Kwaito legends to celebrate the sounds and culture that shaped generations of South Africans
Back to the City International Festival has added legendary Kwaito group Trompies to its 2026 line-up, with the group set to perform as part of the festival’s Heritage Slot.
The addition brings one of South Africa’s most influential Kwaito acts to a festival known for celebrating hip-hop and the broader culture surrounding the genre.
Celebrating South Africa’s musical heritage
The Heritage Slot is designed to honour the artists, genres and cultural movements that have helped shape South Africa’s musical identity.
Trompies are among the groups most closely associated with that legacy.
Emerging from the vibrant township music scene in the early 1990s, the group became synonymous with Kwaito and played an important role in shaping youth culture during the genre’s rise.
Their music, fashion and energetic performances helped define an era, while their catalogue of hits remains firmly rooted in South Africa’s musical memory.
Kwaito legends take the stage
Trompies’ appearance at Back to the City is expected to give festivalgoers an opportunity to reconnect with the sounds of an important period in South African music.
Their inclusion also highlights the continued influence of Kwaito on contemporary popular culture and the generations of artists who followed.
The Heritage Slot will celebrate the pioneers whose music helped establish the cultural foundations on which much of today’s South African music scene was built.
International and local stars on the line-up
Trompies join an already diverse Back to the City 2026 line-up, which includes internationally acclaimed acts Slum Village and Blu & Exile.
The festival will also feature Just Sam, Mfana Touchline, Lacabra and Tshego Santana.
The combination of established legends, international hip-hop names and emerging voices is aimed at bringing different generations and sounds together on one stage.
Back to the City continues to position itself as a platform celebrating African and global hip-hop culture while recognising the pioneers and movements that helped shape the scene.
Festival details
Back to the City International Festival 2026 will take place on 10 October 2026 at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, Johannesburg.
Tickets are available through Webtickets.
