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  • AMEHLO – TYSON SYBATELI REVIEW:

    OPEN YOUR EARS TO SEE IT ALL

    They say artists are meant to use their art to reflect the times we are living in and in 2026 we’ve seen and heard more complaints of this not happening then it happening, especially in these trying and dark times we’re living in with a great depression upon us, elections coming up but service delivery on the decline and poverty on the rise, the multiple wars going on, sexual assault, and so many more problems one can list. You’d think with so much going on there would be so many artists would be addressing but sadly that hasn’t been the case, but Tyson Sybateli is the exception and it’s what makes him exceptional.

    On the 22nd of September Tyson Sybateli released his sophomore album Amehlo. It had been 4 years since his debut album Home and fans were excited to hear of the new album coming out. In those 4 years Tyson, just like all of us, has gone through some experiences that has changed and shaped him. One example of this was that he was able to sign a deal with Sony Music and releasing his mixtape Present, which was hosted by The Sobering Podcast, through them in 2024. At the time, majority of South African hip-hop was celebrating as it looked like to be a big win for independent artists; showing that you don’t have to do Tik-Tok trends and dances to be seen and make an impact. Unfortunately, the deal didn’t seem to workout and Tyson ended up leaving the label and deal.

    Now, usually when an artist ends up leaving a deal with a major label there’s usually a slew of drama and gossip that follows it. People debating whether it was money related or a battle of ownership of the music etc. and the aftermath is everyone questioning if the artist will be able to recover or still be great after and continue to deliver the quality of music fans expect from them. Well with Tyson there really wasn’t much drama to be found. In fact, the amount of silence coming from Tyson and his team was so loud that fans started becoming concerned about whether he would drop again or if his experience working with a label had killed his passion for the music and the dream.

    You can imagine the relief and joy fans felt when Tyson teased his single Company Party in the beginning of the year. In true Tyson Sybateli fashion, the release of the single came with a carefully thought-out and strategized rollout. It first started with images of him in office attire and a name badge that had AMEHLO written on it and an eye icon next to it. It had everyone questioning what Amehlo is and what can we expect. Then he started releasing videos replicating those 90s TV infomercials, telling people they should be joining the Amehlo company and more news will be coming soon. The news that was to come was great news with a single release and announcement of his sophomore album Amehlo to be released later in the year and that’s when everything clicked for his fans and the atmosphere became alive with a heavy buzz of anticipation and excitement. Fan’s hunger for the new album and music was finally fed on the 22nd of September when the album finally dropped. It’s been a month of Amehlo [Eyes] and after having lived with it for some time now, I’m ready to give my thoughts and opinions on the album.

    Amehlo Album Artwork

    To start my review, I want to breakdown the album artwork of Amehlo. The first thing I noticed with the album artwork is that it is a direct reflection of the Home album artwork. It carries the same motif of Tyson Sybateli facing us while he’s sitting in this world or environment he has created. The difference with the two album artworks is that Home had a red background with the word ‘HOME’ spray painted on the wall behind him and Tyson Sybateli’s face is censored out. With the Amehlo album artwork Tyson is now sitting with a green background and now there are figures of people who are captured moving around in the back and Tyson’s face is fully exposed. The message I got from these covers is that with Home Tyson had found himself stuck and looking for himself in this music industry.

    That’s why the main colour is red to signal a sign of stop or danger, as to say if he carries on, he’ll lose himself. I also believe that’s why his face is censored because he doesn’t know who he is yet within the music industry and is still to find out. Then you get Amehlo where the green background indicates that he is ready to go and has a plan in order. It’s as if to say his eyes has been open and he sees the industry what it’s really for. The people in the back speak to all the work in the background that people don’t see going on, that is needed to make the dream come true. His face is exposed now because he knows who he is and isn’t afraid to take on the industry and challenges head-on. The dress code being office attire shows that he’s about the work and business of the music industry, and instead of being another worker why not his own CEO and boss be.

    This was my interpretation of the album artworks and when you relate back to his stint and deal with Sony, I believe it gives it more power because through that deal Tyson’s eyes were open to the workings of the industry. This leads us into the music because honestly speaking I was expecting a lot of angry raps and f*ck the industry narratives, and even though there was some of that, there was more to the album and more powerful messages Tyson had to express. Before we get into the messaging of the music, let’s discuss the sonics. Coming off of Home and Present , I believe everyone was expecting and anticipating a heavy-led hip-hop/rap sonic album but what we got was a very surprising and pleasant mix of a hip-hop/punk-rock mixed bag of beats that blended perfectly together and one or two kwaito tracks here and there with some r&b in the cut as well.

    Amehlo Backcover & Tracklist

    My first impression and thought when hearing the punk-rock blend of the album was, ‘rebellion’, because that’s what hip-hop and punk-rock are known for, and the moment I heard that I knew we were in store for a great album and Tyson would be speaking out on everything with full honesty. To start the album, we have The Program which starts off with a heavy punk-rock feel and chant of, “straight from the top rope.”, then the beat switches into a smooth kwaito influenced r&b instrumental where Tyson comes on singing a hook in Zulu and all of this comes as a delightful surprise, as it shows the growth and musicality of Tyson. Then Tyson comes on rapping about how the South African government has let the country down, political agendas, covid and having to be a role model for all the kids looking to be free and independent.

    The next song, Stone Cold, is more a trap inspired track featuring Thato Saul so immediately I was expecting a banger with nasty raps and flows, which is exactly what we got. Thato Saul executes his verse perfectly and has you vibing, even if you don’t understand or speak S’Pitori [South African vernacular slang.]. It is followed by the album single, Company Party, a punk-rock flavour fest of a song. The song talks about how Tyson is realising that the industry is basically like working at a company and everyone has their role to play, being good or bad. In this Tyson understands that he now must use his discernment and judgement to see who really is here for him and who is just here to party and live in the hype and flashing lights. Not everyone is here to work, some are just here to live off the work you do by association and use it for their own benefit.

    Next, we have one of my favourites on the album, Humour Me ft Filah Lah Lah, so you know it has the r&b soul and sonics all over it. “God bless everybody but start with me.”, this is how Tyson starts the verse and it hits because I believe we all know the feeling of wishing the best for people but still wanting to have the best for yourself in this life because who doesn’t. Tyson uses this as a moment for himself and to reflect and introspect on his own growth from friends, women, relationships and the perception of him by others. The chorus states this when Filah Lah Lah sings, and so beautifully I should add, “Everybody’s calling me, wondering where the hell, I’ve been, wondering who’s around me, who can ground me through duality I see nobody and I be lying like a mug, I’m so private, my circle smaller, every year be so quiet, baby, did you get the message? My presence is a blessing never really was a question, I’m sorry.,” you can hear that Tyson is referring to the time he spent away after the deal with Sony and how he had to take time to give back to himself instead of being what people wanted and needed from him at the time.

    Tyson Sybateli In Amehlo Uniform

    On the next song, Picture This ft Tron Pyre, Tyson keeps on with the r&b vibe and speaks on how he would love a picture-perfect love but the issues that come with dating in the industry and the ups and downs that come as an artist, even the love from family becomes different once you start making it. Tyson gets back to the trap meets punk-rock feel with Two. “Drug dealer with a Tik-Tok page. Dope ain’t selling itself these days.,” another opening bar from Tyson that shows how people value the internet and optics of things instead of being involved. This is the motif throughout the song in which Tyson criticises how fans and people are always online talking, complaining, or giving their opinion on topics but in real life you do not see them active or involved. It speaks on how the system and industry is trying to dumb us down and where or focus is as a society.

    We carry-on with the punk-rock feel with Green Room (Banged Down) which focuses on how things get dressed up and disguised as rumours but the more we investigate and look into them we see how fake they are and that we should be dismissive of what seems to be glitter and gold. Next is my favourite song on the album and I just recently found out that there are two different versions of it, an Apple Music one and a Spotify one. Advertisements is my favourite song on the album because Tyson directly talks about how the government, society and the systems in place are killing and poisoning us but because we’ve been sold this dream of what life should be, the characters we have to play and portray and to make it in the system there are certain things we need to do and behaviours we need to have but it’s all false advertising and we are being sold a lie why they buy our souls, morals and principles.

