Global superstar Mr. Eazi and UK-based Afrobeats selector DJ Edu have paired up to create a new dance project: ChopLife Soundsystem. Launching their project with a debut album, Chop Life, Vol. 1: Mzansi Chronicles, and a world tour, the pair is truly starting with a bang. The album was recorded between Cape Town and Johannesburg and serves as a tribute to South African dance music. As the two artists complement each other’s strengths, they also share a common goal: to highlight the thriving club scene of South Africa and get people up on their feet. Joyful, energetic, and positive, the music of ChopLife Soundsystem is perfect for the summer. And beyond.

Mr. Eazi, a musical innovator, business leader and philanthropist, is one of the most streamed African artists in the world. Not only has he crafted afropop hits such as “Pour Me Water” and “Skin Tight”, and collaborated with artists such as Beyoncé and J Balvin, he has also founded a talent incubator program to help accelerate the careers of African artists. The program, emPawa, has grown into one of Africa’s largest independent music companies. It is fitting, therefore, that he has partnered with DJ Edu — a champion of young talent, himself. Often referred to as the “afroboss”, DJ Edu is a club DJ, radio show host, and a leader in the industry. He is known for his utmost taste and reliability when it comes to afrobeats and afropop.

We had the opportunity to catch up with both Mr. Eazi and DJ Edu about the origins of ChopLife Soundsystem and their thoughts on the UK and African music scenes.

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Mr Eazi:
How does it feel looking back on your legacy?
I’m excited about what the future holds for me, and I’m proud to be a pioneer and part of the African music scene.

What is your opinion of the direction of African music?
I believe that African music is headed in a great direction and that the world is starting to recognise the talent that Africa has to offer. The possibilities are endless – we are just getting started.

How did you connect with DJ Edu for this new album?
Funny story actually. I’ll leave Edu to tell that story. I and DJ Edu have known each other for years, and we have always talked about working together on a project. When the opportunity came, we decided to collaborate on the ChopLife Soundsystem album.

What do you want listeners to take away from the project?
I hope that the listeners will enjoy the music and feel the good vibes/choplife energy that the album embodies.

DJ Edu:
How does it feel looking back on your legacy?
I am proud of my accomplishments and the impact I’ve had in the African music scene and I’m just excited about the future and what more there is to conquer.

What’s your opinion of the current UK scene?
I believe that the current UK scene is very diverse, and there is a lot of talent coming out of the UK. I also believe that there’s a need to be more supportive of the up-and-coming artists.

How did you connect with Mr Eazi for this new album?
Me and Mr Eazi have had a lot of happy coincidences. We met through music, even though we didn’t plan on it because we were busy touring. I was DJing and we ended up at a club in Coventry after driving for hours. Mr Eazi was only supposed to come say hi and maybe have some champagne, but then he ended up performing for about 45 minutes. After that, we went to Barcelona. We were only supposed to do a quick 15-minute set, but then we went to Spain and then Madrid and ended up playing for two hours. The club owner came up to Eazi and said, “Yo Eazi, you guys need to stop, man. The champagne has run out, the drinks have run out.” That’s when we realized we were onto something. There’s something about how we deliver the music and how we enjoy playing other people’s music that just works. We played some of Mr. Eazi’s songs and there was a great synergy between us. It was also amazing to see how people were enjoying Mr Eazi hosting. It just opened up another lane and avenue for us to create ChopLife with our fans.

What do you want listeners to take away from the project?
Dancing is the best remedy for a sore heart.