The Hunter’s X Jacquel Culture House  is a partnership between multi-award-winning African Pop Maverick, TRESOR and Hunter’s, South Africa’s most refreshing cider, that aims to give young musicians access to the music industry on a national scale. The collab also seeks to be an empowerment platform providing support and career development through ongoing mentorship and industry knowledge sharing: #RefreshingtheRules of the music industry.

Lungelo Manzi began his professional solo career in 2016 and, since then, has released a trilogy of EPs and two live albums, which established his emerging voice as an independent artist. Lungelo Manzi’s craft focuses on honest storytelling, covering love and personal development themes. “I think, at first, writing songs was a way to keep a capsule of memories and stories people shared with me. This idea of processing emotions, telling vivid stories from facts or being inspired by something you’ve felt through the senses was appealing. It was only after those first few moments of receiving positive feedback in different ways from people who listened that I felt that music was something I could be a vessel for, in a more honest and sometimes spiritual sense”, says Lungelo.

He has a genre-defying love for music, and first-time listeners either receive him as a singer or a rapper at first, depending on which run of songs they select on their favourite DSP. “I’ve found space in creating Alternative Hip-Hop & R&B, mainly. With that said, I do see myself playing in other genres from time to time. My signature for any sound is that I tell a catchy story, playing with words and imagery. If it comes out feeling good – then the conversation of how to place the music follows after getting the feeling right,” continues Lungelo.

According to Lungelo, music has always been a passive part of his life. “As a child, I was in school choirs until high school. I only considered it another school activity that allowed me to make friends and be creative. In my teen years, FL Studio was introduced to me on a visit to my cousin’s place, eMpangeni, during the school holidays. I took the software as a video game that puts sounds together.”

When he is not making music, Lungelo recently completed a digital marketing learnership with Red & Yellow and found a job as a digital marketer. “I am now based in Joburg, which helps to bring stability into my life as an independent artist.“ Lungelo has his sights set on building his brand as a songwriter and live band performer and gaining a new audience.

About the Talent Search experience, Lungelo says:

“Competitions can sometimes have a stigma about them. Either they lose relevance/credibility to the community they speak to or don’t do enough to amplify the participants after it’s all said and done. I appreciated that Hunter’s X JCH positioned itself to me as a space for ongoing mentorship and guidance. A lot of the work is done by yourself as an unsigned act. So a program  like Hunter’s x JCH resonated because the masterclass came with no fluff, and winning came with practical advice and face time with a mentor who is actively doing the most in the same spaces I’d like to see myself in.”

“I was surprised with the studio equipment at the end of the studio session with Shekhinah. As someone who has never had any equipment in the past, I’ve always had to create on somebody else’s schedule unless I could pay for it. So this gift directly affects the output I can have going forward, not only as an artist, but as a songwriter. Shekhinah was a pleasure to work with. Her knowledge and experience as an established act resonated in her grounded approach to our studio session – focusing on preserving the feeling in the music.”

“It has been a trippy experience. A part of me is affirmed by another established artist recognising my talent. Another part of me feels immense gratitude that this road of being an artist can come with such a milestone.”

The young artist would like to grow his songwriting capabilities and sees himself writing for other acts, brands and exciting briefs in the future. “I’m mixing and mastering a new project entitled ADULTING ANONYMOUS. I’ve dropped five singles from this upcoming project available on digital streaming platforms. I’d be grateful if everyone can go check them out – alongside my previous work – by searching and listening to ‘Lungelo Manzi’”, concludes Lungelo.

The next round of talent show entries is open. Our mentors will share their expertise and industry knowledge as the artist mentors. All aspiring talent in and around the city can sign up. You need to go to the official campaign websites: https://hunters.co.za/culture-house/ or https://linktr.ee/JacquelCultureHouse, and enter your details and add a link to your best song.

#RefreshTheRules #HuntersRefreshes #JacquelCultureHouse #StaySafe

Facebook: @HuntersCider / @JacquelCultureHouse

Twitter: @HuntersCider / @JacquelCXHouse

Instagram: @HuntersCider / @JacquelCultureHouse

The post Lungelo Manzi announced the first Hunter’s X Jacquel Culture House Durban edition winner appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Versatile Cape Town hip-hop artist Kashcpt speaks to HYPE about relocating to Jozi, the importance of collaboration and his continuing expansion.

Written by ubereatzz, Photography: JR Ecko

Kashcpt took a big decision for his career when he moved from his city Cape Town to Jozi in August. This move, which he manifested on ‘CPT TO JOZI’, the opening song of his sophomore mixtape CAPE TOWN RADIO 2, released in April, has proven a good one. Kashcpt has been continuing to anchor himself in the music scene; recently, he was part of FILA and Drip’s promotion campaign alongside influencers Molly P, Azi and Crystal. He’s previously worked with Nike, Sportscene, Flying Fish and Standard Bank.

“I am a full-time musician, and I moved up here to Johannesburg also ’cause of my daughter, she’s in Cape Town. I’m just grinding up here, ‘cause everything’s here, the industry, from Monday to Monday, it’s going down. In Cape Town, it’s like a Thursday to Saturday thing, that’s the gap,” Kashcpt says. “It’s more laid back in Cape Town. If anything, there’s no pressure. This side keeps you on your toes. For me personally, I got regulated very quickly when I came up this side, I saw how quickly everyone’s working and is consistent about that. So, just matching that, I feel like it’s very important and I’m still trying to get there and have a routine just to match that energy and be on that level. But yeah, it’s definitely somewhere where much more can happen as opposed to Cape Town. I was very closed-minded at one point when I lived there.”

Born Kelsey Kyle Minaar in 1999 in Walmer Estate in Woodstock, the vocalist and rapper describes himself as a big representation of his city to the rest of South Africa in terms of what it has to offer musically. “My goal is to just try and do the most for Cape Town, being out of Cape Town, and show the world the creativity Cape Town houses. If anything, just being at the forefront of that and promoting that.” Which explains the CPT prefix in his stage name. “The name ‘Kash’ was inspired by Johnny Cash, who was extremely diverse in making music as well as making music containing sorrow and moral tribulations,” he says.

The world

One of Kashcpt’s biggest selling points is his diversity. On CAPE TOWN RADIO 2, he delivers hardcore raps on songs like  ‘Mobbing’ and ‘When I’m Gone’, makes use of amapiano’s log drum on ‘Pour Up’ and jumps on Afrobeat production on ‘Feels Like’. His range allows him to deliver laidback melodic songs like ‘Pray For It’, a gospel song with touches of Afrobeats, to the thumping ‘Mobbing’ with which he has started moshpits from Street Fest to Rocking The Daisies.

The word “world” reoccurs in the titles of songs on CAPE TOWN RADIO 2 – ‘Jorjas World’, ‘Change The World’ and ‘Running The World’. “I’m taking all of these inspirations, all of these elements, but I wanna make it my own thing, the world, but in my own way,” Kashcpt says, explaining the significance of the word. “I just like trying new things, in essence, trying new sounds. Everything’s experimental, there’s never one genre that I wanna stick to. I do have my favourite types of genres, but I like being diverse.”

But, in 2017, when he started making music, things were a little different. “When I started, it was just kind of raps, and from then until now, I’ve just been experimenting with different sounds and genres. Still trying to just find my own pocket,” he says.

His range of musical influences is quite wide: Travis Scott (“He would probably be at the front of all [my influences]”), Eminem (“Growing up, I listened to a lot of him; I was inspired by him”) and Afrobeats artists such as Omah Lay, Burna Boy and Wizkid (“I reference all of them a lot in my songs, even their flows”). On Chris Brown, he says, “My best friend put me on, I wasn’t even listening to his songs and I’d learned all of them just from my friend singing them, so I was always inspired by him, even the melodies, the harmonies, it’s Chris Brown mostly.”