    Green Room is followed by Cheers, a chilled kwaito track which slows down the album and brings everything to a relax chillas vibe. It’s almost as if Tyson is trying to say who cares about everything he’s just spoken on with the previous songs when all we want to do is chill with our mates, wear the finest clothes, eat at the expensive restaurants and enjoy the best of alcohol. It is the life we all want and if we can live it, what else even matters? This brings us to Teflon Cards, another favourite of mine. This reminds me of Home Tyson, soulful hip-hop beats with dope lyricism. The song speaks on how through all the challenges Tyson is still here and will make it out of any situation no matter the cards he dealt because he is tough as Teflon and the challenges do not stick.

    Property ft Buzzi Lee, comes on next and we get back to the trapping vibes. Funny that both rap features come from Pretoria and known for their trap sounds. This track for me is on there to give a moment of fun and cleanse the palate a bit. Buzzi Lee goes off on her verse with the flow and with Tyson writing the verse for her, everything ties in together seamlessly. The next track Analogue ft Marcus Harvey is the only feature that is not from Pretoria and feels like a sequel to the track House ft Amara Fleur & Marcus Harvey off Home. This time instead of the love vibes Tyson focuses on getting back to getting the bag and making his success come true. He has seen the flashing lights, the women, celebrities, and parties. They do not last but the money does. Primo even comes at the end with a skit and monologue for the fans.

    The second last song on the project, New Man, brings us back to the punk-rock fusion and Tyson speaking on his background and upcoming from a disadvantage environment where hustling and surviving was the culture and know that he’s grown he can see and appreciate how much life has changed and shaped him. While people are out here trying to be successful for the fame and rewards, Tyson is here trying to change lives and not just his own and the people around him but everyone else but trying to open their eyes to everything that is happening around us. He is a new man with a new mission.

    Tyson Sybateli closes the album off with No More Parties, which speaks on the South African government and all the parties in parliament and how they are failing us as citizens and the youth. Gambling is running rampant, service delivery is poor, education and literacy is on the decline, unemployment keeps rising, kids are stealing to survive and getting arrested but corrupt government officials get caught and face no consequences, domestic violence and sexual assault has become a crisis and through all this all these parties are just pointing the finger blaming and shaming each other but no party is doing anything for the people. It is a call for the people to rise and govern and not look toward these parties for our survival and freedom.

    Overall Amehlo reflects being a youth in South Africa in 2026 and how it has affected us. It is a time capsule of the times but also a message in a bottle for the future and the present to stand-up and fight but most importantly to open your eyes and see everything that is happening in front of you and behind closed doors. For me I would give Amehlo a 10/10. I feel the execution, the messaging, instrumental, lyricism, sonics, production and everything was executed exactly how Tyson Sybateli intended and it is received as such. There are no notes or criticism that I could add to try and make this album better. This is an album that all South Africans need to hear and take in. Real artists are not dead and we as the people have the power to change the world we live in.

  • 5 DATE IDEAS FOR THE SUMMER, YOU AND YOUR POCKETS

    It’s spring/summertime in South Africa and with the sun out and shining, it’s a great time to be outside and especially with a person you’ve been interested in, dating, in a relationship with, in a situationship with, you’re courting or just even a summer fling. While love is in bloom and the air, Cyril’s economy isn’t doing us any favours with petrol sitting at R30 rand and looking to increase next month so as a member of the Broke Lovers Club, I thought let me give you all some spots and activities you can do with your significant other this summer. The best part about these dates is that they allow for conversation and getting to know and invest in the other person.

    5. PICNIC DATE

    With it being the summertime, the sun is out, the flowers and trees are in full bloom and the scenery outside is just stunning so obviously doing a picnic is the go-to. That is why it sits at 5 because I do feel it’s the easiest and most convenient option but it’s also because depending on the food and beverages that you are finding yourself indulging in it could be more expensive than anticipated but still affordable.

    4. ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES

    When I say adventure activities I’m thinking of things like quad-biking, horse-riding, archery, go-karting etc. It sounds expensive and that we are planning a bush getaway but thanks to the FOMO app, it really doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think. On the app you can find specials and deals for couples and even group packages for such activities at a great price and they still give you a PayFlex option to pay with so you can budget and pay in instalments. The most challenging part is just that these activities are usually happening within in Hartbeespoort or Pretoria which are 40-60min drives from Johannesburg depending on the area you live in but that also makes it fun because you now have a mini road-trip with your partner and can have an aux battle to see who has the better music taste as well as create a new memory for the both of you.

    3. SPA DATE

    Again, I know when you hear words like spa date, automatically your wallet clinches faster than your bootyhole when you need to release some gas but you’re sitting with your crush or boo thing and you’re still trying to impress them but again I’ll tell you don’t let fomo (fear of missing out) get the best of you but rather use the FOMO app to get the best deals. It’s end of year fatigue is kicking in, work deadlines are on our necks, and exam season is finishing the students so some pampering and rest will be highly appreciated and go a long way. There are many couple package deals and even one-person deals because self-love is key. Spoil yourself and your partner this summer and get some rest while you’re at it.

    2. MINI GOLF/PUTT-PUTT

    We’ve all seen the movies and series where the rich go to country clubs and go enjoy a game of golf with their friends or partners. While they are there, they are having drinks, food, chats and laughs. An overall good time. Now, while you might not have the love or money for actual golf and these country clubs, there’s always mini golf for you. You can go mini golfing at one of the four Adventure Golf franchises in Johannesburg. They all have 3 courses with 9 hole that you get to enjoy for only R180 and the best part if that if you don’t play all 3 courses on the day (it’s still a sporting activity so you might not), you can come back and use your pass to complete the courses you hadn’t. Just like the country clubs Adventure Golf provides with food and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) so you will be good to chill in-between games and just chat. The outdoor scenery of it all also makes for great time, pictures and memories.

    1. ARTS AND CRAFT DATE

    I don’t think we value the beauty of arts and craft. The ability to create and express yourself is magical and to be able to share that experience and activity with someone you like or would like to get to know better creates a deeper bond and understanding. Seeing how that person may view the world or themselves gives you a deeper and more meaningful insight into who they are and what they value. There are so many activities you can do outside within the arts and craft space. You can be mini canvases and have a paint date with each other. Buy some white tees, bleach and some dye and make your own tie-dye shirts. You can sit and create vision boards for the year ahead together and see what your goals are and what theirs is and if you both have the same wishes, goals and desire. You can get some DIY henna kits and be each other’s tattoo artist. Spend time doing colouring books together as you destress and get into deep conversations and creating a safe space. Your imagination is your only limit in this scenario. Think outside the box provide a new experience for yourself and your pattern, and you get some mementos to take home or keep with you after the date.

    Dating is meant to be fun and an experience. It’s meant to open ourselves up not just to the people we are dating but ourselves and help us discover new parts of ourselves we didn’t know we had in us. I know we feel pressured with the social media standards of these fancy dinner dates with the aesthetics or get aways with the bae but I do feel keeping it simple, keeping it real and making time for activities where you can actually bind and learn about each other whilst having fun is the best kind of dates. You don’t have to open your bank account to experience romance and fun. You just must open your mind and heart to new experiences.

  • OF MASKS & MICS:

    A TALE OF COMIC CON & IN THE CITY

    In South Africa Spring & Summer are defined by two months and two months only. They are September and December. I say this because in those months are when we really see what the country is capable of events wise. Whether it be the variety, number and quality of events or us as the consumers of whether we can handle all the stimulus and money needed to attend and participate in these events.

    I got some reasoning behind this. In regards to September it is the benchmark of what is to come and what we can expect as consumers. September always comes in with a big punch and having us realise just how much of a toll being outside is really going to be and how exciting it will be as well. Taking a look at some of the events that happened in September we had; Joburg Day, Scorpion Kings, Luxurious Marble Circus, Comic Con, FNB Art Joburg, Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, Soweto Kota Festival, The Good Life Show, World’s Biggest Braai It’s Personal Picnic, Soundset Sunday, Pantone Sundays, SOS and many more. Then with September ending on the Wednesday it led us into an October opening weekend that featured; Aprtmnt Life (UK), Dave (UK) and In The City.

