Chart-Topping Rapper K.O Set to Shine in Unscripted Reality Series

Explore the life of chart-topping rapper and hitmaker K.O with his upcoming reality show, “The Inside Life with K.O.” This unscripted 13-episode season offers a genuine look into the superstar’s life, along with his friends, fellow artists, and business partners, as they navigate the music industry.

In preparation for the premiere, we had the opportunity to interview K.O for exclusive insights into what the show entails. The first episode will air tonight at 21:00 on BET Africa channel 129, with subsequent episodes airing every Wednesday at the same time. If you miss the premiere, catch the encore presentation every Thursday at 17:30 on MTV Base Africa channel 322.

“The Inside Life with K.O” breaks away from typical reality TV scripting, aiming to provide a real and unfiltered look into the daily challenges and successes experienced by a chart-topping artist in today’s music industry.

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Considering a lot of reality TV is scripted, how did you ensure authenticity when shooting the show?

When the conversation about the show came up with the guys from MTV, the first thing I told them is I’m not going to do anything performative. Initially, they came with their own template and brought up ideas of renting out a house and setting up the whole show, but I told them straight that if we are to take that route, then it’s not something I’m comfortable doing. I wanted to go into it just being myself and let the guys around me be themselves too. The artists that I have around me are still breaking through, so they’re still dealing with real-life challenges, and I didn’t want to shy away from that because the reality of life as an artist is that it’s filled with many challenges. I didn’t want to make them look a certain way for the sake of TV. At that point, I decided that we were not going to compromise the realness of my life and my entire ecosystem, and if people do not find the show entertaining, then there are plenty of others they can watch. This one is as real as it gets.

How did you decide what the focus points are of the show, and how did you decide who to feature as cast members?

As far as the cast is concerned, it’s all just based on the authenticity aspect of things. I don’t have a lot of frivolous relationships in the industry, and I wasn’t interested in bringing certain people on board because of numbers or clout. I actually kept it within the close circle of people who have actual substance in my life. Whether you see a Ma-E there or a Roiii or Loki and Thulo, who is my business partner, showcasing the day-to-day things we get up to. All of the people involved there are part of my daily life. I didn’t want to make it a thing of having to pull favours for optics.

One would have expected you to have a large entourage. How do you decide which people you keep around and for what reason?

I used to have big groups around myself, especially with Teargas, and the more I aged, I started to realize that entourages become quite costly. You’re not in control over what everyone does. Some people might create certain issues with someone else, and then your name is thrown into it because you’re attached to them. So the people that I have around me are people that I know have responsibility over their own lives.

How do you, as a leader, ensure that your team stays grounded and doesn’t fall victim to their own ambition and clout chasing?

Firstly, what I think I have appreciated is a lot of the artists that I have around me just fit like a glove, and they understand the temperament of what the circle looks like. You have to be cut from a certain cloth to be part of the team. I want artists who have a decent balance between ambition and reality, and if you are able to navigate the two in a smart way, then we definitely will get along well. What I’ve seen with the guys that I have around me, especially with Loki and Roiii, they have been around me longer than a lot of other guys that I’ve worked with, and it’s because I’m seeing that I don’t have to babysit them. At the same time, we push each other. They take a lot of direction from me, but I also don’t want them to get too comfortable and have to wait for my green light when they want to do certain things. I want them to be individuals without relying too much on me. I’m trying to develop them on a substantial level so that one day, when they leave Skhanda World, they can be well-cooked and make stellar decisions solely on their own. In closing, when people watch the show, I need them to know that, yes, it is inside the life of K.O, but it’s not solely just about me. You get to see Roiii in his element and Loki just doing his own thing. This entire show was a platform to not only learn about me but it is also an opportunity for people to know more about my team because it could be an opportunity for them to get a spin-off one day and get to greater opportunities.

The post [INTERVIEW] K.O Sets The Record Straight On New Reality Show appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

HYPE team members ubereatzz and Lolwetu Pakati spent a few hours with AKA just two weeks before his untimely passing. The rapper, producer and entrepreneur got to reflect on his illustrious career, from his Entity days to his upcoming album Mass Country…

By ubereatzz and Lolwetu Pakati

We had no idea that our first time meeting AKA would also be our last. A fortnight later, he would be gunned down in Durban, leaving the country in a state of shock and terror. News of his passing would send ripples worldwide, getting reported on by the BBC, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, The Washington Post, The Guardian and several other international publications.

Over the past two decades, AKA has built a legacy for himself that will live on forever. He is a household name in South Africa – a pioneer of English rap in the country’s mainstream music scene. This is how our interview played out…

Lolwetu and I arrive at AKA’s studio in Bryanston on a Thursday afternoon. Dripped out in all black, he is welcoming, offering us drinks, just to take the edge off. It’s when he drives us to Rockets that we gain new insights into him. The type of music he plays in his car is surprising; it’s Latin music by an artist called Roselia. “I don’t listen to hip-hop music because someone’s sound could unintentionally creep into my mind and I might accidentally sound like them,” he says. “I believe it might hinder my creativity and uniqueness. I don’t want to sound like anyone else; I want to sound like AKA. I mostly listen to other genres like Latin American music, a lot of dance music, kwaito… and country music, ’cause it’s a coloured people thing.” He later explains that is where he draws most of his samples and inspiration from.

At Rockets, we get a couple of shots and something to wash them down with and, of course, we can’t resist talking about all things hip-hop, especially the current state of SA hip-hop and its sound. “It’s hard to define (South) African hip-hop, ’cause how do you expect it to sound? Do you know what I’m saying? (South) African hip-hop is never going to sound like American hip-hop. Hip-hop has many rules and, as a culture, it is defined by those rules. I think it’s okay for hip-hop artists to branch out and experiment, but they need to be prepared to be judged by the rules of hip-hop,” says AKA.

