Collection: South Africa videos, photographs and interviews right here.


Scenes from South Africa: Cape Town Music