    Do you see what I mean? Now, it is our jobs to be in the streets and getting all the info and intel for you guys but I’m more of the introvert and my partner Frat is energy feeder. Why that is? You know my catchphrase; “It’s a story for another day.”. With that said I did go outside here and there because suns out and why not? So, for this article I’ll be giving my reviews on Comic Con and In The City.

    COMIC CON

    Starting with Comic Con, one of my favourite times of the year. It usually happens around the weekend of Heritage Day so getting to celebrate my cultural heritage and my love of comics and everything science fiction that raised me as a child and still lives with me now.

    Taking place at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec from the 24th of September to the 27th of September 2027. The convention is a meeting ground for a gathering of community for the nerd, geeks, gamers, cosplayers and lovers of anime, animation, fiction and science fiction. The beauty of the con is that it puts a highlight and spotlight of all the different exhibitors, stores, vendors, artists and suppliers in the world of fantasy here in South Africa.

    If you ever thought to yourself, “Where does one enter into a Pokémon or Yu-Gi-Oh tournament or league?”, “Do we have any local comic books and illustrators?”, “How does one get involved in drawing and animation?”, “Is there a place where my cosplay is seen as art and appreciated as such?”. If, yes, then Comic Con is the place for you. It’s always amazing at how so many worlds can come together under one space. Seeing how many independent artists and businesses there in this industry is wonderful but the sad part is that it makes you realise how overlooked they are on the daily and maybe it’s because people don’t even know this world exists but also because they’ve become a niche market within a niche market.

    WINNER OF THE COMIC CON AFRICA 2026 COSPLAY CHAMPIONSHIP (SOURCE @comiconafrica – Instagram)

    Sticking on the market of things at Comic Con, I do wish we’d get more deals and discounts as fans. I feel like going to the con and creating deals and specials for consumers will make them more of a fan and regular to actually come and support your store and business.  I know the stall fees are high but trying to hit a lick on consumers makes it feel that we have to be more consumer savvy and not fall for the extra marked-up prices. The one thing I will always say is I wish there was more entertainment at the con.

    I say this with the hopes of one day seeing staged cosplay fights both on and off-stage. Talking about cosplay there is so much of it and is such a major point and highlight of the con but doesn’t feel like it’s given as much and love attention to it. Even to the build up of Comic Con. It needs to be more centralised instead of in the corner somewhere in the back. I also believe the table top games and tournaments should be highlighted more and understand they do need their own hall but it would be nice for it to be included in the main happenings of everything.

    All in all, I would give it an 8/10 because I got my DC BATMAN/WONDER WOMAN TRUTH comic signed by the lead artist Jim Cheung and found another comic book store to feed my addiction and obsession.

    IN THE CITY

    A week right after Comic Con and all the nerds in me being fulfilled and satisfied it was time to get back to the streets for Isaiah Rashad. Let me tell you, I don’t think I was ever planning on missing this performance. I’m not the biggest concert goer and to be honest I’ve missed a lot of acts just out of the feeling of, “Ah I’ll survive plus I have my local superstars, I’m good.”, but with Isaiah there’s a relatability to his songs and lyrics that I just had to be there and rap bar for bar with him.

    Now before we get caught up in my Isaiah love let’s focus on meat and potatoes which is the event, In The City, itself. Last year In The City didn’t have the greatest of reviews from patrons and fans because of the Summer Walker early walk-off from the stage and only performing roughly 20-30mins of what was meant to be a one-hour set. The backlash and upset from the fans online were huge and it didn’t help that Summer was also out on social media making some claims on the reason why her performance was cut short.

    With so many complaints around the show and not receiving the performance that they were expected and promised the reputation of In The City took quite the hit and if anything, they needed to make sure that this year’s show would restore their reputation of being one of the best live music experiences showcasing international talent in South Africa and I believe they were able to do so.

    We’ll start with the venue. The event was held at Monte Casino in Fourways. A venue that they’ve used previously and once I got there I understood why. With the venue being a well-known and visited mall and casino, it made life easier for most as the routes going there are already known, there is secured underground parking and the security there is already tight and strict. The negative side to that is because it’s an establishment it didn’t look like they were able to have some liberties of putting up signage leading to the event or having a specified parking for patrons. This makes sense to me because it is a mall still open to the public and a regular day for tenants and shop owners but you do lose that excitement and whimsy of arriving or getting to this world of music and joy you are about to experience.

    Once you’ve parked, gotten inside and get to the outdoor event area of Monte Casino, you get straight to the accreditation of booth and it was smooth, easy and simple.

    Shots Take At The Axe In The City Activation (source: @inthecity_africa – Instagram)

    Stepping into In The City the layout and setup were very easy. On the right you had the stage, on the left you had the different brand activations going on and in front of you was the bar and some food vendors on the left of the bar and VIP to the right of the bar. The brand activations there were interactive and engaging which gave it a livelier feel and it was more than just selling or pushing product on the patrons. They had the Axe activation which came with shooting some hoops and showing off your basketball skills. Hunters had an ice lounge where you could cool off from that South African sun and trust it was needed. The best activation of the day though was the Sprite activation. Sprite had great activities like making your popcorn and slushie flavours, a reaction game competition to win some prizes, a photobooth to keep the memories of the day and they had the Grade store where you could buy some Isaiah Rashad Lil’ Sunny merchandise.

    Once you’ve enjoyed some of the activations, the next thing is definitely going to go and get yourself a cold beverage just to cool down. I must say that the bar service was friendly and efficient so you didn’t have to wait too long for your drinks or fight any bartenders and servers. The biggest issue that came with the bar was that about 18:30/19:00 the bar had run out of spirits. You could only buy Hunters, the beer that was on sale, cold drink and I believe we had some shots of gin as a plan B. With the concert ending at 22:00 that sure was an inconvenience for the patrons who would have enjoyed a few more drinks before the show but I don’t know if that speaks to a lack of stock or a drink problem that one day as South Africans we will have to face.

    Well, the bar and activations are good and add to the experience of the event, the main reason why we are all there is for the live of music and singing along with our favourite artists. The stage had a beautiful light design that took the landscape of the apartments behind it and made it feel like part of it’s aesthetic and design. Also, the screens were wide and big enough for everyone to see at any vantage point. Talking vantage points the VIP was a chilled space to be and the elevated platform gave you a leverage but the angling of it left some parts of it only looking at the side of the stage instead of looking at it dead-on. That’s why I spent the event watching and experiencing from the general area but also just to actually get a sense of the vibe and buzz from people. I must say the people were friendly and we were all one in community of music.

    Marcus Harvey On Stage Taking In The Moment (source: @inthecity_africa – Instagram)

    We go from the stage to the sound and performances. Unfortunately, due to travel complications I only got to see the end of Marcus Harvey’s performance which I was excited to experience and see him performing songs from his new album live. The DJ playing right after Marcus did a great job holding the chilled vibe as it was a Sunday afternoon and Rum Gold was coming to stage and when he did come on stage he was there to work. Not being a fan of Rum Gold myself it’s always fun hearing and experience artists you don’t listen to in a live format and what I can say is that he is cut from the cloth of the old school R&B where vocals and genuine singing are the highlights. It reminded me of afternoons at home playing video games on silent because mom is cleaning and cooking while blasting the greatest of R&B songs.

    After Rum Gold it was Sinead Harnett. Before Sinead came on, we had the MC come and introduce her to us. Now, the MC was Thaba Nyaba and she had a great energy and vibe but I still think as South Africans we have this standardised MC voice and our MC’s need to be more interactive with the crowd, be able to hold a conversation on stage and be more informed on the artists and event so they can fill in awkward gaps of silence with jokes and little gems of knowledge. The awkward gap of silence did come when Sinead Harnett and her band were having technical difficulties setting up before her set. We had to wait 5-10mins before everything was fixed and the wait was worth it because if I wasn’t aware of her game before but wow…what a singer and vocal performance. After that All I could say was I get it.

    Sinead Harnett Serenading The Crowd With Passion & Grace (source: @inthecity_africa – Instagram)

    Next on the line-up was Nasty C and I think I’ve Nasty C on enough big stages to know to expect nothing less than a high quality and high-energy performance and maybe I take it for granted how much of a superstar performer and artist he is that I would like to see some new names being featured on these line-ups like a Loatinover Pounds, Blxckie, Tyson Sybateli, Maglera Doe Boy etc. Obviously, the curation has to make sense but it’s also why I understood why Nasty C with him celebrating 10 Years of Bad Hair (his debut album) and Isaiah Rashad also celebrating ten years of The Sun’s Tirade (his debut album) there was a clear connection and link between the two for fans in that time growing up to both of their albums.