He reveals himself to be a student of the genre he has dominated and remained relevant in. He gives me a lot of grief for not knowing the five elements of hip-hop, but the mentor in him comes to the fore as he takes the time to educate me. I’ll save you the Google search – it’s emceeing, deejaying, breakdancing, graffiti and beatboxing.

On our way back to the studio, we stop at a nearby garage and people are screaming his name. He is instantly recognised at every traffic light and he embraces his fans as though they are his friends or family – the sign of an artist who understands the concept of fans. It hasn’t always been like that, though, as he mentions he has had weird encounters with fans. “When I started blowing up, I didn’t have security at the time. I had a fan come knock on my hotel room door. It was a very weird experience.”

Before the fame: Learn, Build, Grow

When we sit down in the studio, he has a nice mix of Grey Goose and Appletiser in hand. He makes sure we are comfortable and starts reminiscing about the days before breaking into the mainstream in 2011 with his smash hit ‘Victory Lap’.

AKA started his career between the ages of 14 and 15 years old, when he formed a hip-hop group with his high school friends (Vice Versa and Greyhound), called Entity. The group disbanded after their 2005 album Royal School of Hip-Hop.

He had his first song ‘Do It’ published in HYPE Sessions Vol 25: Scripts ‘N Cutts, mixed by legendary DJ The Cutt, back when our magazine had hard copies and came with a CD. “I’d been working pretty much since 2009 as part of IV League doing production for Tuks, ProKid, JR… all of those guys. And that’s how I really started establishing a lot of contacts in the industry, learning from Pro and Jabba… R.I.P. to the boys,” he says sentimentally (and, in retrospect, perhaps unwittingly forebodingly).

 Altar Ego: For the culture

He quickly regains his composure after going off on a tangent as he thinks of the pioneers he looked up to on his come-up – pioneers he would join only two weeks later…

He readjusts himself in his seat and starts talking about his breakout single ‘Victory Lap’ and debut album Altar Ego. “I brought English rap to the forefront, pretty much,” he says. Facts. “Stogie T had done it before and a lot of other guys had done it before, but I think I was at an intersection, when social media was just beginning; South African hip-hop was released; brands were looking for a new somebody, I think, to put their money behind. I think it definitely played a part in bringing that to today. When it’s all said and done, I can say that is something that I did for the culture.”

The success of this album marked a shift in SA hip-hop history. In 2012, AKA became the first English rapper to win Best Male and Best Street Urban Music Album at the SAMAs. “I’m up against Jimmy Dludlu and I’m winning awards, which was great. Breath of fresh air; come in and just start riding high. At that time, the music was really basic – Fruity Loops, I was chopping samples, doing a little bit of drums – that whole album was made with a mouse and a keyboard,” he says, giggling about the realisation that he was around 23 or 24 years old – the prime age for most breakout stars in hip-hop. “What did I know about life? I was a kid; just a kid…” he shrugs.

“The biggest influence on my music was starting a band.”

SA hip-hop embraced him on his come-up as OGs and more established artists such as Buffalo Soulja, Stogie T, Khuli Chana, Amu, Pro and HHP all appeared on Altar Ego, which was produced by The IV League. Cape Town comedian Loyiso Gola performed comical skits depicting a range of accents from Cape Coloured to Nigerian.

From taxi routes to sho’t left in a jumbo jet: Levels

While Altar Ego brought him national stardom, by the time AKA dropped his sophomore album, Levels, he was becoming a continental and international star. Before walking us through that part of his legacy, he takes a sip from his glass and he jokingly refers to that phase of his life as “a whole lotta nonsense, beef and other stuff like touring Africa, which just took it to another level”. We can’t hold back our laughter.

After a successful debut, the sophomore album is make-or-break for any artist. In 2014, AKA proved that he was more than just a phase, and started his metamorphosis into being a hit maker. “I really started touring Africa,” he says, “‘All Eyes On Me’ with Burna, ‘Jealousy’… what else, ‘Run Jozi’… Geez, hit records. I did my first trip to Nigeria, then I started touring Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and Ghana. I think, with Levels, it was the first time I went to the States. I think it was New York. I took my first trip to LA around then.

“The world was really opening up and it was also when Afrobeats started coming in. So, we managed to really position ourselves with ‘All Eyes On Me’… BBC 1Xtra in the UK. I think I also went there for the first time; I went on tour in the UK for about a month. So, the world was really opening up to me, and that was when I started really messing around with music. I started growing as a producer then. Started making more musical music – keyboards, guitars and things like that – but not to the level that it is now. Levels took me to another place – another level.”

 But with these new levels came new demons. In 2014, a beef started brewing between AKA and SA hip-hop’s breakout star of 2013, Cassper Nyovest. The beef lived beyond the 2010s and was never officially squashed. He tenses up when the beef is brought up during our conversation. “As far as my position is right now, what’s happened has happened; what’s done is done; there’s nothing that can be done about that,” AKA says. “Only thing that can be affected now is my future and, going forward, I’m just focused on my family and my money and just staying out of people’s business. So, I’d rather just keep my sh*t to myself, focus on my music and focus on my fans. I’m about to turn 35; I don’t think I have any business beefing with anybody. From my perspective, it’s dead to me; everything is dead to me. I don’t wish anybody any ill at all. I just want the best for me and my people.”

“Levels took me to another place – another level.”