This openness can also be attributed to his upbringing, he says. “My mom and dad weren’t together when I grew up, so I grew up in different households, but it was dope ’cause it gave me more insight; like my dad didn’t believe in God and my mom is very religious. My mom’s parents are Muslim, so I go to a Muslim household, come back into a Christian household, and then go to my dad where it was just like some energy-type of belief system,” says Kashcpt. “So, I feel like I definitely got shaped like how I thought, how I grew up and how I saw things. Just the perspective, I’ll say, gave me a better perspective than just seeing things from one view. And you also… you go to Robben Island and I learned a lot of history just from where he he was, I meet the people that he was chilling with and I’d learn from them. And being around my grandparents, they just influenced me, like there are different types of churches. So they were Baptists and Baptists play like bass guitars and sh*t in the service, and I liked that. I never saw that before.”

Collaboration

His diversity has led to interesting collaborations. One is with fellow genre agnostic artist Blxckie on ‘Denims’, one of the biggest songs on CAPE TOWN RADIO 2. The music video is currently sitting on a healthy 260k views and counting. “I made ‘Denims’ before Blxckie was on it. It was just like a vibe when I made it. And then I sent the record to Blxckie, I was like, yo, you feeling this? He was like yo, this is hot! Sent me the verse literally ASAP. And then yeah, it was just one of those things that we didn’t have to force,” Kash says.

Another major collaboration is ‘Ja$mine’ from 2020’s CAPE TOWN RADIO, which features Never Broke labelmate J Molley who also appears on ‘Running The World’ on CAPE TOWN RADIO 2. “That collab was crazy for me, man, because at the time, it was someone that I looked up to… still look up to him and I’m still grateful for everything that he inspired me to do. Yeah, that was big for me,” Kashcpt says.

He feels Durban singer Kaien Cruz whom he featured in ‘All of Me’ on CAPE TOWN RADIO 2 is as versatile as he is. “We actually knew each other outside of music before we started working together, a year later she just became gang also,” Kash says. “She can also do any genre, that’s what I like. I sent her that record, she was also feeling it and sent it back relatively quickly.”

Some of these collaborations come about in a very interesting way. “All of my songs up till now were freestyles,” Kashcpt says. “I freestyle everything and I don’t sleep, I work better at night than I do in the day. Still trying to fix that also. But most of the sessions that I’ve had with anyone, they’re never planned. I just pull up on them, or we’ll be out, and then I’ll say, let’s go to the studio.”

The other side of collaboration

But some of his collaborations have lead to clashes. One of Kashcpt’s most memorable songs are ‘Late Nights’ and ‘Up and Lost’, which he worked on with FLVME for his critically acclaimed CandyMan project, which dropped in 2019. He later spoke out on his dissatisfaction with working with the talented artist on Twitter. A series of now-deleted tweets addressing his concerns got the streets talking. “Eish, I won’t lie, I don’t wanna bad mouth anyone, but we’re talking about facts at the end of the day,” he says, when asked about what led to him venting that day. “I was thinking about a lot of things that day when I posted the tweets about not being paid for those songs and that was the one thing That was on my mind, it was eating me. And so, I was just like yo, my n*gga, I gave you these two songs and you didn’t even care.”

He goes on to explain certain conduct that he doesn’t fully agree with on how FLVME handled the distribution and crediting of featured artists he had on CandyMan. ‘Late Nights’ is one of the most played songs on the album on Spotify, and only comes second to ‘Ride For You’, which features The Big Hash. “It was just on some weird vibe, like yo, why you not showing who’s a part of this project? Even Malachi, Hash, and everyone who’s on CandyMan, no one got credited. And that was my issue with that. Eventually, it got sorted out. My publisher and my team reached out to him and told him that they’re gonna take the legal route if these issues aren’t addressed, and after months and months of nagging, FLVME and his team fixed it. It didn’t have to take as long as it did, but yeah, eventually it got sorted out,” Kash says.

One would think after all this hassle, Kash would be reluctant to work with FLVME again. “It was weird for a while, and I was hearing the stuff that he was making, and I just thought, wouldn’t it be dope to be on that same wave as him? The gents in the team weren’t too happy with just moving on and being cool like nothing happened, so it only became a chilled environment or a chilled space now recently, I would say. So now, moving forward, especially ’cause I’m this side, I do wanna collab with him. I wanna definitely lock in with him.”

Intentional: Mansa Musa is Never Broke

Kashcpt, formerly part of Mansa Musa Ent, signed to Never Broke in March 2018, the same management and label that J Molley is under.

The story of how he ended up signing with Never Broke is encouraging, as it shows Kashcpt was intentional about who he wanted to handle him and his brand. Wherever Never Broke artists were booked in Cape Town in 2017, together with his producer, Baker, he would do his best to perform at the events for free to get their attention.

“At the time, there were a few people trying to sign me and it was just weird chats; people just wanted too much or I couldn’t own the music I was making,” he says. “So, I spoke to Nav [of Never Broke] and he broke it down and told me what his vision was and what he wanted to do with my brand. And I liked what he was saying and I saw how I could be a part of that and I chose them, just ’cause I felt like I have more creative freedom, to be more, not ownership only, but I wouldn’t feel like I’m selling all the work that I’m making, I could still own it.”

As part of Never Broke, Kashcpt has gained mainstream attention as he is one of the most consistent musicians we have in South Africa and he’s always dropping appealing visuals for his songs. “We are always shooting something, I think out of the 16 songs, we’re doing six videos. So far ‘Pour Up’, ‘Denims’, ‘Mobbing’ and ‘What I Like’ have visuals out already and I just came back from Cape Town where we were shooting ‘When I’m Gone’ with YoungstaCPT, and that visual is gonna come out next, and another song, but I’ve forgotten which one.”

CAPE TOWN RADIO 2 charted at number 5 on the hip-hop charts on Apple Music and continues to be the best tape to gauge how good Kashcpt is in these genres he loves dipping his talent in. He mentions his wish to make different EPs dedicated to each of the genres he loves – like hip-hop, R&B and Afrobeats – in the near future. “I want to expand so that I can’t be labelled as just this one artist, I wanna be the unexpected guy. And, whenever I come out with a new genre, I want it to be like a body [of work] people can hear, and not just like one song that I’m pushing out and I’m just trying something. I wanna put something together that makes sense before I drop it,” Kashcpt says.

This interview appears in issue 24 of the monthly HYPE ezine available for purchase here.

The post [Cover story] Kashcpt to Jozi appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Written by HYPE Staff, Images: Supplied

In an interview with Tagged, Sanaa Mothabisa recounted how a PRO music video shoot for the song ‘Uthini Ngo Pro’ in 2007 marked a turning point in his life. Hailing from Pimville, Soweto, the same hood as the South African hip-hop legend, Sanaa got to witness the video shoot and decided there and then that he would get into filmmaking.

Now an accomplished filmmaker, who has worked for the likes of Bomb Productions, released his own short films and was recently part of MultiChoice’s Origins campaign, Sanaa still hails PRO as his main inspiration.

Of course, the late kasi rapper’s influence expands beyond hip-hop; as a skilled yet accessible rapper, PRO was the people’s storyteller. His breakout hit ‘Soweto’ cemented him as the face of Soweto. The intro of his 2005 debut album Heads and Tales, where ‘Soweto’ appears, was a recording of PRO (then PROKid) walking in his hood to take the taxi to the studio.