    Lastly, it was time for the big moment, Isaiah Rashad on stage. I don’t have anything I can write that can express the time I had or what it meant and felt like but I can tell you that In The City made dreams and visions come true for thousands of us that night. Full performances, no cuts or unforeseen circumstances ending the show just one pure moment of bliss for all music fans and lovers.

    Isaiah Rashad Baring his Soul On Stage (source: @inthecity_africa – Instagram)

    The best part was that leaving wasn’t that crazy. We all know Fourways traffic can be horrible but because we all know Fourways we knew how to manoeuvre, get to where we go, have network to call Ubers and have Ubers know exactly where to pick us up. Only thing was if you thought of buying food at Monte Casino after…poor planning. I actually ended up finding a new dope pub with my people and ended the night with some ribs, laughs, pictures and shared memories. In The City shall live in my heart forever.

  • DIVERSE PALATES NEED A DIVERSE PLATE: UNIFORMITY OF CONSUMPTION KILLING THE ART

    Art is meant to be a form of self-expression. A way to show the world who you are, how you see it, what you think about it and showcasing what makes you unique and an individual. It’s small individual pieces that is given to the masses so people can go search and dig for themselves what they like, love, dislike, hate and value. It was meant to be consumed as individual separate bodies of work but that has changed, and the system has made it that we get everything all at once on one plate and that kind of consumption is bad for the artists and consumers alike.

    It sounds like I’m just putting a bunch of words together and saying a whole lot of nothing but this observation of mine came through my own experience of how I engage and consume the arts and noticing how I started consuming less but also starting to dislike the consumption of the arts because everything felt too much or too uniform or too standardised. It didn’t feel like I was getting the full experience of the art that I was trying to consume and I realised it’s because everything is on one platform. Everything is uniform.

    I’ll start with music because that is my first and forever love. Growing up listening, buying and consuming music was a very intentional and thought-out process. You had to go to the stores listen and pick which CD(s) you’d want to buy. Once you got home, you’d have to pick which exact CD you want to listen to and for the next 35-60 plus mins you would have to give all your time and attention to just listening to that one CD, that one artist and be consumed by that one world you’ve been transported to. It’s not just that you had one specific device to play your music on. It was either your Walkman, MP3 player, iPod, CD player or in the car as you’re driving. It wasn’t on your phone where texts, calls, messages, and all these other apps can distract you and pull you out of the world you were so desperately trying to jump into. You would turn on the music and if you were listening via headphones or earphones, it’s like the world would disappear. You wouldn’t hear your phone ring, messages coming in or even the noises of the outside world, you were not just consuming the art but being consumed by it as well.

    Today besides just being on one device because majority of people use DSPs even the music is all in one place. You can be listening to an album and midway through the album you’re already trying to make your next album pick and wandering through libraries of music. It takes you away from the listening experience. If not that people are more interested in listening and making playlists of their favourite songs instead of finding the deep album cuts that aren’t singles or became popular via social media. Album reviews meant something because you’d have to dissect and deep dive into the album and not just wait for the midnight drop so you can be first to have your opinions online. It feels uniform like we all know, “Drop on Friday midnight. Listen. Have an opinion by 7am. Post so everyone knows you’ve listened. Enjoy the weekend. Forget about it by Monday and wait for more new music on Friday.”.  There’s nothing separate each drop from each other to make us want to invest into these worlds more and hold our attention.

    I feel the same with how movies and series are being released nowadays. Streaming made it so that we don’t have to wait week-by-week for a new episode. We watch a series in a day, talk about it and then move on to the next. We don’t digest each episode and talk about it for the week. Discussing the messaging, dialogue, meaning behind it all. Trying to deduce what the next episode will bring and how we think our favourite characters will grow or build through whatever challenges or obstacles that they are due to face. We don’t even have the chance to get into the series deep enough because we can easily change shows and not just that but streaming platforms. If not Netflix, then Disney+ or Prime or Apple TV and so on.

    Movies might even be worse because we can watch 10 minutes in and already be like, “Na, I’m not feeling it.”. I remember buying/renting VHS or DVDs and whether good or bad because it took so much effort to start watching the movie, you’d watch the whole movie to payback that effort and because of that we were able to get cult classics of good and bad movies. Movies such as Sharknado exist because someone had an idea, bought it to life and we took the time to invest and live in that idea. We watched through it and because of that we were able to dissect it, digest it and then discuss it and through word of mouth many more others did as well, and a cult classic is grown. Nowadays that’s a rarity because of all the access we have we want the best of the best or nothing else. It’s like we expect a uniformity in the level of production of movies and quality when really, it’s the variety of it that gives life to the movies and us as fans. I haven’t heard the words, “cult classic”, being mentioned about a movie in many years now and that’s because it’s either good or bad no colour in-between just pure black and white.

    I don’t know know…maybe I’m being the old man yelling, “Get off my lawn!!!”, and “Back in my day.”, but there is a disconnect happening and I feel it’s the loss of diversity and individuality. Today we all have the same access which is beautiful in its own right and has some great advantages and benefits but the access is coming from all the same points making us uniform in our consumptions, opinions and our approach to the art. We need to bring back separation of the arts and individuality. Let people feel and live in the art instead of just consuming it.

  • Nemzzz Is Locked In

    Nemzzz has reached that exciting stage where confidence starts shaping the music as much as talent does. On Locked In, the Manchester rapper sounds comfortable with his voice, his taste and the world he is building around himself. UK drill remains the foundation, but the sound has picked up more flavour along the way. There’s soul, romance, luxury, flirtation and plenty of hunger. Nemzzz has essentially swagified drill.

    That maturation comes through in how easily he moves between moods. The cold drums and heavy bass still knock, but Nemzzz carries himself differently over them now. His delivery feels relaxed and assured, leaving enough room for the production to breathe. Soul samples peek through in unexpected places, melodies soften some of the harder edges, and the whole project carries a youthful bounce that makes ambition sound fun.

    The title tells you plenty about where his head is. Locked In lives in that hustle mindstate. Money, progression, focus and the next level are constantly circling his thoughts. There’s an urgency to the way he talks about success, like every achievement has already created another target.

    “EXPANSION” catches him deep in that pocket. Nemzzz rocks over the beat with purpose, sounding hungry while enjoying the view from where the work has already taken him. The song carries the energy of someone watching his world get bigger and responding by working even harder. That feeling runs throughout the album. Success has given him confidence without killing the hunger.

    “GASS” with Travis Scott takes the project onto a bigger stage. The exciting part is hearing Travis enter the world Nemzzz has created. The bounce stays rooted in the UK and Travis bends his presence around it, bringing his psychedelic ad-libs and superstar energy into Nemzzz’s terrain. Nemzzz holds his own comfortably. The chemistry makes the collaboration feel natural, and Travis sounds like he’s enjoying the chance to play inside a different rhythmic language.

    There’s something powerful about that exchange. UK rap has reached a place where its biggest young artists can invite global stars into their sound without reshaping the room for them. Nemzzz carries that confidence naturally. Manchester remains audible even when Houston pulls up.

    “TRICK” with Cash Cobain finds another sweet spot entirely. Cash has mastered that hazy, flirtatious New York sound where drill drums meet R&B energy, and Nemzzz slides beautifully into that sexy drill pocket. Their laid-back deliveries complement each other, creating music that feels equally suited to the function and the late-night drive home.

    That side of Nemzzz becomes even more pronounced with Latto on “OK.” His lover-boy bag is open here. The record is smooth, sexy and playful, giving him space to flirt without losing the coolness that anchors his music. Latto brings the sensual confidence she does so well, raising the temperature of the song immediately. Their energies meet somewhere between drill, rap and R&B.

    That romantic streak adds another dimension to Nemzzz. He sounds increasingly comfortable talking about attraction and relationships alongside money and ambition. There’s a natural charm to the way he approaches those records, especially because he never overplays the moment. The same relaxed delivery that works on harder beats becomes even smoother when the production gets warmer.