The beef’s genesis remains a mystery. In a piece breaking down the beef on OkayAfrica, writer and former HYPE editor Sabelo Mkhabela wrote that “it all began with a tweet” in April of 2014, when Cassper Nyovest claimed that his song ‘Doc Shebeleza’ was the biggest song in South African hip-hop. Honestly, ‘Doc Shebeleza’ was buzzing and was doing serious numbers on DataFileHost. The tweet in question: “No.1 on iTunes, not Zippyshare… know the difference.” ‘Congratulate’ indeed was number one on South Africa’s iTunes charts.

“We got along,” AKA recalls, before explaining what started the beef. “I think we even got into the studio once or twice and it was cool, but I think it’s a case of two people… ‘there’s not enough room for both of us’ kind of mentality. You get two dominant male dogs together in a room, it’s not gonna work out well. So, I think it’s a little bit of that,” he says.

“I don’t wish anybody any ill at all. I just want the best for me and my people.”

Be Careful What You Wish For: “ANATII taught me to have a bit more fun with my records”

But the same scenario with multi-talented artist ANATII led to one of the best collab tapes in SA hip-hop history – Be Careful What You Wish For – which gave us timeless hits such as ‘10 Fingers’ and ‘Don’t Forget To Pray’.

He admits working with ANATII was challenging at first. “It was extremely difficult,” he says. “Me and ANATII, we both think we know everything, so it was difficult at the start, trying to get those two energies to come together. But ANATII is a really talented musician – a really deep, introspective guy – and I think he learnt a lot from Be Careful What You Wish For.

“In fact, Be Careful What You Wish For was the first time he actually started rapping in Xhosa, ’cause I kind of persuaded him to do it, me and Yanga. It’s the time I was also really working a lot with Yanga. His sound has pretty much changed since then. He used to do English; straight English stuff.”

“Me and ANATII, we both think we know everything, so it was difficult at the start…”

AKA further shares that ANATII changed how he looks at production. “So, I also learnt a lot from ANATII about different sounds. ’Cause when you’re stuck in your own way as a producer, you’re stuck to one thing, and ANATII gave me a different perspective. I think ANATII also taught me to have a bit more fun with my records. I wanted to always be very precise,” AKA says.

Touch My Blood

That explains the eclecticism of the body of work that followed – Touch My Blood, his third studio album – released in 2018. “That was my first independent album,” he says. Touch My Blood dropped after his separation from the reputable record label and management company Vth Season in 2017.

Touch My Blood bridged the gap between hip-hop and other genres AKA has an interest in – R&B, Afropop, Afrobeats and house. “I think the biggest influence on my music was starting a band,” he says. “It allowed me to go all over the world and play music all over the world, because real musicians play guitars, drums and things. I just think it gave my music a richer texture. So, when it came to Touch My Blood, that texture really started coming in, and that mode and that zone of really taking my time with production and making music, with the ideal of making music for the stage.”

This decision to play with a band enabled him to join the exclusive club of South African hip-hop artists – HHP, YoungstaCPT, Prophets of Da City and Khuli Chana, among a few others – who’ve played at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.

Polarising: Bhovamania and You’re Welcome

He followed up his 2018 classic with his most divisive project, Bhovamania, in 2020. I make him aware it’s my least favourite project in his catalogue and he laughs. “A lot of people don’t like it, it’s very polarising, but I think that, with time, it’s going to be a cult classic,” he says. “It was a different time; it was the start of amapiano; it was the middle of the pandemic. That’s why it wasn’t an album, ’cause I wanted to experiment, and I wanted to find just something in the music space that I could hold onto. Not every album or project is what people are going to like, and that’s fine, because there are people who do like it and, as a musician, there’s always another chance.”

He comes across as someone who understands that a listener’s opinion about his music is hardly a personal attack, but just a matter of how the music made them feel. “So, when it comes to people liking or not liking stuff, I don’t take that personally, because for me, it represented therapy; it represented something that I needed to do at the time. There are a lot of great songs on that project, and I think, in time, people will really grow to love it,” he says.

Bhovamania, although a divisive EP, has hits like ‘Energy’ featuring Gemini Major and ‘Casino’ featuring Sho Majozi and FLVME. It also came with ‘Finessin’’, a song in which he featured his fiancée at the time, Anele “Nelli” Tembe, whom he also sang about on the song ‘Cross My Heart’. Nelli would pass away tragically the following year – she was reported to have jumped out of a hotel window in Cape Town.

 “Me and Costa Titch started just hanging out and he brought me out of my shell, saying, ‘Come out, come make music again, come start performing again.”

Nelli’s death was and still is a very sensitive issue and it led the star to reconnect with himself, his family and his music while grieving. “So, when I had gone through all of the sh*t and I was ready to start making music again, Riky reached out to me: ‘There’s this kid, Costa Titch, who has a song called ‘Nkalakatha’. Do you want to do a remix of the song?’ And, I thought, hey, man, this is a really cool song; interesting guy. I jumped on the remix – that was crazy.”

The synergy he felt when he hopped on Costa’s song led to a whole project titled You’re Welcome with the Mpumalanga-born rapper and dancer. “He and I started just hanging out, and he brought me out of my shell, saying, ‘Come out, come make music again, come start performing again.’

“So, another album where I just wanted to explore a sound and just explore new vibes and new energy; young people. And he took me all over, to places I’d normally never go, like Braam and all these places… took me to go see the new wave, the kids, and introduced me to all these guys, which was cool for me to get out of my shell. And we just did a little tape – that was towards the end of the pandemic – and I look back to that with fond memories; it was a lot of fun. I had a lot of fun.”

