Yet another Pretoria representative has released a stellar hip hop album. This time it’s Thato Saul who has just released his latest album Life Is Gangsta. The 13-track album showcases the emcee’s skill as a wordsmith who also has the ability to make enjoyable songs. Throughout the album, he shares stories about life in his hood, as well as getting introspective in some instances.
Most notably, Thato Saul’s Pitori dialect remains intact in most of the songs, while he switches up every now and then. Case in point is on the A-Reece assisted “Put It On Me”, where he raps in a more traditional rap voice. The two emcees trade stories about how they had to get it from the dirt in order to be where they are, asserting that they really do this for real. Saul raps, “Never had it twisted like dread/ I just be cautious about where I tread/ Protecting all my street-cred/ Born and raised from the crumbs is how a nigga was really bred…” A-Reece is bullish as he raps, “I’m the fucking realist/ These young niggas is trying to master a technique that I invented… Fuck the law/ I’m stealing shows/ Killing rappers, dawg/ Just like the ex-con Jimmy, I thought I’d better call Saul…”
The album is underscored with interludes and intros of everyday Pitori people’s conversations and this serves as an illustration of how Thato Saul wears his heart on his sleeve, especially about where he comes from. He enlists the talented R&B and soul singer Marcus Harvey on the smooth “Kick It With You”, while Tron Pyre lands an assist on “Deep In The Mix”. Frequent collaborator Tyson Sybatelli features on “What’s Going On” and he reconnects with Maglera Doe boy on “Okay”, which could very well serve as a sequel to their Mashbeatz produced cult classic collabo “NEVER RIDE”.
Listen to Thato Saul’s Life Is Gangsta below:
