Top 10 Richest Musicians In South Africa (2023)
The wealthiest musicians in South Africa might surprise you. For all their showboating, rappers are not always as rich as some of the musicians who live far away from the media eye. Of course, when you live your entire life for the show it’s a little difficult not to go broke, especially as you must constantly spend to meet the expectations of your fans to who you have claimed to be making bags of money every day.
Africa as a continent has been contributing eminently to the development of the music industry in order to add more value to the entertainment world. Most of the countries including SA in the continent are in fact developing the sector as many people keep venturing into the industry and we have interesting talents on the list of richest musicians in South Africa.
Luckily South Africa is a certified international music market that draws in followers from other African countries, and even other continents. This wide acceptance of South African music has therefore deepened the market, making it truly possible for South African musicians to earn the kind of money you see them throwing around in their music videos.
Richest Musicians in South Africa
1. Steve Hofmeyr
Steve Hofmeyr tops the chart of the richest musicians in South Africa. He is supremely talented as an individual and has a personality and ego to match his talents. Steve Hofmeyr is not just a musician; he is also an actor, songwriter, writer, and television host.
He sings mostly in his native Afrikaans language, and his net worth of nearly ZAR 273 million shows that depth beats the size of the market any day. Steve Hofmeyr is quite a controversial figure; some say he is a trouble maker who is bent on polarizing the country with calls for separation of the whites from blacks. Whether or not you like Steve Hofmeyr, you just cannot deny the fact that he is immensely talented.
2. AKA
AKA’ real name is Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, and he was born on January 28, 1988, in Cape Town, South Africa. He is a talented rapper- no doubt about it. AKA is not just a rapper; he is also a singer, songwriter, record producer, and entrepreneur.
AKA is another one of those controversial figures in South African entertainment; he has openly shown that he does not like non-South Africans. His net worth which is estimated at R150 million could be a lot higher if he could tour around the continent, and if he could expand his audience.
3. Rebecca Malope
Rebecca Malope is no doubt a music heavyweight by any standard. She has earned the name the Gospel Queen not by luck but by hard work and consistency. Rebecca Malope is a gospel artist, and she is one of the highest standing and repute. With over 10 million albums sold across the world, Rebecca Malope is one of the highest-selling gospel artists of all time.
Her net worth which is estimated at around R70 million comes from the penetration of her music into the markets of different countries. She is one of the most recognizable faces in gospel music and a brand in her own right.
4. DJ SBU
Sibusiso Leope also known as DJ Sbu is a South African DJ per excellence. He is also a music producer, and record label executive, and all-around businessman. He is not just an event DJ; he also releases albums with his name, and for associated artists.
DJ SBU is also a television presenter (not just music shows) and he is also a businessman with his own energy drink in the market. He is estimated to be worth around ZAR30 million, but one good year of sales can probably double that figure.
5. Black Coffee
Black Coffee is perhaps the most recognizable South African musician; in fact when you think of South African music, Black Coffee is the face of South African Music. His real name is Nkosinathi Innocent Sizwe Maphumulo, and he is a South African DJ, record producer, and songwriter.
He has been active since 1994, and since then he has taken his music beyond the shores of South Africa; into America, Europe, and the rest of the world. He has won several awards both locally and internationally, and he has amassed quite a fortune in the process. He is estimated to be worth about R28 million.
6. Oskido
Oskido whose real name is Oscar Sibonginkosi Mdlongwa is also one of South Africa’s richest musicians. This recording artist, DJ, record producer, and businessman was born 29 November 1967 and is a decorated veteran in the South African music scene.
He lived his early life in Zimbabwe, before returning to South Africa, to establish himself in music and in business. He has done several commercially successful compilations and EPs. He is estimated to be worth around R27.7 million.
7. Die Antwoord
Die Antwood is a Music duo comprising of a male and female who perform a unique kind of rap music. Their music is done in both Afrikaans and English- a thing which has expanded their market; helping them achieve their net worth which is estimated at 20 million dollars combined.
Die Antwood always performs with lithography which is another talking point of their work. In fact, the duo is known to draw as much followership for the visual displays as they do for the music.
8. Casper Nyovest
Casper Nyovest is one of the most authentic powerhouses of South African rap music, and one of the most respected rappers in the whole of Africa. He certainly has everything it takes to become the absolute richest musician in South Africa and the continent as a whole.
Between the juicy endorsement deals with major international brands that he has signed, and the establishment of his own record label ‘Family Tree,’ Casper Nyovest is into the serious music business. He is estimated to be worth around R12 million.
9. DJ Euphonic
DJ Euphonic is one of South Africa’s elite DJs. He is also a music producer and on air personality. DJ Euphonic specializes in House music; in fact, he is one of the reasons why this genre has become so popular in South Africa and has been recognized by other countries as South African music.
DJ Euphonic is estimated to be worth at least ZAR15 million, although some calculate that he is worth more than that. He has produced commercially successful albums in the past, and so there is no reason why he should not surpass that estimated figure.
10. Juanita Du Plessis
Juanita Du Plessis sings country music in the Afrikaans Language and is one of the richest musicians in South Africa. She is just as popular in Namibia as she is in South Africa. She has been active in the music industry for over 20 years, and has sold over 3 million albums.
She is worth over ZAR15 million and has won several awards over the course of her career.
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Conclusion
The richest musicians in South Africa are not necessarily the most popular. One thing that has been very clear is that the Afrikaans market is a lot deeper than most other genres you will find in South Africa. Another important thing to consider is that a musician stands a better chance when he spreads out his wings and takes his music outside the country. If a musician can break into the American market with his music, then he may be well on his way to counting millions.
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