    That adaptability gives the project its personality. Travis Scott, Cash Cobain, Latto, Lil Yachty and Tunde all arrive carrying distinct musical identities, while Nemzzz remains the centre of gravity. Each collaboration opens another door in his sound. Houston psychedelia, New York sexy drill and Atlanta swagger can all sit alongside Manchester without the project feeling scattered.

    The soul samples help stitch everything together. They appear like little flashes of warmth behind the drums, adding character without turning the album into some grand exercise in nostalgia. Nemzzz belongs firmly to the present. His songs are short, immediate and built around instinct. The music understands how his generation listens while still leaving enough detail for certain moments to stick.

    That youthful aggression might be the most infectious thing about the project. Nemzzz sounds like someone enjoying the rewards while remaining obsessed with progression. There’s money to make, places to go, women to meet, records to cut and another level waiting somewhere ahead.

    You can hear his world expanding in real time. The Manchester kid who came through floating over sparse drill production now has enough command of his sound to stretch it into different spaces. The genre can go from knocking to flirting. The project carries hard soul and sits comfortably on the balance of lyrical wit, charm, street and swag.

    Nemzzz has found the swagger and hustle in his world. And on LOCKED IN, he wears it well.

  • HATE WATCHING:I HATE TO SEE IT

    As a 32, turning 33, year old I believe myself to be big brother but with the younger generations and to the kids I guess I’m uncle aka malume aka unc and honestly, I’m cool with that. IT’s a new day and age and some terms have been shifted and new terms being made every day. One terminology that I don’t love and hate to see is hate watching and I believe we should all hate it and I’ll explain why.

    Now if you’ve never heard of the term, ‘hate-watching’, before it’s pretty self-explanatory. Hate-watching is when you purposefully watch someone, a team, a performance, a movie etc. with the sole mission of hating on it and hoping for the worst outcome for said person, team or whatever it is that you are watching. At first it makes sense and is deeply relatable to everyone. Who hasn’t had some stored-up feelings whether it be jealousy, envy, anger, hate, betrayal, being snubbed or robbed, underserving of, you know feelings of someone or something that is achieving or celebrating something that you thought they didn’t necessarily earn or deserve? We’re all humans, right? It’s okay for us to have and feel these emotions. What’s not okay is letting these emotions run to the point where they control us and our actions.

    It sounds dramatic at first but have you ever been around a group of friends and everyone is talking about the upcoming basketball/football/tennis or whatever sport match and you hear someone say, “I’m just watching to see *insert team here* lose.”, and in your head you’re like, “What?!?!”, you’re watching the sport with the pure intention of hating and praying on another team’s downfall instead of just watching because you love the sport and hoping to see a really great game between two exciting teams? A better example would be in the music world, more specifically in the Hip-Hop culture. If we look 3 years back to the great Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef when the two rappers were battling against each other in front of the whole world, it was a great time but the aftermath that came was horrible for the culture of fans. Whenever one of these artists drops now, instead of, “Hey, I’m excited to listen to this new album.”, we’re hearing more, “Oh they just dropped? I can’t wait to listen to how trash this album is.”, or, “Oh he dropped, I’m not even giving it a listen.”.

    Kendrick Lamar & Drake fans took hate-watching into hate-listening

    We’re at the point where our hate is overriding our love and it’s not just stuck to sports and music. Movies, TV, people, I believe even animals are catching the smoke as well. I don’t know when or where it started exactly but I hate to see it. I know the irony. The reason why I hate it is because when you take away the love from watching something you love or enjoy you take away the beauty of it and your sense of being able to appreciate the diversity and variety that that one thing you love and enjoy can bring to you. We get so caught up in hate watching that we talk all about the negatives of a team or person or art form. We get the background stories and lore of why we should hate one team or person but rarely do we hear why we should be supporting and loving the other team they are up against.

    I mean even on the team being hated on, I stop and ask myself, “Okay but if they’re here in this position for you to hate on them they surely must be great at some aspect of the thing we’re watching?”, or maybe it’s just me and I’m the crazy one. I remember back in high school when Manchester United was on top and reigning. Did people hate the Manchester United fan base and their egos? Yes. Did people hate see Manchester United winning multiple titles? Yes. Did people still tune-in to watch Manchester United because they could appreciate the football they played and the greatness of the players that were playing on that team? Yes. It felt back then that you could not be in support of a team but there wasn’t this hate-watching of tuning in to pray on their downfall but tuning in to catch a beautiful game of football and that the opposing team would play an amazing enough of a game to defeat Manchester United.

    It was love watching. Watching for the love of the game. Investing into teams and players, hoping that they would get better to beat the ones on top and which just led to hoping for the sport in itself to grow holistically and produce better performances and games for us to view and participate in. With music you’d able to listen to your favourite artist’s rival and appreciate they made an amazing body of work that touched other the ears and hearts of the masses and because of that it would make you want to support and cheer your favourite artist to make a project just as amazing if not better than the rival’s. It wasn’t praying that we get sh*tty music from people because if we are all praying that the people, we don’t like release bad music then how does music grow and how do we get a wide range of great music?

    Max Verstappen someone the whole of F1 tuned in to hate-watch

    For me hate is the removal of love and once you remove love from the equation of anything it starts to lead to its downfall. Do we not want to see great movies, tv series, music, sports team and players all around? If we keep sh*tting on each other when do we have time to appreciate and uplift all the good and great that is being done around us. You think you’re hate watching but the hate is blinding you from seeing and living in the greatness of our time. Put the hate down and just do it for the love of it. Love is free but all this hating is going to cost us and rob us of our joy and I truly hate to see it.

  • NOT ANOTHER RUN CLUB: We Need Some Diversity

    They told us we could run for president and government but then they locked us out so the hunger to run wasn’t satisfied and just kept growing to the point we couldn’t run from it anymore and started running for it. We started running so much that it started becoming a groove. The run clubs were born and have not stopped since then and we are in desperate need of some condoms, birth control or a plan B to all these run clubs because at some point, we have to stop. Where’s the finish line and what is it?

    I know the first reason people point to is the health factor of it but then why not a health club where we exchange different meal ideas, exercises, tips and tricks, activities and etc. It feels like really, we are just running looking for community and instead of taking time to research, invest in and build these communities, people just see the easy trend happening and create communities around that. I have no problem with running but just the mass run club movement and I don’t really know why because it isn’t hurting anyone but there are just too many run clubs.

    If we’re talking health and physical activities then I’d rather any sport club; basketball, volleyball, netball, hockey, football, table tennis, tennis, rugby, cricket, etc. Then you the cultural clubs like chess, book clubs, movie clubs, art clubs, food clubs, gaming clubs, and I’m sure there are many more. I would hope that there are some out there in South Africa and if not, then hopefully this can be a call to show much they are needed. Having a hobby is a great thing. It’s a privilege and it’s a privilege that I would like us to explore to the max because these social clubs open new doorways, opportunities and perceptions to life and what one can be. A simple chess club could inspire someone to want to be the greatest grandmaster of all time. A monthly book club inspire the next great author of a generation.  These are the spaces where we don’t just learn new skills, interest and introspection but we learn to socialise, create new bonds and relationships and learn ourselves through interacting with others.

    Joburg Chess Club Takes Place Every Wednesday From 17:00 at Good Omens in Melville


    Now not to say that you can’t get any of this from a run club. I also do understand the safety benefits of being in a run club and running in a group together. Stronger together than alone and rather safe than sorry. It’s just that when you look at our country and how much diversity we have to offer as a people, I find it strange that we don’t see that in the offerings of these social clubs. With sports it’s different, as I listed in the previous paragraph, there is a wide variety of sports even if the sport is niche. Did you know South Africa has an NFL Flag Football League and national team? For those who don’t know the NFL stands for National Football League and is the official league and governing body for American Football. Sorry for the tangent but the point is that no matter how niche the subject may be, there will be a community for it in this diverse country of ours.

    Yes, running is a physical activity and a sport but I don’t believe people join the club for that component of it but more so the social component. As mentioned above it does provide safety for many which in itself builds a community and then post-run coffees, beverages and lunches allows for the members to socialise and get to build deeper bonds and connections with others. For those reasons, I see it more in the sports club space rather than with your chess clubs, book clubs, movie clubs, games club (where we play different board and card clubs every month), food clubs (where people come share recipes and meals), and whatever other clubs that can provide the home and foundation for a community to be able live, grow and build.