Outside of music, he mentions that his girlfriend, rap superstar Nadia Nakai, contributed to his healing. With matching tattoos and cute studio time pics or clips, the pair have been in a whirlwind romance for a while now. AKA blushes like a schoolboy when he talks about her and their relationship. “I’m in a great relationship and Nadia’s an amazing woman, and she’s really helped. The person you see sitting in front of you today – a lot of that credit should go to her; she’s really been patient and she’s really, in many ways, just brought me back to life,” AKA says.

He seems to have a great deal of love and respect for her. I couldn’t help but notice a photo of Nadia on his home and lock screen wallpaper – something he doesn’t hide as he gushes over her. “After everything happened and I lost my fiancée Nelli in April 2021, I was going through a tough time, and Nadia was really there for me, and we hit it off. There are a lot of things I admire about her, like her work ethic. She’s coming back with a lot of music this year. I’m also just enjoying seeing her work and how she works; I’ve learnt a lot from her. About just being calm and respecting your brand, and knowing your limitations, and all types of things.”

Mass Country: “A massive amount of different elements”

AKA closed off 2022 on a high as ‘Lemons (Lemonade)’, his collaborative single with Nasty C, who he co-signed during his come-up, became a national hit. The song topped the charts and made Rolling Stone’s “The 40 Best Afropop Songs of 2022”. The video has amassed four million views in four months on YouTube.

‘Lemons (Lemonade)’ alongside two other singles, ‘Paradise’ and ‘Prada’, helped bring excitement to his upcoming album Mass Country, which he has been working on for the last two years. “I started working on Mass Country maybe the day after Anele’s funeral. As soon as I got back to Joburg, I said, listen, I need to get all of this out of me and put this into music. So, you’ll hear in Mass Country, there’s music that’s recorded close to that time, and then there’s music that’s recorded now. So, the music close to that time is very deep, dark, sad feelings, and then, as time goes on and as things get better, you hear it gets more joyous and more hopeful, and more forward and more fun – ‘Prada’ and ‘Lemons (Lemonade)’,” he says.

Breaking down the title, he makes us aware that the phrase “Mass Country” sounds similar to “maskandi”. The title speaks to the expansiveness of the record, he says. “There’s a massive amount of different elements,” AKA says. “And then I want it to sound like country music. I grew up listening to country music – coloured people like country. Especially if you’re from Cape Town, country music is a big thing. And, you know how maskandi is considered to be our South African version of country music?” We burst into laughter as that notion is something we have heard too often. We nod and he continues, “So, I wanted to put those worlds together: hip-hop, a bit of log drum, kwaito, rock ’n’ roll… I wanted to put as many genres as I could together. And I wanted it to be like mass country… this is super South African, so it’s like mass South African. It’s for the masses of the country, you get me? But, at the same time, it’s from the soil; it’s from the earth.”

The cover art is a portrait of AKA drawn and created by accomplished graphic designer Karabo Poppy. It captures the essence of the sound AKA is going for. “I saw the KFC collaboration and I thought, oh my God, this is amazing. A graphic designer is one thing, but an artist who can draw is a completely different thing. I spoke to her, we had a meeting, we sat, it took a while… it took about a month for us to make that cover – she sent me things, I sent it back, she sent it back.

“My experience collaborating with her was fantastic; she’s an awesome person. Really cool, really chilled and one of the boys. So, I wanted to make something like that and, obviously, with all my covers, I always put my face on it.”

Unaware that he does not have long to live, AKA sounds excited about the future, with plans to shoot visuals for ‘Prada’ and let fans decide which other songs to shoot visuals for after the album comes out. He tells us how proud he is of what he achieved in his six-year-long partnership with premium vodka brand Cruz Vodka, which came to an end in November 2022. “I changed the entire alcohol game. We sold nearly two million bottles of that stuff. So, let it be known that what we did there – it can never be taken away. It will always be the thing that blew the game wide open because then brands saw, ‘Oh, this is the recipe,’ and then they duplicated it,” he says. “So, going forward this year, I’m starting my own, just solely my own, products this year. I can’t tell you too much about it, but this year we’re going to be dropping one or two products.”

Musically? “This year, I don’t want to do gigs anymore. I wanna do arenas only, just arenas. If your city has an ICC, that’s where you’ll find me. Obviously, we’ll do gigs in the first half of the year, like birthdays and all that stuff. For the most part, I want to put on big productions this year,” he says.

Little did we all know none of this would have a chance to come to fruition. Rest in peace, Supa Mega.

Keep an eye on our website and socials for stories from previous issues of HYPE magazine, as we re-live our journey with AKA.

This interview appears in issue 28 of our monthly ezine available for purchase here.

The post [Cover Story] AKA: The Legacy appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Written by Boitumelo Molamu

Hip-hop and fashion continue to influence each other. Artists are forever mentioning and flexing the latest textiles from their favourite designer brands.

Old-school rappers like Biggie, Camron, Jim Jones and many others are fashion and style icons of note. Today, it’s the likes of A$AP Rocky and Westside Gunn.

Designers and brands have also supported the culture. The late Virgil Abloh and his high-fashion-meets-streets brand Off-White co-signed and collaborated with a number of artists, while NIGO and Hiroshi Fujiwara are among those who pioneered the co-existence of hip-hop culture and fashion.

South Africa is no different. So many of our artists – such as the legendary Riky Rick, Champaign69, Moozlie and Stilo Magolide – have blurred the lines between music and fashion. This is not only based on their unique style, but also on their willingness to support and show love to local designers and brands. We still have a long way to go, as more artists need to take charge of their image, and hire stylists and art directors and collaborate with brands more often.

