Mzansi can’t get enough of Drake as 'Iceman' takes over charts
South African music fans are streaming Drake in massive numbers following the release of his new album "Iceman", which has taken over local charts within days of its release.
Image: Instagram/Drake
Halala! Canadian rapper Drake is dominating South African music charts following the release of his new studio album “Iceman” on May 15.
The global superstar has taken over Apple Music South Africa rankings with local listeners pushing the release to the top within hours of its arrival.
“Iceman” debuted at number one on the Apple Music South Africa Album Chart while sister projects “Habibti” and “Maid of Honour" secured the second and third spots.
Drake also flooded the singles chart with tracks from the project, taking over the entire Top 10. A total of 29 songs from the release entered the Top 40 simultaneously.
The album’s opening track, “Make Them Cry", emerged as the top-performing song from the project during its launch day.
Streaming figures also showed South Africa among the strongest markets supporting the release.
According to Apple Music data, South Africa ranked third globally for streams of Drake’s new albums behind only the United States and Canada.
The chart domination quickly sparked reactions across social media platforms, including Facebook and X.
Local hip hop fans celebrated the release while others used the moment to call for South African dates on Drake’s next international tour.
The release also drew attention after the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) shared the album artwork on its social media pages. The public broadcaster later deleted the post after facing criticism online.
Some South Africans accused the SABC of giving more attention to an international artist than to local musicians.
Critics argued that the broadcaster should focus more on promoting South African talent and culture instead of offering free publicity to already successful global stars.
Others questioned why local artists often struggle for airtime and marketing support while international releases receive immediate attention from major platforms.
Despite the backlash surrounding the SABC post, Drake’s popularity in Mzansi remains undeniable.
The success of “Iceman" once again highlights the rapper’s strong influence in the country and the continued appetite among local audiences for international hip hop releases.