Gigi LaMayne has teamed up with Pcee, Ndloh Jnr and VMB to deliver a genre-blending anthem on her upcoming single Imnandi Lento.
The song, launching on Friday, fuses lyricism, infectious amapiano grooves and the rising pulse of 3-step.
While the award-winning rapper delivers commanding bars, Pcee injects hitmaking energy, Ndloh Jnr adds fresh momentum from the emerging 3-step movement and VMB elevates the record through rich musicality and flair.
“I’ve been in many rooms, but this one had a different kind of magic. There was laughter, there was curiosity, there was respect. The idea didn’t come from one person standing up and saying ‘this is it’. It came from a shared energy. Someone played a bounce, someone else added texture, and before we knew it, we were building something that felt bigger than all of us,” Gigi told TshisaLIVE.
“We’re all from such distinct sonic worlds and I think that’s what made it beautiful. Nobody came in trying to outshine the next. We came to shine together.
Balancing lyricism on a dance record is always a fun challenge. I come from hip-hop — that’s my foundation, that’s where I sharpened my pen, so I’ll always honour that. But I’ve also learnt not every moment needs to be heavy to be impactful.
— Gigi LaMayne
“Of course there’s always a level of adjustment when strong creatives meet, but it didn’t feel like sacrifice; it felt like evolution. If anything, we all leaned into each other’s strengths. I didn’t feel like I had to dilute my lyricism and they didn’t compromise their sound. We found a sweet spot where everything co-existed. That’s rare and I don’t take that lightly.”
Having made her mark in hip-hop, Gigi has been hard at work to earn her stripes in the DJ scene since venturing in the industry last June. She’s been booked and busy and gained a reputation as a rapping DJ.
“My journey between hip-hop and amapiano has been one of growth, not confusion. I’m not switching identities, I’m expanding them. Hip-hop gave me discipline, voice and storytelling. Amapiano gave me freedom, rhythm and a new way to connect. Being able to stand confidently in both spaces is a blessing and I’m grateful the audience has allowed me to explore without boxing me in.
“Balancing lyricism on a dance record is always a fun challenge. I come from hip-hop — that’s my foundation, that’s where I sharpened my pen, so I’ll always honour that. But I’ve also learnt not every moment needs to be heavy to be impactful.”
Following the release of her hip-hop project Doves and Scones in April 2025, Gigi is gearing to release an EP in August which will reflect the space she is in creatively.
“Three-step, for me, feels like rhythm that speaks in layers — it’s intricate, it dances differently, it challenges you a bit more. Amapiano is warmer, more familiar, it holds you. Blending the two right now feels like a natural progression of the culture. We’re not here to stay in one lane; we’re here to expand it."
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