LELOWHATSGOOD REDEFINES GQOM WITH NEW DROP REBIRTH IS NECESSARY – OUT NOW

The five-track project expands the language, rhythm and possibilities of one of South Africa’s most influential genres.

Creative, DJ, SAMA-nominated artist and cultural trailblazer Lelowhatsgood has officially released his highly anticipated EP, Rebirth Is Necessary.

Following the success of his critically acclaimed, SAMA-nominated EP Next Level and the release of lead single Ba Ko Kae, Rebirth Is Necessary marks Lelo’s most ambitious body of work to date. Across five tracks, the project challenges conventional understandings of Gqom by broadening its linguistic and sonic landscape, creating an immersive listening experience that feels both deeply rooted in South African dance music and boldly future-facing.

For decades, Gqom has largely been defined by its unmistakable rhythms and vocal performances delivered predominantly in isiZulu and isiXhosa. While honouring the foundations of the genre, Lelowhatsgood expands its creative possibilities by introducing more languages and fluidity into its sonic vocabulary, inviting listeners to experience Gqom through a broader cultural lens. The result is a project that celebrates the genre’s origins while demonstrating its limitless capacity for evolution.

“Rebirth Is Necessary is about allowing music to evolve in the same way we do,” says Lelowhatsgood. “I’ve always believed that our stories, our languages and our identities deserve to exist across every dance floor. This project is an invitation to hear Gqom differently – to embrace its ability to hold many voices, many influences and many futures.”

Musically, the EP traverses Gqom, Is’qinsi, Afro Tech, 3-Step and experimental club music, seamlessly weaving these influences into a cohesive project that refuses to be confined by genre. The title itself reflects the project’s central theme – transformation through reinvention, where disruption becomes the catalyst for growth.

Rebirth Is Necessary features an impressive lineup of collaborators, each bringing their own distinct perspective to the project starting with led single Ba Ko Kae with Espacio Dios; followed by Hypnosis with DJ Emotive & KIING BHUTIE; flowing into Mind Your Business with Lazarusman featuring KIING BHUTIE; Ngiw’logogo with Unkle Ken & Rifle Deep featuring Thobeka and Sunornza – and finally, Ten Toes with Omagoqa featuring Joshua Futura. Together, these collaborations reinforce the EP’s commitment to experimentation and community, bringing together some of the country’s most exciting voices across electronic music, spoken word and underground dance culture.

The project’s visual identity, inspired by the late multidisciplinary artist Lunga Ntila, continues the narrative introduced during the announcement of the EP. Through fragmented imagery, collage and distortion, the artwork reflects the ongoing process of becoming – a metaphor for identities, cultures and sounds that resist easy definition. Just as the visuals embrace multiplicity, so too does the music, finding beauty in complexity and power in transformation.

Known for shaping culture both behind the decks and beyond them, Lelowhatsgood has built a reputation as one of South Africa’s leading creative voices – bridging music, fashion, nightlife and contemporary African culture. Through Rebirth Is Necessary, he further cements his position as an artist committed to pushing boundaries while remaining deeply connected to the communities and sounds that continue to inspire him.

More than an EP, Rebirth Is Necessary is a statement of intent. It asks listeners to rethink what Gqom can be, demonstrating that the genre is not bound by language, expectation or convention, but instead has the capacity to continuously evolve alongside the people who create it.

Rebirth Is Necessary is available now on all major streaming platforms.

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