We had an interview with EeQue, the prince of amapiano. The fast-rising South African amapiano singing sensation, Leago Moganedi artistically known as EeQue has carved a re-echoing niche for himself with Amapiano and the South African music ecosystem.
With compelling sounds like ‘Zotata’, ‘Bas’Vuele’, ‘Akalaleki’ and the banging ‘Tshwala Bam’ with massive collaborations with Uncle Waffles, Yuppe, TitoM, Pcee, Ojiro and many others, EeQue has persistently kept his early passion for music active, enjoying streaming figures, topping charts and a couple of awards.
There is a well-known adage: when something happens once, it is credited to luck; when it happens twice, it is considered a coincidence. However, certain artists resist such basic definitions. EeQue’s swift ascent in the amapiano-sphere isn’t mere chance. His knack for producing and contributing to recent amapiano chart-toppers is a testament to his extraordinary talent and promising trajectory. It appears he’s cracked the code for crafting amapiano hits.
He was a featured artist on Uncle Waffles’ global TikTok hit single ‘Yahyuppiyah.’
EeQue’s skill is in his innate understanding of the subtleties that appeal to listeners everywhere. His tunes are not simply hits, but anthems that take over dance floors and party playlists worldwide.
EeQue is not only a gifted musician, but he also exudes humility. In a society where extroversion often reigns supreme, EeQue proudly embraces his introverted personality—a trait that only serves to heighten the mystery around his artistic abilities. This revelation does not diminish his ability to write songs with impact; rather, it only serves to emphasise how real and special his gift is.
From Hip-Hop to Amapiano
The singer and rapper who started as a hip-hop artist has embraced the new wave of Amapiano.
“…like, the music that l make, if you listen closely to the music it has hip hop elements, but tapping into amapiano we couldn’t leave the sound, even the jello, beats and pegs are hip hop sound we twist the tempo and everything’s just a pops.”
EeQue talks about his artistic journey from being a hip-hop artist to an Amapiano star.
The bright Jazzy electronic sound culled from local house flavours through an array of chord structures, piano riffs and drum programming laced with soulful vocals; Amapiano has blown up beyond being of South African origin.
Amapiano has persistently competed musically for years since its inception in the early 2000s with the West African afrobeats and other genres. The compelling electronic sound has become a hit genre due to creatives like Dj Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, TitoM, and EeQue amongst others.
EeQue has become one of the recent vocalists to retain the global reach of the Amapiano genre.
Becoming EeQue
The young South African singer grew up in a calm but musically loud family which influenced his tap into music that he recorded his first song at the early age of thirteen (13) with his artistic name Lil Trey.
“13 years old! What was it like?” this writer inquired.
“Just trying to figure it out, just being in the studio with my friends, tremendous record. I don’t know what we were recording but we were recording,” EeQue smiled through as he responded.
EeQue is supposed to be like an equivalent which means balance.
EeQue, 2024.
The Eastern Johannesburg-born rapper has gone through ten years of studio sessions, disappointments, ups and downs, learning, growing his passion for music as a talent and business, changing names and twisting beats and genres.
“I started with the name Lil Trey, I don’t know how I came by the name, maybe one of my friends gave me.” He recalled giggling.
Moving on, EeQue was asked to tell the story behind his new stage name.
He responded, “EeQue is supposed to be like an equivalent which means balance. But now, I just noticed that EQ is actually precept which is also like balanced. I just took the E and the Q and then I just added an E and the qu e just to make it a full name. You know.”
The artist who prefers creating music has enjoyed good relationships with other industry creatives like TitoM, Yuppe and others which has been reflected in his collaborations and danceable electronic sounds.
Tshwala Bam
EeQue teamed up with TitoM, Yuppe, and S.N.E to deliver another compelling and dance-irresistible amapiano hit.
EeQue says, “Those vocals actually were not supposed to be on the beat that they are now, those vocals were recorded last year but on a different beat and then we just took them to a new beat, that’s how it was done. Sometimes you just need to change the beat.“
“After recording did you think it would be a hit like this?” this writer inquired.
My vision and mission is to create a long-lasting legacy. I want to create music that’s impactful in some way.
EeQue, 2024.
“Nah! It’s just like another normal song that we do in the studio.Yeah, I don’t feel like nobody knows when they have a hit song. Like, organically hit songs, like you never know. It’s just gonna surprise you,” he said.
The singer and rapper who tags his amapiano as new wave due to his creative twist of hip hop elements into amapiano tempo is also a budding producer who prefers being an executive producer directing how the beats and elements should sound.
EeQue Recommendations
When touched base with cultural roots and influences. When asked to recommend a South African dish everyone should try at least once in their life time, EeQue passionately expressed his fondness for Mogodu, a traditional dish that holds significant cultural value, particularly within the South African context.
For movies, EeQue highlighted ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ as a pivotal film that not only portrays the historical challenges faced by South Africa but also encapsulates his personal ethos of overcoming adversity and fostering unity.
In his words, “Long Walk to Freedom. This shows what hardships South Africa faced as a country. It gives the history of South Africa. It also is everything I stand for, being able to overcome and unite people.”
When asked about his favourite place, EeQue enthusiastically championed Cape Town, describing it as a vibrant hub of South African culture and natural beauty, where every aspect echoes the essence of the nation.
The Ultimate Goal
During our interview, we immediately delved into the core aspirations of EeQue, aiming to unearth the ultimate goal for his musical journey.
“My vision and mission is to create a long-lasting legacy. I want to create music that’s impactful in some way. I love healing music as well. My journey also has some sort of struggle I want to be able to embrace that and show that challenges don’t stop dreams,” he responded.
