The moniker ASAP (as it relates to ASAP Shembe) is an acronym for “Aba Sindisiwe Aba Pheli” and is loosely translated to “those who are saved will never perish.” The title of his album, Amarekere, seems as fitting a debut as you will ever find.
His first EP, Inkinga, was released in 2017 and he followed it up with Butter and Butter II, joint projects with Fireman. Earlier this year he dropped a four-track EP, Insila, and of it, he says “I felt it was necessary for me to release Insila before I released my album, because there were internal conflicts I had to overcome and Insila was the perfect setup for me to initiate having those honest conversations with myself and the fans of my music career.”
Describing Amarekere as a pilgrimage, he maintains not only the sonic direction that he’d began this journey with, but maintaining the storytelling that effortlessly blends his African roots with modern trap elements.
Beautifully arranged, the album is more of an experience than it is a compilation of songs. Check it out here.