Similarly, one of Sanaa’s most loved TikTok videos is a POV video of him walking in the hood.

@fro.sanaa

Take a walk around my home with me. my uncut love for iKasi. #TikTokShortfilm

♬ original sound – Sanaa

The clip opens with him saying, “Awuthi ngibabonise ikasi” (let me show them the hood), before displaying a series of clips showing kids playing in the streets, a drum majorettes’ procession, amajita chillin’ in the corner, a cameo from The Co-Founder, a dog barking at him behind a fence and more beauty.

In the interview below, Sanaa speaks on the similarities between his and PRO’s work, his experience of the Origins campaign, creating content in the social media age and other topics.

Editor’s note: This interview has been slightly edited for clarity and length. 

In the beginning of the minidocumentary about you for the Multichoice Origins campaign, you kick a freestyle. Are you also a rapper?

That comes from my love for PRO. I am a crazy PRO fan. And you can even see from my work that I listen to him a lot, but obviously, we are using different mediums – he’s a rapper, I’m a [visual] storyteller. But we’re basically from the same township, we tell the same stories, so I usually draw a lot of inspiration from him.

That is definitely true; PRO was a kasi storyteller. What is it about him that inspires you?

I see him as someone that paved the way for us to be us. I see him as someone that took the time and was confident enough to celebrate where he’s from. Whenever I listened to his music in high school and varsity, I would see myself in the music. Because it’s a reflection of our community. So, taking that as an inspiration and translating it to video format. I feel like he’s one of those people that pioneered everything we do. So, I feel like he’s my inspiration, my core inspiration of everything.

Read: Back to the streets: Pretoria and Cape Town are leading the resurgence of street rap in South Africa

What’s your favourite PRO album? It’s almost unanimously agreed that Dankie San is his best work.

Different albums represent different times in my life. So, if you wanna go Dankie San, I’m like but I was struggling when that one came through. (Laughs)

If you wanna say, “yo, mfana besogrand uhlanganelwa,” I’ll go Continua. Like yo… (Starts rapping Continua’s ‘Intro’.)

So, it’s like eish, I don’t know… he’s the first microphone holder… DNA, Snakes & Ladders, Dankie, Continua. So, yeah, I don’t have one specific album.

You mentioned in the minidoccie that using a phone is less intimidating to subjects as opposed to when you’re using a camera. How do those nuances affect the actual image?  

 There’s a huge difference and disconnect from the pictures that I took with the camera. Because when people see a camera, even if they’re not scared, they [become] performative in how they would love people to see them. So, they won’t be themselves. But when you take out a phone, it’s not intimidating, as I mentioned. So, I feel like I found a way to get great and authentic performances from people using my device, as opposed to cameras.

However, I still do shoot with my camera, but in a more controlled environment. Because I understand where I’m from and I don’t want a lot of questions and just the negative business that comes with that. People already know what I do; I’m on TV now and when you take out that camera, it’s like, ‘you’re making money out of us’. So, you have to also understand where you come from; understand the environment and the people that you are photographing.

As advanced as phone cameras have become, they still have limitations. So, what would you say were your challenges when you’re shooting using a phone?

 If there’s always one thing in your life that you always have, whether you’re using the toilet, at a stadium or travelling, that’s your phone and it will follow you wherever you’re going. And if you wanna go in-depth, you can also edit on your phone, that’s an advantage.

 But, I love to print my work. I don’t get a lot of texture, mfana, from images that I took on my phone. As someone that would love to archive actual prints and sell them as well, I feel like, even though in post I try to bring in more grey… try to texturize it, it doesn’t quite get [to camera standard].

However, I do feel like I’m privileged to also live in the generation of social media. Sometimes you need to overlook what you actually love and be the purpose of the generation you represent.

What was the experience of being part of the Multichoice Origins campaign like?

Uyabona, there are campaigns, but this was literally the campaign. Just from how they approached us; the treatment from the first meeting, you would feel that they’re gonna tell your story in the most honest and genuine way. And, also them allowing us to come in and direct… for me, as a film director, I had a perspective on how I want to be shown and I add into my story.

You have to remember that we’re not models or subjects, we are actually storytellers. Sometimes you are insecure about giving someone your story because you’re not sure how they will interpret it. But just them allowing us to be us, really made me so comfortable.

And during shoot day, there was a time when I was with my family; I invited my whole family. This is driving me to another point; that our parents are old and they struggle [to fully understand] what we actually do. Because I was so comfortable with the campaign and how they were doing it with me, I wanted my family to come see what I do when I say I’m working. So, my parents were there, my siblings were there, everyone was just there. And it felt good. The treatment they got as well when they were there… hhayi, no, MultiChoice really really put in a lot of effort.

And it was a passion project for them as well, so you can imagine that they’ve been pushing this for the longest time and it worked out really well.

Your short film Zion explores faith. Why was that subject a subject you wanted to tackle at that time when you made the film?

So, the story really comes from this one particular Sunday when I noticed that everyone from my house was wearing a different uniform, we used to go to different churches. So, seeing that, sparked some level of curiosity while I was still young. Seven different perspectives, seven different faiths, if you want to say that, but you can still be a home.

When I went to varsity, I met someone called Jodie, he is a Jewish brother, and then I shared about this thing and I really started my research then. That’s why I also took so long… because I needed to talk to people. Before shooting, I needed to actually see the practices.

And then as the love was growing for that project, I did more research and then I decided to shoot and get someone to represent or celebrate all religions under the umbrella that God is one.

The post Photographer and filmmaker Sanaa Mothabisa draws inspiration from PRO to tell township stories appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

REAL HIP HOP ! WE OUTCHEA @blxckie___ @Nasty_CSA pic.twitter.com/BIesJQK2pL

— DJ D Double D (@DJDdoubleD) October 9, 2022

Daisies came with many such moments – Kehlani had an impromptu moment with Cape Town-based rapper Hanna, while A-Reece was joined by Jay Jody to perform ‘F*ck the World’ and 25K for ‘Red Dragon’. Maglera Doe Boy brought out both Yanga Chief and 25K during his set, and Herc Cut The Lights rocked the wheels of steel with Street Fest head honcho NotBenjamin.

As South African hip-hop goes through a phase of self-reinvention, it appears to be moving as a united force, the way amapiano has been lauded for operating.

https://twitter.com/magleradoeboy/status/1579256247752138753?s=46&t=jwKsg2tInth7DSgesz138A

But these moments weren’t just limited to South African artists. The Dreamville crew – Bas, Lute, Cozz, Nitrane – also had plenty of moments, including, most notably, performing their collaborative label hits ‘Down Bad’ and ‘Under The Sun – truly magical moments.

Beyond hip-hop moments, Rocking The Daisies lived up to the hype. Across all its stages, mainstream, left field, international and local artists dished out top-tier performances, while the extensive DJ line-up kept fans on their feet.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NOTBENJAMIN (@notbenjamin_)

In the Johnnie Walker Flavour Lounge where HYPE and a few other publications were hosted alongside influencers and other guests, the tunes went from old-school kwaito to bubblegum and contemporary hip-hop and dance music, delivered by the likes of Ponahalo, Lelowhatsgood and plenty of others.

As usual, Daisies was a crucible of genres, ranging from amapiano to EDM, R&B and more.

Being the first Daisies since 2019, and the first one with Johnnie Walker as the main brand partner, the pressure was on to deliver – and they did. The festival ran efficiently without major hiccups and delivered a memorable cultural experience.