    You see when I break it down for you, there’s no hate or malice in my heart for run clubs but just the lack of creativity we are seeing in how we are choosing to look and build communities outside of groove and entertainment spaces. I think about how we talk about as young black South Africans we don’t know our history enough but if there was a history club that had different topics monthly and met-up weekly to discuss and dissect these topics it might make it easier for people to learn and discover because doing all the research alone might feel overwhelming for anybody. Political clubs where we can learn how parliament works and have mock cabinet sessions and debates. Debate clubs, theatre clubs (where people get together to conceptualise and put together plays), improv clubs and the more I think of the diversity and possibilities in our country the more I just see more we can be doing for ourselves.

    I know that it’s always easier said than done because these clubs just aren’t built off a whim and a wish but it needs people with the passion, dedication and love to make it happen. The administrative responsibilities and duties are no joke and especially when everyone is looking at you to be the foundation and glue that keeps everything together. They say build it and they shall come but how do they once it has been built and that it’s open to all to join. Yes, it is hard work and a fight but I surely believe it is worth the cause and should we come together we could unlock so many possibilities for ourselves. I’m down to try anything and everything but please…NOT ANOTHER RUN CLUB!!!

  • Don’t At Me: Sango’s South African Hip-Hop Classic Albums

    It doesn’t matter the year, the generation, the genre, the artist or the culture. One thing that will always have people in arms and debates is what we consider to be a classic. Whether we’re talking TV shows, movies, paintings, clothes, sports stars or even cartoons, these debates always someone how turn into life long arguments. It’s worse in the Hip-Hop culture where the music has been so scrutinised by fans, artists, journalists, media and even those outside of the culture. With Hip-Hop it feels personal and especially if we talking South African Hip-Hop.

    Well, I’m about to get really personal with it and give you a list of what I consider to be Classic South African Hip-Hop Albums. I need us all to pay attention to that heading because we’re talking albums; not Eps or mixtapes, and we’re talking Hip-Hop; not RnB or Alternative or Neo-Soul. Now before we go into my list, I’m of a belief that these conversations should always be led with the criteria that was used as the rating system. I’m not going to get into the exact specifics of the criteria but I was looking at the musicality, lyricism, impact (not just music wise but culturally), playback value, popularity, tracklist length, how many skippable songs, longevity (5 years minimum to qualify) and some personal bias. Since that’s out the way let’s begin and to note the list is in alphabetically order according to the name of the artist.

    SANGO’s SOUTH AFRICAN HIP-HOP CLASSICS

    A-REECE – FROM ME TO YOU ONLY
    A shift in culture. There aren’t many people who you can put this phrase next to but with this album, that’s exactly what A-Reece had done. He had made a shift in culture. Coming off the deal with Ambitiouz Records and the Paradise album, that had gained national popularity for its production, which played more to the South African traditional sonics. That’s why when he went independent and dropped this heavy hip-hop, lo-fi, boom bap with elite lyricism-laced 15-track album it was a huge culture shock. It seemed like it took A-Reece from the poster boy kid to the man with a new perception of reality. It set the new standard of what is considered lyrical and real hip-hop in South Africa.

    AKA – ALTAR EGO
    Kiern Forbes, also known as AKA, dropped this banger of a classic on the 23rd of August 2011. Know there is some mad personal bias over here because this was during my matric final exams so that feeling of, you’re about to end one chapter of your life going into another and then AKA drops a banger of an album that has hits like Bang, Big 5, Mistakes, Victory Lap, I Want It All, All I Know, High School Cool & Ladies Is Pimp Too. Then he still had great album cuts like When I’m Gone & Snakes & Ladders. One critique I do have of it is the skit count. The album is an 18-track project with 5 of the tracks being skits and one bonus record being the Victory Lap Remix, so really its more like a 12/13 track album. This was the first South African non-vernacular Hip-Hop album to reach the level of stardom and accolades that it did and shifted the culture of South African Hip-Hop. It took it from underground to mainstream in a big way and destigmatised the “n*gga n*gga” mockery. Definitely can’t speak about South African Hip-Hop without speaking about Altar Ego. This was probably the last time we heard AKA rap-rap.

    EMTEE – AVERY
    To start off with, it’s a lengthy album of 18 tracks that add up to 73mins (1hour 13mins) and makes for a long listen but it’s worth it because this is what I consider the first South African Trap album and it set the standard and bar so high for trap music in South Africa that the impact and influence can be felt until this day. I don’t think we get a BrotherKupa without Avery. What this album did in South Africa is what Tha Carter 3 did in the United States of America and for generations to follow. The real-life street content with environment-based lyricism mixed with introspection, ambition and real stories combined with the 808s and melodic rap flows really took the country by storm and showed us a new side of South African Hip-Hop that has now become to be a staple in the culture.

    HIP-HOP PANTSULA – ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
    Without HHP (Hip-Hop Pantsula) there is no Motswako. Motswako for those who don’t know is a sub-genre of South African Hip-Hop that comes from the fusion of boom-bap mixed with Sesotho and Setswana music. That’s where the name comes from because Motswako means mixture/fusion. When HHP dropped this beauty in 2009 it put a whole culture and community on to the national level. Everyone was thinking that South African Hip-Hop was either being carried by Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban with no-one really paying attention to the North-West and then HHP brought in the Music N Lights and the spotlight was bright and shining across the country. His story-telling mixed with the funky and jiggy feel of the sonics made the perfect combination of rappity raps and feel-good dance music. You didn’t even really have to understand him to understand the message but the, music was so good that it made you want to understand and I believe help spread the popularity of Sesotho & Setswana in the country and what you could consider the building blocks of Spitori.

    MA-E – TOWNSHIP COUNSSELLOR
    Now, this has nothing to do with the recent controversy related to Ma-E but I am glad that it did bring attention to the career and music of Ma-E because I’ve said since 2015 when it dropped that Township Counsellor is a classic album and one of the most underrated albums in South African Hip-Hop history. This album felt like the rebirth and evolution of Kwaito. If the Americans have West Coast rap, this is what would be the South African version of that with the smooth beats that still have that dark gangster feel and Ma-E with the witty lines, stories and chilled out bars and flow that has you cruising through the whole album. 15 tracks of just pure cool, chill raps with that OG touch and feel. I really believe this album is undeniable.

    NASTY-C – BAD HAIR
    I know the majority will disagree with me and would rather I put Strings & Bling but I just can’t because I don’t feel it’s a classic. Bad Hair on the other hand was the first time that we as a country could see a rapper not just as a global rap star but popstar as well. It had a great blend of raps, r&b, melodies, song writing and storytelling that made it feel like it was more than just palatable to the majority but a tasteful and delicious meal that left us satisfied and wanting more. With so much expectation after the Price City mixtape, Nasty C was able to take his artistry and musicality to a new level. I know this album was it because it had us looking for Telleman and Erick Rush afterwards. He was able to put on the whole of Tall Racks Record with this one. Hits like Phases & Good Girls and Snapchat H*es just do something to me man. I mean it was so good I even bought the deluxe BAD HAIR EXTENTSIONS. While we here, I bought about 90% of these album physical so trust me, I know what I’m talking about. Sorry, not sorry.

    PRIDDY UGLY – SOIL
    I’m here for the bars and nothing else. At a time when South Africa rap was stepping away from the art of lyricism in rap, Priddy Ugly came with a cape not only to save the artform but as well save his reputation as an elite MC and artist after the stint at Ambitiouz Records didn’t go as planned. It felt like a man with a point to prove and not to us but to himself. The point that he can be one of the best rappers ever by dropping one of the best rap albums ever and points were made. The 10-track album is just perfect and there’s nothing more you could have asked from him after this.

