|1st in Category Winner|
Anati Mnyango, better known as Anatii, was 10 years old when he made his first beat at home in the Eastern Cape.
His big break into the local music industry came just five years later, when he wrote and produced the chart-topping When It Rains for rapper L-Tido.
By the time he turned 18, Anatii had worked alongside Grammy award-winner Lebo M on a compilation album, and the opening song for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. Since then, Anatii, now 24, has collected production credits on songs for huge South African stars, including; Danny K, Riky Rick and Fistaz Mixwell.
His production work on Cassper Nyovest’s platinum album, Tsholofelo, earned Anatii two Metro FM Awards. Vocally trained by RJ Benjamin, Anatii is a multi-talented creative whose best songs showcase his abilities as a producer, rapper and singer.
His most successful single has been his 2015 hit, The Saga, featuring AKA, which won two South African Hip Hop Awards. This self proclaimed “neo-African fusion creative,” and cultural influencer understands his musical calling is bigger than just his own personal success.
|I work to advance local music culture and improve the standard of our creative offering to the world. In whatever I do I’m always trying to promote what makes South Africa unique.|
Anatii’s creative vision extends beyond the music into the visual realm, where he has produced some of his own music videos. Beyond our borders, Anatii has worked with some of the biggest artists in the world, including DJ Khaled, Erykah Badu and Talib Kweli.
Every project showcases his versatility through music that holds massive global appeal. His debut album, Artiifact, was a fusion of hip hop, RnB and Afrobeats that boasts features from Tiwa Savage, US musician Omarion, and the Somali duo, Farrow.
Omarion joined Anatii for the promotional Artiifact tour, which packed venues across South Africa, while Anatii produced two music videos which Omarian shot locally. Two of Anatii’s 2017 hits, 10 Fingers and Don’t Forget to Pray, will be on an upcoming collaborative album with AKA called “Be Careful What You Wish For.”
The young muso is definitely not just wishing for what he wants, he’s making it happen.
