DaKAR II is the third studio album by South African hip hop recording artist and poet Kwesta.[1][2] The album was released on 26 February 2016, by Urbantainment, under exclusive license to Sony Music Entertainment Africa. The album was certified diamond and became South Africa's best selling hip-hop album of all time.

DaKAR II
Studio album by
Released26 February 2016 (2016-02-26)
Recorded2014–2015
Genre
Length
  • 52:39 (disc 1)
  • 48:22 (disc 2)
Label
  • Urbantainment
  • Sony Music Entertainment Africa
Producer
Kwesta chronology
DaKAR
(2013)
DaKAR II
(2016)
2 Skeif
(2020)
Singles from DaKAR II
  1. "Nomayini"
    Released: 29 August 2015
  2. "Ngud'"
    Released: 19 August 2016
  3. "Day One"
    Released: 28 May 2016
  4. "Mayibabo"
    Released: 6 October 2016
  5. "Kokotela"
    Released: 10 February 2017
  6. "Ngiyaz'fela Ngawe"
    Released: 23 February 2017

Background and recording

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Kwesta started working on DaKar II in 2014 after a commercial success of the first DakAR which was released at the beginning of 2014.

Kwesta said, in relation to the album, "My first album, Special Rekwest, was introducing Kwesta as a rapper. On the first DaKAR I got personal, told stories of my life and of the people I grew up with. This album (DaKAR II) I'm enjoying myself as an artist, it is different from the first two, as the second was from the first."

Kyle, Channel24[3]

Commercial performance

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DaKAR II was certified 7× Platinum by RISA, [4] and "Ngyaz'fela Ngawe" has been certified 119× platinum which makes it 11× diamond certified.[5][6]

DaKAR II won two awards for Best Album of the Year and Male Artist of the Year at the 23rd ceremony of South African Music Awards.[7]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
DaKAR II Best Album of the Year Won
Male Artist of the Year Won

Singles

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In July 2015 "Nomayini" was released as the album's first official single. It topped most of the country's charts and would go on to be one of the smash jams played in the festive season. At the beginning of 2016 Kwesta released a second single, "Ngud'", which features Cassper Nyovest and DJ Maphorisa as a producer. Ngud' has gone on to be Kwesta's most successful hit single to date, it was on summer 2016 SABC's top 10. Other singles released from the album were "Day One", "Mayibabo" and "Ngiyaz'fela ngawe" as the latest.

Track listing

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Disc 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."The Fire"
Ameen04:03
2."Ggg"
  • S. Vilakazi, Edward "Gobi Beast" Gobizembe
Gobi Beast05:03
3."Tjovitjo"
  • S. Vilakazi, Marques Trackz
Marques Trackz04:56
4."Nomayini"
  • S. Vilakazi, Neo Makwa
Makwa 6eats04:59
5."K1 God"
  • S. Vilakazi, Neo Makwa
Makwa 6eats04:23
6."Kokotela (featuring Yanga and Kid X)"
  • S. Vilakazi, Nhlamulo Baloyi, Yanga Ntshakaza, Bonginkosi Mahlangu, Edward Gobizembe
Gobi Beats06:03
7."Act Like (featuring Tellaman)"
S. Vilakazi, Thelumusa Samuel Owen, Nhlamulo Baloyi, Thulasizwe Dlamini
 04:47
8."Let a Nigga Hit"
S. Vilakazi, Jake Stephenson, Brian Trower
 03:54
9."Tshek"
  • S. Vilakazi, Jake Stephenson, Brian Trower
 04:21
10."Preacher (featuring Nota)"
  • S. Vilakazi
 06:02
11."Karma (featuring Nota)"
  • Senzo Vilakazi
 04:11
Total length:52:39
Disc 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Lights"
Makwa 6eats04:23
2."Mayibabo (featuring DJ Maphorisa, DJ Bucks and OkMalumKoolKat)"
  • S. Vilakazi , Obakeng Ramahali, Okmalumkoolkat, Themba Sekowe, N. Makwa
Makwa 6eats, DJ Maphorisa
04:36
3."Day One (featuring. AKA and Tweezy)"04:27
4."Afro Trap (featuring Busiswa)"
S. Vilakazi

, Themba Sekowe, Busiswa Gqulu

DJ Maphorisa03:49
5."Ngud' (featuring Cassper Nyovest)"
S. Vilakazi, Cassper Nyovest, T. Sekowe
DJ Maphorisa04:31
6."Mind Fcuk (featuring Bucie)"
 04:03
7."Shooting Star (featuring Ameen)"
  • S. Vilakazi, Ameen Harron
Ameen03:46
8."Ngiyaz'fela Ngawe" (featuring Thabsie)
Thabsie, S. Vilakazi, Nhlamulo Baloyi, Yanga Ntshakaza, N. Makwa
Yanga, Makwa 6eats
05:28
9."Lala Khai"
S. Vilakazi, N. Makwa
Makwa 6eats03:51
10."One Day (featuring Psyfo)"
S. Vilakazi, N. Baloyi, Sipho Ngwenya, N. Makwa
Psyfo, Makwa 6eats
03:09
11."Mmino (featuring T.L.T,Polamo)"
S.Vilakazi, Vusi Rantlha, Phetego Makanyane,Polamo,N. Makwa
Makwa 6eats06:26
Total length:48:22

References

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  1. ^ Hlongwane, Sefiso. "This is how Kwesta got AKA and Cassper to feature on his album". sowetanlive.co.za. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  2. ^ Tjiya, Emmanuel. "Kwesta: 'I have not arrived'". sowetanlive.co.za. Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  3. ^ Zeeman, Kyle. "Kwesta: 'Relax fam Kwesta is not part of the Illuminati'". channel24.co.za. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  4. ^ "Kwesta's 'DaKAR II' Album Has Gone 7x Platinum".
  5. ^ "Thabsie Celebrates New Milestone For Hit Single With Kwesta Ngiyaz'fela Ngawe". SA Music Magazine. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  6. ^ "Hip-hop hooray: Kwesta's 'Ngiyaz'fela Ngawe' hits 10-million mark [watch]". The South African. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Here are all the 2017 Sama winners | Channel". South Africa: Channel. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
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