Professor's comeback with ‘Order’: the must-hear summer dance anthem

Professor (born Mkhonzeni Langa) has made his long-awaited return to the music scene with a dance anthem titled “Order”, released just in time for the summer.

The comeback marks another defining chapter in the career of one of South Africa’s most consistent hitmakers, an artist who has carried the kwaito sound through every wave of musical change since the early 2000s.

Allow us to take you back.

Professor first came to national attention as one half of the dynamic duo Tzozo and Professor, known for club favourites like “Woze Durban”, “Amantombazane”, “White Wedding” and “Gqobha”.

The duo’s streetwise lyrics and infectious beats captured the sound of Durban and helped shape the early soundscape of post-2000 kwaito. 

When Professor later went solo, he cemented his reputation as one of the genre’s greats with his debut album “University of Kalawa Jazmee”, which produced chart-toppers such as “Jezebel”, “Imoto” and “Lento”.

These songs became cultural touchpoints - party anthems that defined an era.

The album earned him major recognition at the South African Music Awards (Samas), where he won Best Kwaito Album and Best Male Artist.

With “Order”, Professor proves that his story is still unfolding. Known for his kwaito roots and countless hit records, the award-winning artist demonstrates once again that evolution is part of his creative DNA. This time, he steps into the emerging 3-Step sound while keeping his unmistakable Kwaito essence intact. 

The new single is a collaboration with Larny, a rising producer from Durban’s underground gqom scene. Together, they have crafted a song that bridges eras - the raw, percussive drive of gqom meeting the lyrical rhythm and groove of classic kwaito.

“What inspired me to create ‘Order' was that I felt like I had been missing from the music scene for a very long time,” Professor said.

“It reminds me of 2010, when no one was expecting my release or even a solo project. That year changed my life, and this moment feels like that again. I feel like I’m 18. It is exciting."

"The song is going to change the attitude of many young people out there. I have just opened doors for kwaito and dance producers and writers to come through.”

Professor admitted that while he never stopped creating, he did take a deliberate break from releasing solo projects.

“I have been collaborating with other artists, but I took a break because South Africa keeps evolving so fast,” he said.

“I could not really keep up with amapiano. I was in search of high-tempo beats, something that moves differently. With amapiano, it has its own groove, but I did not want to force myself into that space. It would have been too obvious that I was trying to fit in, and I did not want to compromise who I am.” 

For Professor, “Order” represents more than a comeback - it is a meeting point between generations and genres.

“It is a fusion of both gqom and 3-Step,” he explained.

“But if you listen to my lyrics and my portrayal, it sounds very kwaito. Kwaito evolves; it always has. I do not want to rush to give my music a name. I was against it when people called our style ‘Durban kwaito’. I still regard myself as a kwaito artist.” 

He reflected on how musical trends have shifted over the years.

“I know that Kwaito keeps evolving. At first, local hip hop rose to fame, but we knew it was kwaito with a different approach. Then, when Babes Wodumo and others came up, they called it gqom. It will always evolve,” he said.

“Even now, with 4-Step and 3-Step, you can hear the influence of what came before. I still call what I do kwaito, but I fit in well with these new sounds because they come from the same roots.”

For him, the new wave represents hope and longevity. “The current music style gives me hope because our songs can now be played at bigger events,” he said.

“We struggled before when kwaito had a slower tempo, before amapiano was even born. 3-Step gives you that house element, which makes it easier for international DJs to play. I see us existing even longer now. 3-Step is really going to take us somewhere.”

That optimism reflected a renewed confidence. For Professor, taking time away was necessary to reset his direction.

“It is important not to always try to keep up with the current sound,” he said.

“But it is wise to collaborate with the youth. As a producer and songwriter, sometimes you need to sit back and learn. You have to be open to new things. Taking that break helped me reflect on my position and how to move in the music scene now."

"I feel solid, I do not doubt myself anymore, and I am comfortable with the new sound. It was always there -  I just needed time to reconnect with it.”