Sawubona to our South African Homies

Written By Jena Dominique

Pictured from left to right are the inaugural class of South African Homies: Top row: Lutho, Yolophonik, Doowap, JustTravisCPT, Deniece Marz, and Chuma. Second row: LocHive, Athi Maq, Franadilla, Shaqueer, Pona Colada, and Kaddy. Bottom row: Ghxst Bunny, Chaxlie, Majola, Tashinga, Nahledi, and LeloWhatsGood.

Let’s talk about June 16 in South Africa — Not just a date. A turning point.

On June 16, 1976, thousands of students in South Africa took to the streets, risking everything to reject an education system designed to erase them. The uprising may have started in the classroom, but it was always about freedom. In the face of an apartheid regime built to control, divide, and silence, this movement was about power, dignity, and the right to exist fully.

That spirit didn’t stay in the past. It moves through us — still.

With this campaign, we’re bringing the nation’s rich musical legacy to the world through raw, authentic visuals and sound. We're not manufacturing a vibe — we're stepping into a living, breathing tradition of expression through music, showcasing how it has always been at the heart of resistance, societal change, and self-expression.

They didn’t know it then, yet we’ll forever know it as Youth Day.

This is our tribute — to where we came from, where we’re headed, and a call-in to the next generation — the DJs, dancers, designers, entrepreneurs and culture shapers who are doing it now, for real.

Top row: LeloWhatsGood, LocHive, Franadilla, Yolophonik, Pona Colada, Shaqueer, and JustTravisCPT. Bottom row: Yolophonik,Doowap, Majola, Deniece Marz, and Chaxlie. These are our Johannesburg Homies.

Top row: Lutho, Chuma and Tashinga. Second row: Ghxst Bunny. These are our Cape Town Homies.

From Johannesburg to Cape Town, this creative cohort represents what Homies stands for — community-first creativity, rooted in place, pushing culture locally and globally. Johannesburg moves on its own frequency — sharp, grounded, always in motion. Cape Town moves with power — fluid, intentional, always in conversation with the past and the possible. We showed up with our people. Documented the presence. Captured the creativity that’s rooted in resistance, but also in joy, heritage, and clear vision.

This is about remembering forward, and creating moments that matter now and later.

Beginning June 20th, we’ll release full DJ sets from our South African Homies across YouTube and Soundcloud. Subscribe, join us on Patreon for the first look, and stay tuned!

Gratitude to our team that brought this together.

To connect with the Homies team on this matter, or others contact hi@homeisforhomies.com.

Jena Dominique