The post Recap: Hip-hop showed unity at Rocking The Daisies appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

All three artists shouldn’t be new if you are a regular reader of HYPE; Benzo appeared on issue 4 of the HYPE ezine, VenusRaps was our Underdog of the Month in August, while Tyson Sybateli was on the cover of issue 21 (he should have been on issue 22, right, ha).

This particular cypher was curated by the HYPE team.

Watch Benzo, VenusRaps and Tyson Sybateli’s BET Africa Cypher below:

The post Watch Benzo, VenusRaps and Tyson Sybateli’s BET Africa Cypher appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

It’s BET Cypher season. It’s all about the bars, and African MCs were invited to show the world what they are capable of.

Gilbert Bani, popularly known by his stage name A-Q, is a Nigerian rapper and songwriter. His single ‘Agu Ji Ndi men’ was nominated for best rap single at The Headies 2016.

Kelechi Emeonye known as Kelechi or Kelechief is a Nigerian rapper that has moved to Atlanta USA. He rose with his prominent EP Loose change in 2016. Kelechief won Best Song in the Dance category at Independent Music Awards in 2018.

Below watch two of Naija’s finest on the mic going off:

Read: [Interview] E.L: the “best African rapper” 

The post Watch Nigerian MCs A-Q and Kelechief’s BET Africa Cypher appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

The freestyles have received mixed reactions, with many people feeling the beat choice let the rappers down while others feel the freestyle is all fire flame emojis. Isn’t that how it always goes?

The lineup is healthy, depicting different pockets of SA hip-hop, from the slang-laden street raps of 25K and Buzzi Lee to Flash Ikumkani’s Xhosa trap and Stino Le Thwenny’s Sesotho-centric raps.

Watch the cypher below:

https://youtu.be/q0s_1FXq_RI

Read: Back to the streets: Pretoria and Cape Town are leading the resurgence of street rap in South Africa

The post Watch 25K, Stino Le Thwenny, Buzzi Lee and Flash Ikumkani’s BET Africa Cypher appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Written by HYPE Staff

Photography: FlashedBySanele

Make-up: Camilla Mlilwana of @facebeatstudio

Styling: Nkuley Masemola

A pioneering figure in the contemporary Joburg party and dance music scene, Lelowhatsgood wears many hats. If not rocking the party behind the wheels of steel (he’s played UMI: Our Music Festival, AFROPUNK, and is soon adding Johnnie Walker x Rocking the Daisies), he’s organising VNJ BALL – a series of ballroom parties that aren’t only a notable entity in the Joburg nightlife but are also a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Lelowhatsgood, who’s also a curator and writer, describes himself as “an ever-evolving being. I’m multifaceted, [multi-]dimensional, soft yet strong.”

Ahead of his performance at Johnnie Walker x Rocking The Daisies this weekend, Lelowhatsgood speaks to HYPE about his evolution, his latest single ‘Demon’s Kiss’ and what to expect in his Daisies set.

You recently released your first single ‘Demon’s Kiss’ with Dee Traits. What has the reception to this release been?

The reception to this single has been incredible, and an emotional journey. Stepping into a new field and becoming an artist is something I’ve always wanted to do, and now that it’s happening, it felt like an accomplishment. I’m learning new things about the music industry, and I want to be disruptive. I don’t want to do things the normal way, which is why exploring a new genre with this song feels like the next level.

South Africans have a tendency to obsess over one genre. Gqom is alive and kicking, but all people seem to want is amapiano. Based on your experience as a DJ with versatile taste, what can you say about that dynamic?

The dynamic between these genres can be subjective. My honest opinion is that South Africans generally have a diverse music palette. Although it might feel like one genre is dominating, there are still so many subcultures and underground communities that keep a lot of genres alive, apart from the mainstream.

Please take us through the production process of ‘Demon’s Kiss’ and the upcoming EP.

It’s a collaborative project. Dee Traits and I joined forces on selecting songs, the sound of the EP, how long it’s going to be and how to structure the visuals around it. We went for a darker, heavier approach that matches the mood of the EP.

What story is Lelowhatsgood trying to tell – or is he telling – right now?

Right now, I’m trying to show that I’m more than just a DJ. I’m still trying to go back to my roots of writing, as well as curating more cultural events such as VNJ BALL.

You once said the aim when you started VNJ BALL was: “placing queer people at the forefront by celebrating each other, supporting those who need it most and making sure the scene is safe enough.” How would you say those objectives have been achieved?

We’ve achieved those through all of our collaborative events this year with major brands such as Until Until (through Genesis) as well as others such as Nike; placing our culture at the forefront and making queer people celebrate each other. There is still more work to be done, however. We’re just at the beginning.

Building a property of the magnitude of VNJ BALL takes a whole lot of collaborative effort, I can imagine. How important is collaborative input in your process?

It’s very important to me that we collaborate. We cannot work in isolation, and that’s why we’re at the place where we can grow, learn, teach and make these spaces better for each other.

How has Johnnie Walker aided your work as a creative director in the queer community? And why should brands continue to uplift creatives and organisers within this community?

Johnnie Walker was able to make my visions happen as a curator. Without any brand support, I don’t think we’d be where we are today. Both brands – VNJ and Johnnie Walker – have a perfect synergy with messaging and overall future commitments on where we should take the queer community. I’m excited for the future.

How does it feel being one of the DJs on the line-up at a huge festival like the Johnnie Walker RTD?

Being able to play at Rocking The Daisies has always been my dream. I’m super excited to get to showcase an incredible set and play some of my own music for a new audience as well.

Johnnie Walker has implemented “Keep Walking Towards Safe Spaces” and the Oasis at Rocking The Daisies, which will be marked safety zones for any queer/woman that might feel unsafe during the festival. What does queer/ women safety mean to you at such festivals?

It has to be top of mind for any festival and the promoters who are involved. Revolutionising the dance floors not only affirms people who attend but it makes them comfortable enough to come again the next time. Spaces and initiatives like this are super important.

Name three essential things you are packing in your bag for the festival.

Sunscreen, earplugs and sexy sunglasses.

What should people expect from your Johnnie Walker RTD set?

A whole lot of gqom, Afro-house and dancing.

Which five artists are you most looking forward to seeing at Johnnie Walker RTD?

DBN GOGO, Uncle Waffles, Desiree, Gina Jeans and Kid Fonque.

Johnnie Walker x Rocking The Daisies is taking place 7 – 9 October in Cape Town and Johannesburg. More details and tickets on the official Johnnie x Walker Rockind The Daisies website.

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After a two-year hiatus, Africa’s largest hip-hop festival, Hennessy Back to the City, returned to Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, on the 1^st of October.

Since announcing their partnership in 2020, this was the first event with Hennessy at the helm, which saw hip-hop reenergised in Newtown as the event was abuzz with hip-hop and street culture activity.

Khomotso Ledwaba, Marketing Manager at Hennessy, says that the partnership was natural:

“Hennessy has long been synonymous with the culture. Ever since first being uttered in a verse, the brand has featured in over 2500 songs and to date, it is the most mentioned alcohol spirit brand in the music industry. Going beyond hip-hop, we have also collaborated with many other global urban culture legends, ranging from street artist icons such as Shepard Fairey, KAWS and Faith XLVII, to dance duo, Les Twins, and more. Iconic events like Back to the City are just another extension of our existing relationship with the culture.”

Attracting more than 15 000 adoring fans and a line-up of more than 100 local and international artists, the event was headlined by some of South Africa’s greatest hip-hop mavens including A-Reece, Big Zulu, Nadia Nakai, and superstar, AKA, as part of the showstopping Hennessy Moment on stage. Fans were also treated to appearances by international rap legends, Talib Kweli, Lost Boyz, and Keith Murray.

