Bantu is a Los Angeles-based, Zimbabwe-born singer, rapper, and producer who mixes electronic club sounds with hip-hop and bright African and reggae rhythms. Emerging in the mid-2010s, the Grammy nominee has written and produced for a slew of high-profile artists, including
Jason Derulo,
Rita Ora,
A$AP Rocky,
Camila Cabello,
Pitbull, and
Chris Brown.
Bantu debuted in 2016 with the single "Holiday," an uptempo love song that fused dynamic club/dance-pop with African rhythms. The song was paired with a provocative video depicting a young couple clashing with rebel fighters, adding a resonant tone to the otherwise sunny track. Subsequent singles "Roll with Me" (featuring
Shungudzo and
ZieZie), "Jackie Chan," and "Juice" followed a similar trajectory, with an emphasis on vibrant reggae rhythms. In 2020
Bantu teamed up with fellow Zimbabwean Dr. Chaii for the collaborative EP Coming to America, Vol.1. ~ James Christopher Monger