At the helm of that trajectory are certain brands that are shaping the future.

Our list of bands that shone in 2022 is curated based on the brand’s social activity, design and cultural presence. The list is in no particular order, and its main aim is to celebrate and showcase the brands that caught our attention in 2022.

VALHALLA HOTF

The Johannesburg-based brand has been around, building its name in the culture, for years now, through moves such as pop-ups at Sneaker Exchange and collaborating with Levi’s Haus of Strauss on a 1 of 1 piece. Their collaboration with Cotton Fest – which led to it being worn by the likes of Uncle Vinny and Major League DJz – introduced the brand to a new audience and the team ran with it, continuously growing with their collaboration with Balcony Mix by the Major League DJz. There is a lot that Valhalla is yet to deliver, as it’s still in its early stages, but we have a feeling that more is yet to come to set the brand on a higher stage.

CULTISH SUPPLY

Cape Town has always delivered classics. Cape Town fashion offers a wide range of brands and Cultish Supply is by far one of the more exciting ones right now. From their graphic tees to their sweaters, the brand’s product offering has stood out from the rest of the competition due to its quality of material and print. In the past year, the brand has grown from having just one flagship store in Cape Town to now being offered at the EGG+YAWA store in Johannesburg. With co-signs from the likes of Blxckie and Costa Titch, there are a lot of eyes on Cultish, and so far, the brand has not disappointed.

ARTELIER

What makes Artelier exciting is that their approach is different compared to what we’ve got used to. Internationally, there’s been a trend of tech-wear brands demanding their market share and expanding their reach, owing to the rise of gorpcore, a style defined by wearing utilitarian, functional, outdoors-inspired gear. Pushing the same movement in South Africa are brands such as Artelier, hailing from Pretoria, and quickly making its mark across the country. Artelier blends the design language of workwear and utility, and throughout late 2021 and 2022, the brand has shown potential, from presenting at SA Fashion Week to having pop-ups at the now-iconic 99 Juta Street, and also being a part of the brands curated at the 99 Design Store. We are yet to see more of Artelier and cannot wait to see it grow to be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of A-Cold-Wall or even Acronym.

WANDA LEPHOTO

For the past year, it has been impossible to have a conversation about South African fashion without mentioning Wanda Lephoto. Although Wanda has been around and constantly dominating since 2017, unfortunately, from 2020 onwards, the brand was temporarily closed. However, 2022 has been the year the presence of Wanda Lephoto was felt. The designer solidified his domination of 2022 with his spring/summer collection, which he presented during Milan Fashion Week. He topped that with one of the best collaborations of the year – the High-Shine Mule with Dakota. To top the year off, Wanda Lephoto would later on have an exhibition at Kalashnikovv Gallery in partnership with Bulldog Gin, exhibiting editorials from the brand. Wanda Lephoto is loved by the masses, advocated by stylists such as Bee Diamondhead and forever cherished by hip-hop, thanks to the co-sign from the late Riky Rick.

LEAF APPAREL

For years now, Leaf Apparel has been one of Cape Town’s greatest exports. The brand’s product offering is in line with Cape Town’s take on fashion, and streetwear has remained in the brand’s DNA, throughout its growth. Between 2021 and 2022, Leaf Apparel was featured in GQ South Africa several times and was worn by Uncle Vinny and Sun-El Musician.

Furthermore, the brand conquered the year with the announcement that they will be having a pop-up at this year’s Sole DXB, an annual footwear, music, art and lifestyle festival that takes place in the Dubai Design District in the UAE. Leaf Apparel has been around for a few years, and it’s pleasant to see the brand continue to make major strides.

LONG SEASON

Long Season, based in Joburg, is one brand that serves as a bridge between high fashion and culture. The brand has been on an undeniable rise. In late 2021, it cemented its name with its collaboration with Rocking the Daises, producing a capsule collection of an assortment of products. Their growth streak continued throughout 2022, when they collaborated with the likes of Yoco and also presented their capsule collection. With co-signs from the likes of Uncle Partytime and African Ginger, Long Season is yet to see their height, but with all they’ve done within just a few years, we cannot wait to see how far they take their design language, and how far the brand goes.

The post 6 South African clothing brands that owned 2022 appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Written by HYPE staff, Photos: Supplied

Hunter’s x JCH is a partnership between multi-award-winning African pop maverick, TRESOR and Hunter’s Premium Cider. The collab seeks to be an empowerment platform, providing support and career development through ongoing mentorship and industry knowledge-sharing; #RefreshingtheRules of the music industry.

Reba Red describes herself as a quiet girl who kept to herself and her close-knit group of friends. “No one even knew I could sing until Grade 10! I would ditch my homework duties to play CDs and sing along out loud in my mom’s car. That’s what I did with most of my time – perfecting my Beyoncé, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston notes. This happened so often that I let the car battery die. In order for my talent and the car battery to not die again, my mother taught me how to put the gear lever in neutral and switch on the car for a bit to charge the battery,” explains Reba Red. “My mom deserves a massive shout-out for letting me do my thing; the time in the car gave me great voice control from learning all those songs.”

Reba Red’s music is uplifting, the kind that will make you believe in love again. It will remind you to be kind to yourself and view life’s challenges as lessons and not failures – self-reflective instead of destructive. Having no formal training or education in music, her natural talent, passion and determination have driven her to self-learn everything.

