What if your childhood memories had a beat?
For Gqeberha-born brothers Ruwayne and Waven Sebia, better known as Jay Em, they do. Their new seven-track EP, iSOTTA, transforms the sounds, streets and memories of Port Elizabeth into a house music story that feels both deeply personal and unmistakably South African.
Released on 3 July 2026 via The Beat Club, the project is more than another house release. It is a sonic postcard from a city that helped shape two producers now looking beyond South Africa.
When Taxis Were the Playlist
The cleverest part of iSOTTA is its connection to an era before algorithms decided what we listened to.
The EP takes its name from the Toyota Siyaya minibus taxis that became cultural landmarks in Port Elizabeth. For many communities, those taxis weren’t simply transport. They were moving sound systems, informal radio stations and spaces where new music could travel from one neighbourhood to another.
A track that caught a driver’s attention could suddenly become part of the city’s soundtrack.
Jay Em tap into that history throughout iSOTTA, connecting today’s digital music culture with a time when discovery happened through community, movement and shared experience.
That makes the project particularly relevant in an age dominated by streaming numbers and social media metrics. Before the playlist was digital, the streets were the playlist.
A Tribute That Carries Real Emotion
At the centre of the EP is “Need To Know”, featuring fellow Gqeberha producer Luke M and Botswana vocalist Kali Mija.
The track combines soulful melodies, warm harmonies and nostalgic textures, but its emotional weight comes from somewhere deeper. It honours the late producer Neelan Munnick, known as Four7, whose influence played an important role in Waven’s introduction to music production.
Rather than treating that legacy as a footnote, Jay Em weave it into the musical DNA of the record.
It becomes a reminder that South African music history isn’t only made by stars on major stages. It is also built by friends, producers, DJs, collaborators and creative communities whose influence continues long after the moment has passed.
From Gqeberha to the World
Jay Em‘s journey has already taken them well beyond their hometown.
The brothers have worked with names including Mi Casa, YoungstaCPT and Ziyon, co-produced Mi Casa‘s SAMA-nominated We Made It, earned an AFRIMA nomination for “Toca”, released music through Stay True Sounds and built a strong live reputation.
Their relationship with Mi Casa frontman J’Something has also helped push their sound into wider national spaces.
But iSOTTA shows that moving forward doesn’t mean leaving home behind.
Tracks such as “Borrels” and “Tick Tok” bring contemporary energy to the project, while “Back Seat” and “Front Seat” reinforce its journey-and-movement theme.
More Than an EP
Ultimately, iSOTTA is about identity.
Jay Em have taken something ordinary and deeply South African — the taxi ride — and turned it into a creative archive of memory, community and sound.
For young creatives navigating an increasingly globalised music scene, there’s something powerful in that message: international ambition doesn’t require abandoning local roots.
Sometimes, the road to the world starts with remembering where your soundtrack began.
Stream / Download: https://hypeddit.com/jayem/isotta
