The Undisputed ‘King Of Gqom’, DJ Lag Announces New Mixtape ‘Southside’
Internationally acclaimed South African artist DJ Lag, known worldwide as the Gqom King, returns with his most electrifying project yet. His forthcoming mixtape ‘Southside’ drops on November 14, following the global success of hits like ‘GQTech’ with Ape Drums and ‘Woza’. Ahead of the release, Lag unveils the mixtape’s third single ‘WaWaWa’ featuring DJknator and Thobeka, out October 30.
‘WaWaWa’ captures the pulse of a night out—cups raised, confidence high, and the crowd moving as one. Reuniting with Thobeka, whose vocals powered 2023’s ‘Yebo’, and joining forces with DJknator on production, Lag delivers a high-energy anthem made for dance floors around the world. “Thobeka always brings fire vocals, and DJknator added a fresh spark to the beat. I hope people vibe with it as much as we did,” says Lag. Thobeka adds, “Collaborating with DJ Lag is always a dream, and this one’s going to light up the dance floor.”
DJ Lag | SUPPLIED
Building on the success of his critically acclaimed sophomore album, the ‘Southside’ mixtape serves as an ode to the sounds and influences that have shaped Lag’s boundary-pushing Gqom identity. Across 12 tracks, he blends elements of 3-Step and Afro-Tech with his signature Gqom energy, as heard in his first two singles and his long-awaited collaboration with Vigro Deep on ‘Yey’Wena’. The project explores new territory with club anthems like ‘WaWaWa’ and ‘NgyaSindelwa’, songwriting-driven moments like ‘Shona Malanga’, and the revival of his Gqom-Amapiano hybrid sound on ‘NgyaGowa’, a follow-up to last year’s ‘Hade Boss’.
Featuring party-ready anthems, infectious hooks, and hard-hitting beats rooted in his Durban heritage, Southside celebrates the rhythms that raised DJ Lag while pushing Gqom into bold, global spaces. Collaborations with DJ Maphorisa, Vigro Deep, Sir Trill, Ape Drums, Jay Music, and more showcase his ability to innovate while staying true to his roots.
DJ Lag | SUPPLIED
Widely recognized as a pioneer and ambassador of Gqom, DJ Lag continues to bridge underground innovation and mainstream acclaim. His career highlights include a Metro FM Award nomination for ‘Hade Boss’, a SAMA nod for ‘Meeting with the King’, a feature on Beyoncé’s GRAMMY-nominated ‘The Lion King: The Gift’, and the multi-platinum hit ‘The Re-Up’, which has surpassed 20 million streams. Praised by Mixmag as “one of the best ambassadors for dance music in the world” and by DJ Mag as “a pioneering force in Gqom’s global explosion,” Lag keeps redefining the landscape of electronic music. Most recently, he received another SAMA nomination for his latest album, ‘The Rebellion’.
Currently on a globe-spanning tour, Lag has brought his dynamic sets to EDC Las Vegas, MTN Bushfire, Ultra South Africa, DC10 Ibiza, Rush Festival in France, Open Ground in Germany, Glastonbury, Fabric UK, Amsterdam Dance Event, Unsound Festival, and Rocking the Daisies, with upcoming stops at Rage in the City and Beneath the Baobabs. His festival presence, global collaborations, and explosive performances continue to cement his reputation as one of dance music’s most influential figures.
DJ Lag | SUPPLIED
“With Southside, I wanted to celebrate where I’m from while showing where the sound is going,” Lag says. “It’s for the people who’ve been with me from the start, and for everyone discovering the movement for the first time.”
TRACKLIST:
- NgyaSindelwa ft. Zee Nxumalo, K.C Driller
- GQTECH ft. Ape Drums
- Wa’Wa’Wa ft. Djknator, Thobeka
- Native Sound ft. Jay Music
- Woza ft. Sir Trill, Sykes
- Yey’Wena ft. Vigro Deep, K.C Driller
- Shona Malanga ft. Argento Dust, Natasha MD, K.C Driller
- RSVP ft. Djknator
- WTF
- Detroit Rave ft. NovaBoy
- Beast
- NgyaGowa ft. DJ Maphorisa, Xduppy ft. SjavasDaDeejay, 2woshort, K.C Driller, Stompiiey