“Music kind of chose me, and to be honest, I tried to ignore it, but alas, all my greatest work and opportunities to date have come from music. It’s where I thrive, where I am at my best and where I don’t need to second guess myself; everything is driven by intuition and feeling. I get to express myself fully and be experimental. Out of all life’s choices I was faced with, music was a no-brainer. I only started releasing music in February 2022, even though I have been singing and writing for as long as I can remember, but somehow, releasing music came late for me. Call me a late bloomer vele vele, but I trust the process, and I am happy that everything has happened the way it did. The road ahead is longer than the one I’ve left behind, and I am excited about the future,” says Reba Red.

The Hunter’s x Jacquel Culture House initiative is exactly what up-and-coming artists need. In a turbulent industry, having someone like TRESOR recognise you and take you under his wing is almost worth more than money, a game changer in its own right. Acting as Reba Red’s mentor, TRESOR has spent a lot of time mentoring and jamming with her. He has exposed a bit of himself to this aspiring new artist and revealed a bit about his own journey.

“After the ‘shell shock’ wore off, I got to have the best time with TRESOR. He is such a chilled guy, and so humble, and he gave me gold nuggets to carry with me throughout this journey, which I like to call a ‘chess mate’. Stay humble and know when to talk and when to listen. Always give 100%. Winning this definitely puts me on the map in terms of being more exposed to the industry and its dealings. I’ve already met a few people I look forward to working with and seeing how I can be of value and service. Receiving the recording equipment has also solved the one roadblock I was facing,” concludes Reba Red.

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

#RefreshTheRules #HuntersRefreshes #JacquelCultureHouse #StaySafe

Hunter’s Premium Cider promotes responsible drinking. Not for persons under 18.

Facebook: @HuntersCider / @JacquelCultureHouse

Twitter: @HuntersCider / @JacquelCXHouse

Instagram: @HuntersCider / @JacquelCultureHouse

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The multi-talented, 23-year-old vocalist, Afrohouse producer, photographer, pianist, actor & songwriter Singabakho Funokuhle Mthembu (known as Singapoure by his fans) was announced as the latest winner of the Hunter’s x Jacquel Culture House (JCH) nationwide Talent Search. The Hunter’s x JCH is a partnership between TRESOR and Hunter’s, South Africa’s most refreshing cider. It aims to uplift young musicians and provide them with a platform to launch their careers nationally.

As part of his prize, the KwaZulu-Natal-born and raised artist received an opportunity to work with multi-award-winning African Pop Maverick and co-founder of the Hunter’s x JCH initiative, TRESOR. Singabakho relished the opportunity to work with TRESOR and to grace South African TV screens again after participating in Idols season 15. “I feel like working with TRESOR, and the team has grown me as an artist already. I have always been missing key industry knowledge to guide my dream and, ultimately, my music career. This opportunity has given me a platform to grow my sound while also focusing on the management after the music”, says Singabakho. The initiative is an empowerment platform for young musicians that provides support and career development through ongoing mentorship and industry knowledge sharing: #RefreshingtheRules of the music industry.

Singabakho has been recording music for just over seven years, but his love for music began at the tender age of 8 years when he started singing at his local church in Umhlabuyalingana in KZN near Manguze where he is currently based. “Music is my first love, and as cheesy as it may sound, I didn’t choose music, I believe that music chose me,” says Singabakho. In terms of challenges he is facing, Singabakho has been finding it difficult to publish some of his work, he has hard drives full of music, and the ongoing mentorship has helped him navigate music publishing. His sound is mainly Afro Soul and Afro Pop music with a blend of Traditional R&B music, he coins it ‘African R&B’ music and he is also into afro house music. It is no surprise that when asked about his biggest influences, Singabakho believes that John Legend and Black Coffee largely influence his sound.

“I live on a farm, and I am pretty hands-on with the care and day-to-day running of it. It is difficult to find the time to record more music. The studio equipment I received from the initiative shortens the production time. I would like to one day establish a school of arts with a big studio to assist upcoming musicians and artists to perfect their craft,” concludes the winner.

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

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“This project is very close to me, especially because I felt I was really tested in all aspects this year”

DJ Kaymoworld continues by adding “The plan of this EP is to inspire those around me and give them hope that even through your toughest times, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.”

Tried & Tested features both upcoming and established names in the music industry like Costa Titch, AKA, Toss, Scumie and Thato Saul as well as hit maker producers Gobi Beast and Profound. The sound of the project is proudly South African Rap and see’s artists showcase their versatility with vocab, rhymes and wordplay. The body of work is full of energy, perfect for all scenarios this summer: the club, house parties, even grooving in your car.

Tired & Tested Track List Breakdown

Track 1 – Don’t Relate

The song speaks about not relating to different backgrounds in the hood and features Hip Hop acts, Thato Saul and Espiquet both coming in with strong lyrical content. Thato Saul on the chorus of the song speaks about his own personal experiences of growing up in Pheli (Pretoria), and what it means to make it out of the hood and make a name for yourself. The track is produced by Profound. “The day he sent me this beat I just knew I needed two rappers that can showcase their flows and play of words” says Kaymoworld. “The first two names that came to mind were Espiquet and Thato Saul”.

Track 2 – Wrong Turn

A collaboration that no one would ever expect, the perfect combo, new school artist Toss joins forces with hip hop pioneer AKA on a record. The song speaks about township slang and flexing. The Track is produced by Gobi Beast. “My goal is to always curate features that nobody would ever think could happen” comments DJ Kaymoworld.

Track 3 – Ngithi Lo

Ngithi Lo – derived from the Zulu word “ this one ” is a feel good song with bounce you can’t ignore. With a combination of various South African slang language and Hip hop elements, the track delivers an authentic local sound and South African hip hop flavour. The song is written by DJ Kaymoworld & Hype1108 and also features DJ Kaymoworld vocals on the chorus.