Speaking on this year’s theme, Freedom of Movement, Osmic mentioned that there is a current need for a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity:

“The festival is an ongoing exploration of how hip-hop culture is evolving. The genre continues to be shaped by pioneers and contemporary artists alike, such as POC, Gogga and others, which has propelled it to the global force it is today. Since its inception, Hennessy Back to the City has been an advocate for promoting sustainability and economic growth, through passion. In South Africa, the motivation for the local hip-hop scene has always come from within.”

As a first-time partner, Hennessy ensured that they pulled out all the stops, providing fans with invigorating experiences throughout. This included VIP treatment of some hip-hop headliners such as Loot Love, Stogie T, JR, and Scoop Makhathini who, among other guests, were able to enjoy the festival and performances. Additionally, festival attendees dabbled with the Hennessy basketball cube, where they tested their 3-pointer skills to join the rolling leader board, a nod to their ongoing global partnership with the NBA. Hennessy also showcased their first-ever fashion capsule collection with French duo, Les Twins, who also subsequently designed the 11th edition of the Hennessy Very Special Limited Edition bottle last year.

The peak of the event was the Hennessy Moment on stage, where hip-hop royalty AKA delivered a showstopping performance under a curtain of fireworks, ending the evening in true style.

The post Recap: Back To The City 2022 appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Capitec, in partnership with HYPE, brings you the For You(th). For Now. For Life. campaign. Over the next six months, we will be bringing you a series of masterclasses on personal branding, mapping yourself, networking, 4IR and entrepreneurship.

These masterclasses will be delivered by movers and shakers such as amapiano star Bontle Smith, body-positive model Boitumelo Rametsi, soccer star Kermit Erasmus, creative entrepreneur Lerai and TikTok dancer Justin de Nobrega.

They will each detail how it got started for them.

“It starts with my rebellion; challenging expectations; changing the world,” says Boitumelo.

“It starts with my dream; my ambition,” says Lerai.

It starts with a partner who’s been fuelling ambition and changing banking. #ItStartsWithCapitec.

Watch the intro video for the masterclasses, which we will be rolling out over the next six months, below:

The post Capitec launches ‘For You(th). For Now. For Life.’ campaign featuring Bontle Smith, Lerai, Boitumelo Rametsi, Kermit Erasmus and Justin de Nobrega appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Written by HYPE Staff, Photos: Supplied

Clayton Damons, 23-year-old Capetonian artist, singer, songwriter and producer better known as Soulful Clay, is the latest winner of the Hunter’s X Jacquel Culture House (JCH) talent incubator. His success aired on the fourth episode of the MTV Base show on the 27^th of September 2022 evening.

Coming from a musical home, Clayton has lived and breathed music his entire life and was always encouraged by his parents to pursue music on his terms. He picked up the guitar at 14, and has not looked back since. With a relatively successful three-year professional music career, he has already released multiple hit songs such as ‘Undeniable’ with Paxton Fielies and ‘I’m Fine’ with Gemma Fassie. Clayton embraced the Hunter’s X JCH platform to share his music with the nation and to receive some strategic career guidance.

“It honestly feels like the win I needed. Every creative reaches a point where we need some form of validation from an established musical figure and the broader public. I have always had confidence in my craft, but this win has cemented that I am on the right track. This opportunity comes when I need empowerment and knowledge to take my career to the next level. Also, business-wise TRESOR is a good source of intellect,” says Clayton.

His music narrates the human complexities the youth experience whilst hustling to fulfil their ambitions in a competitive space filled with temptation and distraction. The sound is a fusion of neo-soul, Afro-jazz and house beats into a layered electronic production of smooth jams. “My sound always has warm chords. The jazz influence from my parents, who took me to concerts of greats like Jimmy Dludlu, will always shine through. Drums are essential. The rhythm should be groovy and in the right pocket with the bass. We call that ‘meat and potatoes’,” says Clayton.

As a result, his style is also a fusion of the best traits of his favourite musical inspirations. Jimmy Dludlu’s mellow jazz guitar musings, Eric Clapton’s velvet bassline and AKA’s digital dancehall experimentalism are all foundations for Clayton’s interpretative sound. On AKA, he shares: “He is my biggest musical inspiration. I am obsessed with his production, he had the biggest impact on my career trajectory, and his album Levels shaped my music.”

On highlights from the initiative, Clayton says, “I enjoyed being able to connect and make music with my mentor TRESOR. It was such a great experience, I felt like I was chilling with one of my boys. It felt organic and not forced at all. Energy is everything when you are in a session. You have to connect in some way to share musical ideas. Even though TRESOR has produced music for greats like Drake, he has no ego. TRESOR is a little crazy, just like me. I think that is why we got along so well. Definitely cannot wait for our next session.”

“Amped Studios is also such a cool space for creatives in JHB. Seeing the SSL board in the Main Control Room made my day. The masterclass in Cape Town was unmatched as Robin Kohl pulled up a mixing session from one of AKA’s tracks which made me go crazy.” Post this initiative, Clayton hopes to work with more creatives on big projects that make an impact. “I have always focused on making money off music, but the impact will forever be the main goal,” continues Clayton.

In conclusion, he sent a special “awe” to the City of Cape Town for always supporting him throughout his journey. “I want to show my people that it’s possible. You can be great regardless of your background or current status,” he concludes.

The next round of talent show entries is open. All aspiring talent in and around the city can sign up. You need to go to the official campaign websites: https://hunters.co.za/culture-house/ or https://linktr.ee/JacquelCultureHouse, and enter your details and a link to your best song.

Follow Hunter’s and Jacquel Culture House’s social media platforms for more information and announcements around this #RefreshTheRules initiative.

#RefreshTheRules #HuntersRefreshes #JacquelCultureHouse #StaySafe

Facebook: @HuntersCider / @JacquelCultureHouse

Twitter: @HuntersCider / @JacquelCXHouse

Instagram: @HuntersCider / @JacquelCultureHouse

The post Soulful Clay is the latest winner of the Hunter’s X Jacquel Culture House talent incubator appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Lwazi Madonsela chats to HYPE about documenting South Africa’s sneaker culture through his YouTube show, SNKR COAST. “I created SNKR COAST to make sneaker content that anyone can enjoy anywhere in the world.”

Written by Boitumelo Molamu, Photography: Aviwe Xaluva

Sneakers and hip-hop have one of the most interesting relationships in the culture. Just look at the greats and their history with sneaker partnerships – from Run DMC with their Adidas partnership to Jay-Z with Reebok, Travis Scott with Nike, and by far the biggest being Kanye West with Adidas and Cassper Nyovest with Drip.

This history is one future generations are going to look at as the blueprint for brand partnerships. One person who is ensuring this history is documented is Lwazi Madonsela with his YouTube show, SNKR COAST.

“SNKR COAST is a satirical journalism show that delivers unfiltered, unapologetic, and unruly hot takes directly to your dome,” reads the description on the show’s YouTube channel.

In the show, Lwazi breaks down sneaker culture, from drops to the history behind some sneakers, and relevant personalities.

We sat down with Lwazi to catch up about the success of his show and also his in-depth understanding of the relationship between sneakers and hip-hop.

Please give us a young intro of who you are and what exactly SNKR COAST is.

Creatively, I’m uLwazi Madonsela, formerly known as “Umsindisi we Siko”. I’m an original content creator for a global brand, but that side of me I don’t really disclose a lot. SNKR COAST is a YouTube sneaker show that can resonate with any- and everyone internationally. For me, I believe everyone wears a sneaker, from the homeless guy with the beat-up Converse to the hype beast with their Jordans. Basically, if you can put it on your feet, it’s a sneaker.

