Phelimuncasi formed in 2012 in the Mlaszi township of Durban, South Africa as a trio of Gqom vocalists, Khera, Malathon, and Makan Nana. Their music is imbued with a storytelling tradition that harks back to southern African toyi-toyi, a powerful dance of protest accompanied by rhythmic singing that was used during anti-apartheid demonstration to intimidate police and security forces. Driven by the urge to create music that “enchants or poisons the audience,” the trio partnered with producers DJ MP3 and DJ Scoturn.