Track 4 – Top 7even

A record written by DJ Kaymoworld and Buzzi Lee in studio, the idea came from the beat name Top Seven, produced by Profound. “Inspired by a childhood we grew up to, this song will make you reminisce”, says Kaymoworld. The track features artists like Amapiano acts Toss, Majorsteez, Alfa Kat & Hip Hop’s Scumie and each and every act comes with their unique style of rap to tell their story.

Track 5 – Kopa Lerato

Produced by Asid, this track has a touch of Afrobeats, some Kwaito and Rap featuring the top duo hailing from the Free State, Bloemfontein, Stino Le Thewnny. Kaymoworld wanted to add a female voice over the beat, so he reached out to Buzzi Lee . To balance the vernac he then also reached out to Loki, from Skhanda World, for some Zulu vernac all the way from Durban.

The post Dj Kaymoworld Releases His Second Project – Tired & Tested appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

From going on tours in various African countries as well as in the UK, the South African established sound has now become a popular genre across the world. The Amapiano DJ & Producer, DBN Gogo, whose real name is Mandisa Radebe, continues to make a name for herself in that space as she has proved to have coined the term ‘Piano to the world’ by going on tour in various countries in the UK and having been featured on the BBC Radio platform.

The Bells hitmaker, took to social media a few weeks ago and announced her upcoming album. She unveiled the album title as Whats Real and finally, her debut album track list has been revealed with style, as she took to social media to announce who all is featured on her first offering to the world. The album has an array of features like Mellow & Sleazy, Boohle, Kammu Dee, Pabi Cooper, Yumbs and Abidoza all who all bring their unique talents, making the album a culture blend that reminds us that DBN Gogo is the number one leading lady in Amapiano.

The album comes after she had already established herself within the music industry after only starting her craft in 2017. The transaction from just DJing to making music was to reach a much larger audience and stage. Earlier this year the Amapiano superstar joined Spotify Radar, a program that spotlights and finds emerging artists across the world. She has now reached yet another major milestone by being featured on Times Square billboard in New York and she has also contributed two songs to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever album.

Most importantly, this has been a year of taking that leap, with the opening of Zikode Records which has a vast of young talent consisting of Stixx, BoiBizza, DJ Stopper, Unlimited Soul and Nvcho just to mention a few. She prides herself in ensuring that this talent grow beyond the world. The sky is the limit from here for the Amapiano queen.

“I want to be broad in my art, broaden my expression”

Whats Real, the uniqueness of the album stems from a moment of realising what is real around the life DBN Gogo, bridging the gap on what she cares about, what is real about her life and what matters. This album was a chance for her to have a real conversation with herself to figure out the main goal, she stated at her launch, “I want to be broad in my art, broaden my expression” this can be heard throughout the whole project. Whats Real, DBN Gogo’s first offering is an infusion of musical styles that carry remnants of House, Afro Tech and Amapiano.

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Since 2014, Vans and Opening Ceremony have forged a partnership rooted in celebrating creative expression and collaboration. Vans and Opening Ceremony reunite to debut the first global collection of footwear, apparel and accessories released by the two iconic brands. Launching in South Africa on March 12, the extensive collection will be made available at Vans retail locations and at select wholesale partners.

Established in 2002, Opening Ceremony emerged as a creative, multi-brand retailer motivated by principles of exploration and friendship, and has since celebrated many unique and diverse perspectives of people and countries around the world. Opening Ceremony founders Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, both of whom are renowned designers in their own right, have amplified voices and pushed boundaries that often reach far beyond the fashion world. At the forefront of fashion for decades, Carol and Humberto continue to celebrate their longstanding partnership with Vans, this time on a global scale

“Vans has been a long-time creative partner of ours, and we’re so excited to collaborate on their iconic print this season,” says Opening Ceremony Creative Director Humberto Leon. “For this new capsule collection, Carol and I are inspired to reinvent the checkerboard, taking a new graphic approach to Vans’ classic pattern.”

Inspired by Vans’ iconic checkerboard print, Opening Ceremony founders reinvent the pattern with abstract snake and leopard patterns across apparel and footwear. Using Vans’ original deck shoe, the Authentic as their canvas, Opening Ceremony have created an all-over repeat pattern that highlights the positive and negative space – finding harmony between the motifs of the snake and leopard across the uppers and sole of each shoe.

The repeat leopard pattern is featured on an assortment of apparel, including a track suit-inspired jacket that includes a front zipper closure, toggle fasteners and a hidden hood. The Vans x OC leopard pant boasts a relaxed fit with welt pockets and a zipper flap. The leopard assortment is complemented by a leopard printed tote that is filled with soft padding, emblazoned with a novelty rubber Vans x OC patch.

The second delivery of footwear takes an elevated approach using monochromatic uppers in orchid and Baja blue. The Authentic QLT brings two of-the-moment colourways to Vans’ maiden silhouette, with all-over colour, quilted vamp and lateral stitching. Each shoe is finished with an Opening Ceremony woven patch on the heel.

The Vans x Opening Ceremony collection will be available in South Africa at Vans retail locations and at select wholesale partners on March 12.

For more information,

please visit Vans.eu/OpeningCeremony.

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1. Make sure that you are creative! Having a website helps a lot, because that’s where you can post up your beats and there is a range and diversity of beats that people can listen to. This works because instead of emailing a lot of attachments to potential clients, you can give them the leeway of selecting whatever they want to listen to. The disadvantage of emailing a lot of attachment beats is that if a person listens to one beat and they dislike it, then its over for you! Unlike on the website, they will be able to skeem through and decide for themselves.