When you first started SNKR COAST, what was the objective behind the concept?

As I said, I created SNKR COAST to make sneaker content that anyone can enjoy anywhere in the world. The show is meant for anyone to watch it and at least enjoy it with their mom. Also, a big deciding factor for creating the show is I knew of two major brands that are looking at Africa’s sneaker culture scene and the content that comes out of it. Brands are watching and are recognising the content; a perfect example is our partnership with sneaker retailer and clothing brand Archive.

You partnered with Archive on your second leg of the season. How did that come about, and what are the dynamics of the partnership?

With Archive, it’s a joint partnership; more of a content-led collaboration. From the conversation we had, we made it clear what we want from them, and were also able to negotiate on a way to create a return on investment for the viewer. Hence, we are doing a R2k voucher giveaway every week. I was a consumer before this, so I know how much that matters.

You recently released your eighth episode in partnership with Archive, which touched on the relationship between hip-hop artists and sneakers.

Right now, you can’t mention sneakers without looking to a rapper. It’s crazy how we were able to decipher the history in one episode. It’s a long timeline to break down, from the Run DMC era with just the endorsement, to now – there is a whole partnership between Yeezy, a Kanye West brand, and Adidas, also giving props to Cassper Nyovest with his brand partnership with Drip Footwear. If you look at the relationship between rappers and sneakers, it’s getting to the point where it’s their biggest income stream yet; why do you think labels introduced 360 deals?

When you look at the innovation that Kanye West has put into the design, do you think it’s fair to mention the likes of Travis Scott and Cassper Nyovest in the same breath? They just switch colourways on already existing silhouettes.

I think it’s fair – if you think about it, if you slightly tweak something that’s already there, you can consider it to be a good design. If you look at Virgil Abloh, he was infamous for that; you only have to change 3% of something to consider it a new design. If you at it for what it is, the difference between art and design is that one serves as decoration and the other serves as form and function. So, Drip and Cassper are doing exactly that; they offer comfortable shoes, and also shift the perspective and landscape of the relationship between music artists and sneaker brands.

Throughout the years, we’ve had a lot of sneaker collaborations, especially in South Africa – from PRO with Loxion Kulca and AKA with Reebok, to Cassper with Drip. At what point would you say the sneaker brand/hip-hop artist relationship is at its peak?

I think Cassper’s deal is by far the best one. The only thing we are fighting right now is us, the sneaker community, not understanding that we are not the target market. I think with us sneakerheads, we want to be represented by someone with sneaker lineage, and a partnership that’s not in vain. I think the closest we got was the Stilo Magolide and Vans partnership.

With so many sneaker brand/hip-hop artist collaborations happening, although you are not a rapper, do you imagine SNKR COAST working on a sneaker brand collaboration, considering the show’s impact on sneaker culture?

This year, we are planning on dropping our first collab – not a sneaker collab, but it’s something cool. In terms of a sneaker collab, God-willing, next year it could happen.

Where do you see SNKR COAST and 348SELECT being in the near future?

Right now, our motivation is to go international – we’ve tried talking with the local brands, but not all brands are a match for us. To answer your question, where I see SNKR COAST is that it will be similar to Complex Networks, and 348SELECT will be similar to A24.

Subscribe to 348SELECT on YouTube.

This interview appears in issue 23 of the monthly HYPE ezine available for purchase here.

The post SNKR COAST: Documenting South Africa’s sneaker culture appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

 By ubereatzz

As frequent collaborators, PhilaBoi K and THAT$hYHOMIE have a hit under their belt – ‘Mfo’ by THAT$hYHOMIE, featuring PhilaBoi K, Duma Ka Mthombeni, V.I and HAZY, dropped in February this year and caused some havoc. The Joburg South duo’s recently released three-pack EP, THR3 KOT4 (pronounced “three kota”), has different flavours of hip-hop, in the same way a kota has a little bit of everything to satisfy your tastebuds.

The first track ‘Golide’ has traditional hip-hop elements – hard-hitting 808s and bars that will appeal to hip-hop purists. The song features Soweto rappers Ndabezimnandi, 1dile and Max Rose, who’s on the hook. The fittingly titled song is a candid story about the difficulties of hustling hard in the City of Gold, and how their money sometimes gets used on the wrong women, as 1dile raps, “Sithi s’sathi s’sahlanganisa nama cent/ kungen’ama slay ngama garavu.” It seems like each artist on the song is speaking about the same situation that they’ve all witnessed, but they have slightly different viewpoints about what happened.

On the kwaito-leaning ‘eRoundini’, the duo pays homage to late kwaito superstar Brown Dash, as they use some lines from his 2004 hit ‘Phants’ Komthunzi Welanga’. Just like Brown Dash’s hit, ‘eRoundini’ is a summer song, and has PhilaBoi K detailing his efforts as he tries to organise a chill session with his friends, rapping, “Ngaphandle bheka k’shisi ilanga, no skipa/ Futhi let’s braai meat, majita let’s all chill.”

On the final song, ‘We’ll Be Alrighty’, PhilaBoi K spits a motivational verse over trap-soul production. He details the kinds of bad situations he had to go through to make it this far with his friends who are also pursuing music. He raps, “Captain the ship Peter Pan get ’em hooked/ Throughout all these years we’ve been overlooked.”

The song has a beat switch with a soulful part by PhilaBoi K delivering a powerful hook about striving through difficult times and asking a higher power for help as he raps, “Praying for me, lighting me up like a globe/ I’m praying for peace, I don’t want pain anymore.” The song features a verse by rapper WANG and harmonies by Duma Ka Mthombeni.

This jam-packed EP sets an undeniable tone of musical versatility of all the artists and producers featured. They are building a multidimensional catalogue that is flexible to any type of hip-hop they choose to make.

Stream THR3 KOT4 by PhilaBoi K and THAT$hYHOMIE on Apple Music, Spotify and all other platforms.

The post Review: PhilaBoi K and THAT$hYHOMIE ‘THR3 KOT4’ EP appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

The latest Tekken series is currently streaming on Netflix. Tekken: Bloodline joins a number of films and TV shows that have been adapted from the popular Japanese combat video game created by Namco and has been a staple since the 90s.

The plot of the six-episode series is linked to events that take place in Tekken 2 and 3. Bloodline follows Jin Kazama’s journey to avenge his mother Jun Kazama who was murdered by the mysterious Ogre who’s thought impossible to defeat as he possesses the Devil Gene.

Jin receives training from his grandfather, the vicious Heihachi Mishima, who teaches him the Mishima style of combat: to, in his words, fight and win like a Mishima.

Bloodline lives up to the game franchise’s main strength: realistic animation and stunning art direction. The fight scenes are undoubtedly the show’s biggest selling point; the colours pop and the movements are so lifelike.

The storyline is simple and straight to the point, placing the attention on the combat which the Tekken fan is here for.

Look out for fights involving characters such as King, Nina, Paul, Hwoarang and of course Ogre, Heihachi, Jin and a few others.

Tekken: Bloodline is streaming on Netflix.

The post [Review] ‘Tekken: Bloodline’ lives up to the game franchise’s strength appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Durban lyricist Lucasraps is one of the most divisive rappers in SA hip-hop. While he’s gained popularity, he also faces a lot of backlash from fans who feel he’s not living up to his full potential. HYPE contributor ubereatzz sits down with the rapper and gets a different understanding of Lucasraps. 

