Da L.E.S & Maggz Clash Over Whether Sjava & Danya Devs Are Hip Hop Or R&B Artists
Da L.E.S & Maggz Clash Over Whether Sjava & Danya Devs Are Hip Hop Or R&B Artists. South African hip hop veterans Da L.E.S and Maggz have sparked an intriguing conversation about genre identity after disagreeing over where artists Sjava and Danya Devs truly belong.
During the latest episode of The Da L.E.S & Maggz Show, the pair debated whether the two musicians should be classified as hip hop artists or viewed primarily through an R&B lens, highlighting the increasingly blurred lines that define modern South African music.
Maggz stood firmly behind the idea that both artists are rooted in hip hop culture, arguing that their artistic identity extends beyond the sound of individual songs.
“The culture, the culture, the musicology, his aesthetics are hip hop. Those guys are hip hop. The style of the music is hip hop. It’s hip hop. Not R&B, I mean, they do other genres,” he said.
For Maggz, experimenting with different sounds does not erase an artist’s foundation within hip hop culture.
Da L.E.S, however, saw things differently. Using Kwesta and Sjava as a point of comparison, he argued that Sjava’s music leans far more toward R&B than traditional rap.
“It’s like having Kwesta versus Java. I mean, what is he? He’s R&B. I’m sorry. No ways. It’s not hip hop. He’s R&B,” Da L.E.S responded.
Maggz immediately pushed back, insisting, “Nah, he’s hip hop, dawg.”
Da L.E.S followed with another pointed question: “Can he be hip hop?”
The discussion reflects a wider debate that has been unfolding across South African music for years. Sjava has built his career by blending African Trap Music, hip hop, contemporary R&B and Afro-pop while drawing inspiration from genres such as maskandi and isicathamiya. His emotionally charged songwriting and distinctive vocal style have made him one of the country’s most influential artists, even though his music often resists easy categorisation.
Danya Devs has also embraced musical versatility. While he has previously spoken about being raised by hip hop, his catalogue stretches comfortably between rap, Afro-pop and soulful melodies, creating a sound that appeals to multiple audiences without fitting neatly into one genre.
As Amapiano, Afro-fusion and cross-genre collaborations continue to dominate the South African music landscape, debates like this have become increasingly common. Some hip hop purists believe clearly defining the genre is essential to preserving its culture, while others argue that artists such as Sjava and Danya Devs are expanding hip hop’s reach rather than abandoning it.
The exchange between Da L.E.S and Maggz has already generated strong reactions among fans, with many echoing Maggz’s view that hip hop is defined as much by culture and identity as it is by production style. Others agree with Da L.E.S, believing Sjava’s vocal delivery and musical direction place him closer to R&B and Afro-soul.
Regardless of where listeners stand, the conversation is another reminder that South African music continues to evolve faster than traditional genre labels can keep up. Whether they are viewed as hip hop artists, R&B musicians or genre-defying innovators, Sjava and Danya Devs remain two of the country’s most influential voices, proving that great music often exists between categories.