2. Remember that there are a lot of producers out there, each and everyday you are competing against all the others, so make sure there is something that sets your work, make sure it has that genuine quality sound that no other producer can imitate.

3. Stay hungry, don’t ever get too comfortable! If you get successful, don’t take a back seat and think you have made it, because there might be someone out there working twice as hard as you are and by not being comfortable it allows you to be open minded and create more dope stuff! It allows you to learn and evolve

4.Oh, oh, do not..approach artists at an event and tell them to pull up to your car to listen to your stuff, no, nooo! Make sure you work on your manner of approach, maybe have a card, that has details about your social media handles, your website where people can listen to your stuff and whilst you network with people, give them the card or just come up with an approach that won’t make the next person/artist uncomfortable, but rather interested!

Last, but not least, remember that when you are starting out, you cant go and be charging people thousands of rands, if you are still establishing yourself, your first free five beats might put you on the map! Then when you see that you are in demand and have at least a clientele of more than four people, you can start charging chankoora’s!

Remember to register your stuff with Samro, to avoid any legal drama and getting your material stolen or some dodgy ish like that!

Written by @sasamotale

Be sure to get your copy of The Freshman Edition to read more about Sean Pages and his musical journey!

The post Sean Pages Drops Some Knowledge For Upcoming Producers! appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Being able to create art on a body part consists of time, hard-work, a brilliant eye and the artistic ability to create a great masterpiece. With so many different tattoo artists around the world, it would only be fair to showcase some of Mzansi’s best work.

So if you are a dope tattoo artist, keyword being “dope” and you have what it takes to show us your tattoo artwork. Then email your dopest tat images to Motalesasa@gmail.com and a short bio of yourself. If we think you are dope, we will put you on!

Written by @sasamotale

Images sourced from We heart it and Pinterest

The post Tatted Up, Vibes!! appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

There is a new girl on the block and she goes by the name of Ursualla Molla, Bla Diva. She’s a singer and a rapper, she knows how to fluently rap in different languages such as; IsiZulu, Afrikaans, Sesotho and English. She likes to showcase her talent and skills. She has a cool sound and her ability to fuse different languages is dope.

Below is a link to her SoundCloud track, listen for yourself and hear what she’s all about.

The post New Girl On The Block! appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

But now the fade is back and fashion has taken a new direction and so has the music. With so many futuristic and Trap, Trip Hop tracks these days it’s hard not to notice the change, from the music videos to the music production. Although a lot has evolved, which is good because music cannot stay the same it is dope to know that artists are constantly experimenting with new sounds.

Can we take a road down memory lane, when music was super chilled and easy. When you could jam to a track that made you feel like coolin, back when T.Pain’s tracks would turn any party into a lit vibe.  When, Bow Wow Let Me Hold You was the ultimate love track.

Tracks like Sprung had you all up in your feelings and tracks from Dem Franchize Boys, made you snap your fingers. I must say my snapping was on point yo! Lets not forget how Pharrel schooled us on how to sound like you’re charming someone on a track, with tracks like Frontin and when Jay-Z Change Clothes made us understand that a rap song, can actually have some chill. Everyone has a certain song that reminds them of a particular moment, party partner or memory. Here are a list of lyrics that remind us of a few years ago when we thought that knowing how to walk it out was the coolest thing!

Throwbackkk!

Shortie Like Mine: Bow Wow

“You got a girl, but she ain’t nothin’ like mine. Cute face, nice size, like (mine)”.

Lil Jon: Snap Yo Fingers

“Snap ya fingers! Do ya step! You can do it all by yo self!
Let me see you do it! Ay!”

T.Pain: Sprung

“I’m Sprung…. Dawg She Got Me…
Got me doin things I’ll never do If u ain’t been I’m tellin you”

Pharrel ft Jay-Z: Frontin

“I know that I’m carrying on, never mind if I’m showing off
I was just frontin’. You know I want ya, babe”.

Comment below and let us know what’s your favourite, Throwback Thursday Track

Written by Nomsa Motale

@sasamotale

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On , Pusha dropped is anticipated second album Darkest Before Dawn to much public and critical ravings. The correct phrase to describe the album’s sonic depth and cinematic construct would be “it’s a movie.” But no, no; he didn’t stop there. Push shot and co-directed an actual film to go along with the album’s theme.

If you know anything about Push, you can probably sort of guess the themes of the film. The visuals however, are from from predictable and basic.

If your data allows, do the right thing and get your mind blown by watching Darkest  Before Down below.

The post Watch Pusha T’s ‘Darkest Before Dawn’ Short Film appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Javas Skolo and Kitso kick-start the new year by tackling down everything hip hop culture in SA. HYPE editor Fred Kayembe makes 2016’s first guest appearance on the show. The Podcast is back & contains intriguing discussions on the current standings of SA hip hop culture. Listen to the Podcast right below.

The post The Freditor Jumps on The Sobering Podcast Episode 4. appeared first on HYPE Magazine.

Its the countdown to the infamous MTV Base Hottest MC Top 10 list and with the panel of judges already revealed, SA hip hop is once again under the spotlight and if you remember last year this controversial list had the SA hip hop community ablaze, with K.O being crowned number one, Cassper settling for number two and AKA in third place, while others undoubtedly caught feelings. The list has returned, led by MTV Base VJ Sizwe Dlhomo and this year’s panel will judge 2015’s Hottest MC based on a criteria of:

• Intangibles
• Lyrics
• Style
• Sales
• Impact
• Buzz

What are your predictions?

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