Written by ubereatzz, Photography: Courtesy of Universal Music Group

In his transition from a popular SoundCloud rapper to a Def Jam Africa signee and one of the leaders of South African hip-hop’s new wave since around 2020, Lucasraps left his fan-base severely divided when he dropped his debut album 031 To The World in 2021.

Fans seemed to have difficulty understanding his craft or him as an artist. Many felt that the rapper struggled to give them a story of who he is, where he is from and what made him who he is in his debut offering. Others felt he was struggling to make music although he is a great rapper, while some felt his bars were subpar. Missteps he was expected to rectify on the album’s recently released deluxe, titled 031 To The World 2.0.

This is the type of reception that would’ve broken any new artist down, but Lucasraps uses it as his fuel to drive him forward. “I can’t fast-forward people to understanding my music, and people are gonna talk. They feel like they have a say, but it’s not the final say – I have the final say,” Lucasraps says. “The day I say, ‘I am whack’, then yeah, but n*gga I ain’t whack. All I needed was the people to also understand this is Lucas; this is how Lucas makes his music.”

Shaking up the game

During the interview, I had several “ah ha” moments when Lucas managed to candidly reaffirm his art direction to me. Although it might be too early, he does deserve some kind of recognition for his resilience and being part of the next generation of SA hip-hop’s biggest breakout stars in 2020, alongside Blxckie – the type of hip-hop star we haven’t seen since 2016. “I feel like we restarted and shook up the whole f*cking game, but we’re not getting the creds or whatever for that. I feel like that’s a toxic South African mindset that we have. That’s how I feel; it’s my opinion. But yeah, man, we’ll definitely get the creds at some point, like yo, these guys actually had the hardest hip-hop song in 2020 with no hook.

“The song was on TV and radio with no hook. We often get told that, for your song to be number one or even for labels to be behind you, it needs to be catchy or something. So, that just pretty much f*cked the whole blueprint of what the game is supposed to run on. Just to show that, yo man, there’s no blueprint to music; there’s no blueprint to how your career should be.”

The song he’s referring to is 2020’s ‘Big TimeSh’lappa’ where he’s featured by fellow Durbanite Blxckie. Although one could argue and say Lucasraps’s big break came with his collaboration with Dr Peppa’s 2019 smash hit ‘What It Is’ featuring Chang Cello and the late Riky Rick, or his own hit ‘Ah Ah Ah Ah’ featuring Blxckie, currently at 1.8 million views on YouTube, but the real game changer for his musical career was ‘Big Time Sh’lappa’. “I met Blxckie when he was still part of Clout Internet Boyz with Leo Da Leo. I went to Durban, we linked and we f*cked with each other, he’s a super dope n*gga and he’s my n*gga.”

Soon after, Lucasraps returned to Joburg, while Blxckie stayed in Durban. “I told him, ‘yo, you need to come out here to Joburg’ when I had met 808 Sallie and Shouldbeyuang here,” Lucasraps says. “He came through and then that’s when we got locked down. That’s when level five happened, and we formed the crew called Rona Boys. I have a tattoo that says, “Rona Boys”. That’s when we were dropping almost every day on SoundCloud, just pretty much f*cking up the algorithm completely.”

From 031

The 21-year-old, born Lucas Duncan Malong aka the Y.O.G (Young OG), joins the list of Durban’s musical exports alongside the likes of Blxckie, Nasty C, Audiomarc and Nanette, to name just a few. “I was born in Cape Town but raised in Durban because, at the age of one-and-a-half years old, I moved to Greenwood, Durban. So, all my childhood memories are from Durban.”

His love for hip-hop music started at age eight when he heard Nelly’s 2002 album Nellyville for the first time. “That album got taken away from me by my parents ’cause of the swear words, but I just kept listening to all this music, regardless. Then I met a homie – his name is Bongani; he used to rap. One day he was like ‘yo, why don’t you record something?’ and I tried to freestyle on the mic. It was obviously gibberish, but that was my first time falling in love with this whole thing,” Lucasraps says.

Lucas’s family wasn’t initially on board with his career choice. “At first, they obviously weren’t with it because they didn’t understand it. They still don’t understand a few things. I had to forcefully make them understand this thing. And they’ve been patient. I’m blessed to have them on my side also, since they’re my biggest supporters now.”

Like many rappers who start embracing their talent at a young age, Lucas was one of those high school kids who would freestyle constantly at breaktime with his friends. When he started attending North Collage, a high school in Durban, in Grade 8, he was already well known for his rap skills, as he had been performing at parties hosted in some universities/colleges and activations already. “I met another Durban artist – Chris Snakes. He was in Grade 11 or Matric at the time. These n*ggas found out I’m a rapper and they were the rapping squad of the school. From that day, we formed the collective ‘Black Bears’. Looking back, we were the hardest 15- and 16-year-olds, rocking clubs and shows around Durban,” says the rapper.

Like with most crews, a split was inevitable. Theirs was because they were still young and at school, and some left and went to different schools. After that, Lucas went back to rapping by himself. “I met Geekfam around that time when I was discovering myself and my crew split. He’s a producer and also an artist now. That was a young connection that was made.” He vaguely recalls winning a local award for his rap talent, which is a testament that his talent is as raw as he is.

All the above was happening while he had no music out. “I really just started popping off, going everywhere, freestyling at events, just being called to like rap. I didn’t have a song. I didn’t have anything, but they knew when this dude comes on stage and he raps, the crowd’s gonna do something or whatever – they just knew that.”

From SoundCloud rapper to Def Jam Africa signee

When he eventually started dropping music, he dropped it on Soundcloud, which gained popularity in South Africa in the mid-2010s and has launched a lot of musical careers such as that of fellow Durban native and rap superstar, Nasty C, who dropped his popular 2015 mixtape Price City on that platform. “I’d say what kinda pushed me towards dropping on SoundCloud had to be how much I f*ck with XXXtentacion. He pretty much inspired me to rock SoundCloud. I found it easier to use, even to explain to someone who doesn’t know how to use SoundCloud,” Lucas says.

What was inevitable for Lucas after his break into the mainstream music scene was a couple of record labels knocking on his door to scoop him up as their next star. After a stint with DJ Maphorisa’s BlaqBoy Music (you’ve heard the story many times already), he eventually signed with Def Jam Africa in 2021. He mentions he specifically went for the label since it is a subsidiary of Def Jam, a label that holds an important place in hip-hop history. His aim is to have the most influence on the continent.

Through Def Jam Africa, he has found himself on the global edition of Snoop Dogg’s compilation album Algorithm. He appears on the song ‘Make Some Money’, which also features Fabolous and Dave East, making him the first South African hip-hop artist to have a song with the three heavyweights. “I have this voice note on my phone, right, where I’m just talking to myself and I’m saying some goals I’d love to achieve in small details,” Lucasraps reveals. “I put it out there in the universe and the man upstairs was listening. And now it’s like, it’s coming true, I don’t know how. I’m just staying pure; I’m doing what I’m doing. God knows my heart, but everything is coming true, man.”

Self-awareness

What impresses me about Lucasraps in person are his confidence, self-awareness, spirituality and his knowledge of how powerful his manifestations about his music career are.

On ‘Without Me’, the song that solidified his growing fanbase at the beginning of his career, Lucas displays his self-awareness, as he acknowledges money will change him, how he values friendship and how he knows he’s an excellent rapper. I  tell him I connected with this song and with him a lot. “I feel like I made you connect with yourself, not with me. That’s all I need to do; that’s why I make music. That’s why it’s called ‘Without Me’ and not ‘Without Lucas’. I know you didn’t feel like without Lucasraps, you can’t feel that. I made you realise that,” he says.

