Gaba Cannal: The Godfather of Amapiano “Heala, heala, nhliziyo yam...” If these lyrics make you sing out loud or want to get up Born and bred in the east of Joburg, Khaka Yena became Gaba Cannal when he helped birth one of the biggest music genres in the world. Peeping the game early into his career, Gaba set up his record label, Gaba Cannal Music. A move uncommon to the Piano fraternity at the time. This made him the first official stable in the Amapiano industry, signing producers like De Mthuda, Kwiish SA, Da Muziqal Chef and El’kaydee to name a few; not forgetting frequent collaborator and fellow pioneer, Master Jay. But it wasn’t his status as a label boss that gained him his notoriety in the music scene, it was his undeniably above par production that got him the attention every aspiring musician looks for. Coming from a background of spinning house records and worshipping to Gospel music, Gaba fused these elements to create a soulful musical experience that would still get you dancing any time you heard his songs. Even before the log drum was introduced to the genre, Gaba was leading the new wave of musicians in kasis all over the province. Fast forward to over a decade later, Gaba’s music is loved all over South Africa, with his fan base spilling into neighbouring countries like Mozambique, Botswana, and Namibia to name a few. — Written for Gaba Cannal by Bosso Ke Tiido ©