    PRO KID – DANKIE SAN
    I’ve spoken about how in the past hip-hop and rappers were seen as wanting to be American or wasn’t really accepted by the people of the townships and kasi’s but there are moments and people who added to the change of perception in South Africa and especially in the townships and kasi’s which helped it grow and take over the nation. One of those moments and people is Pro Kid and his album Dankie San. This album didn’t just change the perception of those living in the “hood” in South Africa but it also changed the perception of the people living in the city and suburbs. It showed a world that the township and kasi can adapt and add new sounds and culture into their own. Pro Kid showed that it’s not just all “Kasi Rap” with punchlines and setup bars but that they are also able to play with lyricism, metaphors and storytelling. He was able to make the first perfect mixture of Kwaito meets Hip-Hop. The kasi dude and his one best friend from the ‘burbs. That’s what it felt like. It takes a special level of talent and music to be able to bring two worlds together whilst still showing them how separate and different they are. A magical talent and lyricist, and this body of work tells it all.

    RIKY RICK – FAMILY VALUES
    If I’m being honest, I don’t know if I would consider this a classic if I was making a subjective list but when we talk cultural phenomenon’s there’s nothing that holds against Riky Rick’s Family Matters. I mean the bangers on there were so hard that we started calling him Boss Zonke with no questions asked. The real reason why I feel this has to be on the list because only Lauren Hill has been able to drop one album (if we’re not counting the Fugees) and make a career off of it and not be questioned on her status in the game. Granted Riky did give us the Shining EP but besides that we didn’t even think we would get another Riky Rick album and the impact it has had on the generations to come is just indescribable. It can’t be left off the list.

    TEARGAS – DARK OR BLUE
    Dare I say that Teargas is the greatest South African Hip-Hop group of all time? Well, I believe so and it’s because of this album. This was the album that first showed me what Kwaito/RnB could look and sound like. This took the townships and kasi’s from the regular old narrative of gangsters, dealers and thieves and turned it into poetry that was soft, vulnerable and fragile. It gave a different perspective into the lives of those living in the townships and that it’s not that it made them hard but rather stole all the soft parts of them, leaving them with no other option but to be hard. I also believe that there always has to be a group album on a classic list because group work is difficult and if I’m picking a group as a representative then Teargas is it and what better body of work to present as evidence than Dark or Blue.

    Tumi & The Volume – Tumi & The Volume
    In a time where it was the popular joke or stance to ridicule and mock South African Hip-Hop. Tumi & The Volume came to stand as a beacon and foundation to the culture and its people that, “No matter what they say or do. This thing of ours is ours and they will never be able to take that away from us. We will fight for it and die for it.”, which speaks to the lyricism, storytelling and content on this album. Just because it was in English doesn’t mean they weren’t telling the pain, struggles, joys, victories, happiness and sadness of our mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts, cousins, friends and ancestors. With Apartheid as the background and Nelson Mandela’s Rainbow Nation as the goal, this album takes on the journey of the in-between, unspoken and unseen. You have legendary band 340ml joining forces with a God-level emcee in Tumi Molekane and you birth a musical marvel. This album shaped me in so many ways and showed me that there are people who care about the music, message, country, people, art form and hip-hop. It made me believe that we have the power because we are the power.

    Tyson Sybateli – Home
    Look, first things first, I know this album doesn’t qualify because it only turns 5 next year April but every time I listen to this album (and trust me I listen to this album a lot) I just can’t help but think, “Wow, what a perfect album. A master piece.”. Home really is just that damn good and the impact it had on the culture, especially coming out of COVID-19 Lockdown and everyone being more critical of music and what is being feed to us. Tyson came and made a name for himself instantly flipping the whole game upside down. From the rollouts to the production everything was to the tee. The features, the old-school feel of Hip-Hop and R&B. Like he had actual singers singing on the hooks while he just provides the bars and the bars varied from smooth, witty, lyrical, braggadocious and just plain funny. With lines like, “My b*tch bad like mixed veg flavoured anything.”, it had the whole country in relation and people making their own renditions of how bad their b*tch is. With songs such as; The Standard, House, Handout, Home & Away Games, Chauncy II, Homecoming, Riddle Me, Places; I’m actually going to stop because I’ll just be listing the whole album. I have no doubt that this is an undeniable classic and soon as it turns 5, we have no reason not to have it in this conversation.

    Now, when I made this listen, it wasn’t to act as if I have the superior opinion or the most ball knowledge in South Africa but rather to start the conversation of what we think a classic album is and which of those we feel belong in the conversation. It’s extremely difficult for any artist to have 1 album that majority can agree is a classic and not just a cult classic. Having 2 is like God-level. With that said I do feel like most of the albums here are debut albums because this is when the artists are just being themselves and giving out their ideas and executions how they feel and see fit. I think once the popularity, fame and fortunate comes there is a pressure to do the things that the public wants in order to keep that commercial success or acclaim but never really works out because we wanted the music you make. Not the music that you think we want you to make. Anyways this was fun to write and hope you enjoy. Let me know if you f*ck with the list or nah.

  • SAI HLE:THE SOUL SISTERS OF MZANSI

    They say, “Two heads are better than one.”, and in this case I believe the same applies with angelic voices. As South Africans we love music, vocalists and a nation who has a deep love and cultural respect for family. With this in mind it feels like this duet ticks all the boxes for becoming the next superstars to hit the music scene, stages and our screens, and I have every reason to believe that will be happening sooner than later. If you don’t know who I’m talking about it’s sister duo Sai Hle.

    SAI HLE is a South African sister duo, Siphosethu (SAI) and Amahle (HLE) Koom. Born in Gqeberha and raised in Johannesburg, they are singers, songwriters and performers whose music moves between Amapiano, Afrotech, Dance, and Pop with a distinctly South African heartbeat. They honed their craft through school and church choirs before venturing into gospel as teenagers, then shifting to mainstream music. Their career officially launched in 2021 with their debut single UBUMNND launching in October 2025. Between the years they have grown from local collaborators to internationally signed artists with Platoon.

    It doesn’t end there. The powerful sister duo has gone to work with the likes of Sun-El Musician, Marcus Harvey, MacG, KARYENDASOUL & more. They’ve performed on 5FM, Morning Live, Power FM and most recently graced the stage of the Redbull Symphonic that took place on the 13th and 14th of June at Monte Casino. It’s clear to see that the sisters have a goal and vision in mind, and determined to achieve it but why not here more about them from themselves right?

    INTERVIEW WITH SAI HLE

    SAI HLE WITH THE COOL POSE BUT NEVER POSING AS COOL

    Being sisters did you guys grow-up together? If so, what was it like? If not, how was it getting to learn and know each other?
    Good day dear Sango. We did grow up together, we’re actually two sisters from a family of 6 people. We share a mom and a dad. It was quite a lovely experience. Growing up in a big family really taught us about being peoples persons. It had its ups and downs but the relationship we got out of it was worth more than anything.

    We know that siblings love each other but also tend to fight and sometimes have some secret rivalry. Which one are you and describe your relationship?
    We love how quirky this question is but also quite real. We were raised as friends before anything else by our parents so even the communication is very much like I’m dealing with a friend who so happens to be my sibling and depending on how you treat your friends because we like and value our friends so no disagreement ever lingers or grows to a point of it being nasty. We’ve grown to communicate well and just simply understand each other and with understanding there’s grace, and honestly there’s nothing better in this world than knowing that you can manoeuvre the ways of life with a friend who you share genes in common with. It’s like talking to yourself from a different point of view, it’s very empowering. l

    You share this love of music together is it because you come from a musical family or background?
    Yes, we come from a musical artistic family background and the arts and music has always been encouraged in our family as a form of expression. Now that we get to make a living out of it is somewhat of a really beautiful dream coming to life.  

    How did you decide that you would be great as a singing sister duo and what are the pros and cons that come with it?
    We saw that it was what worked for us. We’ve actually been singing together for some years now, like literally since we were very young and as we got older it never left us really.

    The pros are in this industry, you’re never alone. You get to experience every little thing with someone close to your heart and life. There’s so many pros. Artistry generally needs chemistry. When that chemistry is like, familial but also friendship it makes the work process so much easier.

    The cons that come with it is sometimes people try to pin us against each other, lol. It never works but it does get annoying having to experience that. We don’t mind people having favourites but you don’t have to put the one down to bring the other up. Another con is, it’s quite expensive having to pay for everything in doubles haha. And also having to match each other’s energy all the time even when individually we may not be on par on that day.

    SAI HLE SINGING WITH THEIR SOULS ON THE REDBULL SYMPHONIC STAGE

    When making music how do you guys decide who writes the sons and who is the lead and backing vocals?
    We have a very free approach to writing and singing, we both co- write all of our songs and we both sing on all of our songs, we both do backing vocals, we’re literally very hands on about the process of creating the songs that we give to our listeners.