Around the same time he signed to Def Jam Africa, he scored an endorsement deal with Sprite, a brand that has a long history with hip-hop. “Sprite came about because of the amazing team I have – Bloc Agency – and they configured the Sprite deal. What’s crazy is, it’s really been a childhood dream to work with Sprite. So when I got the deal, I was like, what the f*ck? I actually got Sprite. I used to drink mostly Sprite growing up. Even my mom was just as shocked; she said, ‘You really did it!’”

031 To The World

But there have also been some hurdles in this journey. His fans almost didn’t get 031 To The World due to some management woes he’s not willing to discuss. “When I was working on 031 To The World, I didn’t have access to the old music because, when I left my old management, they took all my sh*t. That’s why there’s this big gap, when I didn’t drop. There’s so much sh*t that happened,” Lucas says.

He further states that he had to make the album in the shortest amount of time so he could prove himself; 031 To The World was made within a month after he got signed. Another noble characteristic of the Y.O.G is his optimism. “I’m very intricate with my music; that’s why I’m saying the understanding of 031 To The World needs a documentary for you to visually sit there and understand what the f*ck 031 To The World is.”

While you wait for the doccie, here’s a brief breakdown: For the 031 To The World 2.0 artwork, Lucasraps embellished the original artwork with a green filter; the artwork shows Lucasraps in a drop-top Mercedes Benz, all his chains on his chest, leaning back in the seat with his “Y.O.G” tat showing. “The car I’m driving is taking 031 to the world. I’m on my mission, and I’m racing my wheels to the next destination,” he explains. The cover art also matches the carefree nature of the storytelling within the album, which is a young man navigating his life on a road less travelled.

Collaboration

The deluxe comes with seven new songs, all placed at the beginning of the project. This pushed the previous intro ‘Lucas Raps’ to the eighth song and made ‘The Views’, featuring Nasty C, the new intro. “I have no features on my first project and, since I’m going against a lot of people’s fans, I wanted to show that their favourite artists are my bruhs, and I have a song with them. These are the artists who have played a role for me to get me to this position where I can drop this album, so I decided, let me start with that,” he says.

The song ‘The Views’ has the Y.O.G detailing a night with a woman he fancies and some intimate details on how he’d love to spend some quality time with her. Nasty follows a similar storyline. “I went with Nasty first ’cause I got tired of the comparisons between us, not in a bad way, but I just pretty much got tired of this hype around Nasty and Lucas. I wanted to deal with it so everyone can understand he is my bruh,” Lucas says.

A personal favourite among the seven new additions is ‘Misery’, which features Nadia Nakai and AKA. Lucas handles the hook as he raps, “I see you talk like you got knowledge/ I pull up to where you be hidin’/ I let it spray like Aqua Fresh, I’m a problem,” referencing the men’s perfume Aqua Fresh (Pour Homme). “I was at a Def Jam music camp where they had a bunch of us in a mansion, just making music. I was told Nadia was gonna be there and to try my best to lock in with her. I had ‘Misery’ as an open verse and knew she would sound nice on it. When we were working on it, AKA walked in and said, ‘this sh*t too hard,’” he says.

Another impressive aspect of the song is the level of detail on the production by KindlyNxsh, which Lucas worked on with him. “So, I was sitting with Nash and I was like yo, let’s do this thing. I said, for every part that I come back in with the hook, the beat must change. So that’s why the beat changes every time I come back in. That’s why the song keeps picking up.”

He brings his frequent collaborator Blxckie on ‘Out Yo Head’, which is a song that encourages people to live in the moment instead of overthinking everything. Blxckie handles the hook. YoungstaCPT joins him on ‘Pull Up’, a song that speaks about challenging an opponent, and how each rapper would handle fighting anyone who disrespects them. Lucas says, “I sent the joint to Youngsta ’cause I was like yo, he’d be able to lyrically articulate what it means to pull up on somebody. I’m speaking as a young OG, saying this is how young n*ggas should pull up on n*ggas. He’s speaking as an OG, this is how they pull up on n*ggas.”

He sends a shoutout to KindlyNxsh who is the producer with the most songs done on the album, and Dr Peppa on ‘One Shot From The Choppa’, as he opens up his song with, “One shot from the choppa/ Call my boy up, he a doctor.” He details the financial struggles he faced initially in his career and how it feels for him to be able to afford the lifestyle he has now. He states his life is as unbelievable as a movie as he continues to rap, “Superstar, do what I wanna/ I ain’t into acting, I ain’t for the drama…” Dope wordplay on the film genre – “drama”, “characters” and “act”.

Ironically, he plays a character on the song that follows, ‘Yeh Dunno’. “That is my alter ego, Lean. He is Jamaican,” he says. “But Lean only comes out on [special] occasions. He was telling you from another perspective. So, if you’re in front of a mirror, Lean is talking from the mirror and he’s telling you about Lucas. He’s telling you, ‘don’t you know about the Y.O.G?’” Lucas says. “Then I say, give her life, I give her more than D, ’cause a lot of the times when I’m with ladies, I really barely sleep with them. I show them a different side; I show them a different way to take yourself seriously. So that’s why I’m that type of person. I don’t know why I care so much, but I do care. So I give her life, I give her more than D.”

On ‘Over Me’, he features his childhood friend, producer and musician Geek Fam, who is also a Durban native. Geek Fam handles the hook while Lucas talks about the end of the relationship he has with the girl he gave life to on ‘Yeh Dunno’, who has since moved on. He raps: “Seng’khathele manje girl, you know I’ve had enough of it/ Finessing the majitas thinking that you is innocent/ You’re too smooth, I never know how you move/ You can tell me he your homie, but who really that dude?”

Storytelling

Lucasraps has the ability to reflect on sombre moments without sounding gloomy; there’s always a light-heartedness in the songs of this self-confessed extrovert. Perhaps his mood is what confuses his critics. Lucas always finds a way to balance his vulnerability with his character as an optimist. As a listener, all you need to do is read between the lines.

‘South’ is a recollection of a phase in Lucas’s career where he was doing so well but had nothing to show for it; how he got kicked out and had to crash at his friend’s place, just to have a safe place to sleep. “I don’t even know how the f*ck to explain that sh*t. It’s crazy, ’cause ‘Big Time Sh’lappa’ was out, the music video [had] just dropped and ‘Ah Ah Ah Ah’ [had] just hit 100K; it was like sh*t’s moving but I got left with nothing. And when I got kicked out of my previous place I went to Yanga’s crib, figured it out, and Yanga stayed in the south.”

He describes his childhood on ‘Mud’, explaining where he is from, the living conditions he was exposed to and how all that never made him doubt his inevitable success, as he raps on the hook: “I’m from the mud where my dawgs remain filthy/ I got a lotta gold, it shines in me/ I never hit a low, the Lord with me/ I gotta keep it rollin’, you with me?”

Overall, 031 To The World and the deluxe do go in-depth about who the young rapper is. But not everyone is impressed, and Lucas feels that’s okay. “You just have to choose which side you’re looking on, and me, I choose to look on the good,” he says. “’Cause there’s gonna be people saying, ‘yo, you’re whack’ or whatever and, under that whack comment, there’s someone saying, ‘yo, this song changed my life.’ There’s 50,000 comments there saying you’re amazing – are you gonna focus on them or the ones saying you’re not? Nah, you must focus on what you have that you can build from, so that’s pretty much what I’ve been doing.”

This interview appears in issue 23 of the monthly HYPE ezine available for purchase here.

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