Amapiano, a Nguni (a linguistic cultural group in southern Africa) word loosely translated to "the pianos," is a subgenre of house music that emerged in South Africa in the mid-2010s. It is a hybrid of deep house, jazz, and lounge music characterized by synths and wide, percussive basslines. The music incorporates high-pitched keyboard melodies, South African basslines, low tempo 1990s South African house rhythms, and the use of percussion similar to tribal house. An important element of the genre is the prevalent use of the log drum, a wide percussive bassline, which was popularized by producer MDU aka TRP.

One of the new rising forces in the genre is the highly creative musician and producer Beat Master Makia, whose recent body of work seeks to expand the genre, and in doing so, hopefully bring it to a wider audience, ultimately making it more palatable for audiences in the United States. His first full-length offering, the ambitious "Beat Master Makia Presents Cute & Bougie," expands upon the genre with the help of guest artists Dakarai Abimbola, Ekon Oluwusi, and female vocalists Hasina Mensah and Skiffy Kanees. The album stands as a testament to the unbounding creativity of it's master chef, Beat Master Makia - and a promise of more inspiring music to come.