Kwesta’s Pursuit of Greatness
More than Kwesta, the musician endears himself to you as Senzo Vilakazi, the man. Never one to enforce the stereotype of ‘celebrity’, it’s his boy next-door-charm that has garnered him supporters that feel more like a community than a fan base. It’s this sense of community – imparted through the late Linda ‘PRO’ Mkhize – […]
Kid X – Coming of Age
As a coming of age, Bonginkosi ‘Kid X’ Mahlangu’s debut album couldn’t be a more fitting tribute to his journey as an artist. Running the gauntlet of themes from his relationship with God, to navigating the glare of Jozi’s city lights, romantic endeavours, and the hurdles he’s had to overcome in his career, he says […]
Kwesta & Kid X: Raplyf Season
The Plug 100: Most Influential People in SA Urban Culture
The Oxford Dictionary defines influence as “the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself”. Additionally, it can also be concluded that influence is “the power to shape policy or ensure favourable treatment from someone, especially through status, contacts, or wealth”. When we embarked […]
Rouge: Raising The Bar
The love story isn’t a novel idea in the hip hop storytelling pantheon. Project Pat’s “Choose U” was one such tale of ‘hood love’; a woman choosing to move on from her relationship with her baby daddy, and supporting her new beau with her child support cheques. Pimp C was in prison when he heard […]
A-Reece: The Gifted One
In 1994, at the height of his legal troubles, Tupac Shakur sat down with BET’s Ed Gordon for an interview on the plight of black lives and, as he started to gain notoriety for his militant ways, his perception in the public eye. He said “That change right before you go from being eighteen and […]
Loot Love and DJ Speedsta – The Future of Radio
I can remember exactly where I was the first time I heard Skwatta Kamp’s Umoya. I can remember exactly where I was, exactly what I was doing, and – in that moment – exactly how it made me feel. That raw and rugged sound offset with Relo’s sweet vocals stopped me in my tracks and […]
Until Until – Game Changers
If Charles Darwin’s words “A man’s friendships are one of the best measures of his worth” took human form, they’d look a lot like the collective known as Until Until. You’d be forgiven if, while sitting in their company, it escaped you that you were engaging with a group of resolute young entrepreneurs in […]
Youngsta – The Defiant Voice
Words by Mercia Tucker Africandrone, a non-profit entity, funded a photography project in 2017 aimed at showing the separation between the working class and the bourgeoisie’s Unequal Scenes. Headed up by Johnny Miller, the project portrayed that “communities of extreme wealth and privilege will exist just meters from squalid conditions and shack dwellings.” An award-winning […]
Steers Respek Nation Presents TTGO – The Pitori Invasion
Charismatic rapper, TTGO, rose to fame on The Hustle and is forging an inspired career as a breakthrough act. TTGO represents a fascinating new breed of artists emerging from Pretoria’s creative scene which is cultivating a unique musical identity, distinct Pitori lexicon and cultural ethos. The DNA of the contemporary Pitori artist is invigorating, a […]
Steers’ Respek Nation presents J Molley – The New Wave
J Molley is different. And by that I’m not referring to the fact that he’s a white kid in a game dominated by black rappers. The Internet Boy, as he is fondly known by his peers, is an extremely bright kid. Nerdy even. The home-schooled rapper waxes lyrical about everything from cartoons to business to […]
Steers Respek Nation presents Shane Eagle – Leader of the New School
Game-changing moments are often only recognised and appreciated in retrospect. When is the exact moment a rap icon is born? When does an artist transcend from being a great rapper to being recognised as a legend? How do we decide who’s got next? And who decides – gatekeepers? Which gatekeepers? Fellow artists? The Fans..? South […]