    Leads are dependent on who we both agree depicts the story well vocally.

    What has the journey been like as a singing duet? We don’t get those often here in South Africa so has been received openly or do you still have to convince people of it?
    The reception has actually been very welcoming and kind. People have been open and supportive of what we’re doing and it’s almost as if they look forward to seeing what we can do with this beautiful band/ duo of ours. We’ve been so appreciative of the love and good energy that we’ve received so far from people.

    Being a duet when it comes to features is it a must that both of you be featured or do you do your own individual features?
    It’s a definitely must, there’s no question about it. We literally move as a unit in the music space.

    You’ve done a lot of features especially with some big names like Marcus Harvey & Sun-El Musician songs, which has been your favourite so far?
    Goodness! Honestly, we don’t have any favourite features they’ve all been so great to work with.

    I knew you for your RnB and Neo-Soul and there’s this unspoken rule in South Africa where vocalists don’t get much love in those genres compared to those in House and Piano, what are your feelings and views on the matter?
    From the experience of being somewhat of genre travellers, because we moved from singing backing vocals for gospel musicians to singing with local neo-soul giants like Marcus Harvey; we’ve found that is not always a genre thing. I think when an artist finds their niche it becomes a little easier for them to find their fan base and supporters. We were in the beginning somewhat in denial that dance music was in fact our niche but the more we did it we realised that there’s not much of a point in fighting and we embraced it.

    We don’t particularly have a feeling or view on how RnB and Neo-Soul aren’t frontline genres in our country. Every region has its preference and because the world is far more accessible now, just go where you’re loved.

    SISTERS WHO EAT TOGETHER, SLAY TOGETHER & STAY TOGETHER

    Your single UBUMNND is doing amazing and I know that there are some unreleased songs from Sai Hle that still need to come out. When are we getting them and is an EP coming soon?
    Thank you so much for the love! UBUMNND as a single has made us very grateful and thankful in-terms of how well it has been received by the public. The love we’ve been getting has just been so encouraging, we are so grateful. We are going to be releasing a new single this year, potentially 2.  we’re really excited about it! In terms of an EP we’re working on it! But it’s definitely on its way as well.

    You don’t have a lot of your own catalogue out but your branding is impeccable with the Tik-Toks, Fashion and connecting with your community do you ever feel that it outshines your actual profession as musicians?
    Not at all! In fact, it brings more and more attention to the music!  We don’t strictly view ourselves as JUST musicians. Musicians we are but ultimately, we are artists. And an artist is multi facet. So being recognised for the different faces we have it always so fulfilling!

    With your profession being musicians how was it performing at Redbull Symphonic and other shows as the feature artists/back-up vocals and when can we expect to see Sai Hle on stage as the main mic?
    The symphonic was magnetic! Simply incredible! A big step in the right direction for us! It’s always so fun and nerve-wrecking but totally fun being on stages, whether we’re the back-up or the feature artist. We’re pushing being out there now as the main performers, and creating more of a in person community. Expect to see us on big stages as the main mic when the stars align. But for now, being in the spaces, meetin the people that make the numbers on the platforms possible for us makes us hungrier to push to go higher and higher basically.

    How do you separate the personal from the professional with being actual family and having deep-rooted bonds?
    We have a pretty good working order. We’ve been singing together for some time now and so because of that there’s just an understanding and a good culture of communication between the two of us, so we know when and how to separate the two worlds. 


    END.

  • NEO ‘NENE’ MAHLANGU:

    REFRAMING HOW WE LOOK AT ART

    When we think of art, especially visual art, the first thing our mind goes to is old white European men from before our time. This is because of what history has shown us or rather I say what history they’ve wanted to show us when it comes to visual arts. African artists have been washed out and sidelined from the art world for centuries and more specifically Africa women but in this modern age we are seeing more and more African & women artists being portrayed and represented in this industry. This is because these marginalised artists have decided to take a stand and take the recognition and respect that they’ve worked hard for and deserve.

    One of the artists leading in making this change and making sure that not only is her work being seen but her voice is being heard rooms and that her face is been seen and recognised to ensure that more black women are being represented in the art is Neo ‘Nene’ Mahlangu Having this mindset and firm stand in who she is and what she does, she has been able to use it to position herself in places of influence and power to change this narrative that has surrounded black women and visual artists alike.

    Her mindset of always seeing the bigger picture but still being able to attend and pay attention to the small details has helped her shape her own career path and through that she has been able to achieve some hectic and crazy milestones already. She has designed coins for the South African Mint and was named one of Mail & Guardian’s Top 200 Visual Artists in 2020. She has been able to use her social media platforms such as Tik-Tok and YouTube (Rich Kid Aura) to reclaim the power dynamics and where she explores topics such as psychological frameworks, wealth psychology, and cultural critique without the performative nonsense. Currently she finds herself in the tech space working on Apps that feed into the South African culture, community and their needs.

    Neo ‘Nene’ Mahlangu Posing In All Her Glory

    Some of these apps are:
    GrooveFund -A digital concert stokvel. With the wave of events, concerts, festivals and international acts coming to South Africa the demand to go is high but the pockets are still low, and this looks to provide a solution for people to still see the life changing experiences.

    EasyStokvel – SaaS for stokvel treasurers. In South Africa we know how important and impactful Stokvels have been in many communities but also know the pressures that the treasures in charge are under so making online software that makes it easier to keep track of the finances will be a big relief to many in the country.

    Desire Intelligence Engine – A psycho-graphic marketing tool. Everything in 2026 is about selling. Whether it’s yourself, product or business. Learning how to market yourself and gain the position you need in your industry to make a difference and be successful is necessary. In order to do that you need to understand the mindset of your consumers; be they old, new, current or potential; to give you that competitive advantage and better understanding of the market.

    Nene has shown that she can do it all and wants to do it all. There’s an abundance of knowledge, wisdom, experience and truth she has to offer and her thirst for more is unquenchable. I could carry on speaking about the brilliance that she is but rather you hear about the brilliance she has to offer straight from Nene, herself. 

    INTERIEW WITH NENE

    The Assembly (2023) Oil Painting by Nene Mahlangu

    There’s already a lot of stigmas around being a black woman, an artist and social media. How bad does it get when you combine all three and how have you been able to deal with it all?
    I think the question is not framed in the way I see the world. To me social media is a medium. Video is a medium. All creative work will be loved or criticised at some point. I think if you are creative long enough, you just learn how to block out the noise and do what you need to do. I just want to get better, at video, at storytelling, at listening to my creative voice. Thank goodness social media has not only opened numerous doors for me, but it’s also given me the opportunity to meet amazing people, challenge my creativity, to have more fun, to share ideas which is the only thing that matters to me at the end of the day. Everything else is just noise.

    There is strength you have, of believing in yourself and who you are. Where does your strength come from and how do you replenish it in times of weakness?
    My strength comes from feeling viscerally, in my heart, how short 24 hours is and how quickly time flies. That inspires me to put any negative thought to the side and move forward with whatever it is that’s on my plate in that season. In times of weakness I move my body, I dance, I strut, I act silly. That tends to remind me to loosen up and have fun with all of this. Sometimes I meditate, which has been a game changer for me.

    Traditional vs digital has been an ongoing debate since the introduction of technology. Do you have a preferred? If and if not, why?
    It’s seasonal, I had a 6–7-year streak leaning heavily into the analog via my paintings, from self-taught to designing coins and travelling & exhibiting around the world, now I’m in a season where I’m leaning heavily into the digital space through coding, Youtube and Tiktok. I genuinely find pleasure in learning new things and progressively getting better at them, that’s where I find my joy. Being obsessed is my default setting, I just love the journey of sucking at something and then being great at it. Right now, I kinda suck at Youtube, but it won’t be for long.

    How are you able to merge the two worlds of traditional and digital to use to your advantage, engage with your community and showcase/sell your art and services?
    For someone with an obsessive personality, where if I’m locked into the pursuit of a goal, I shut the world out, knowing that recording a 30 second Tiktok in my room can reach 100k people, is a life saver. Thank goodness the algorithms do most of the heavy lifting for me. It’s a no-brainer to incorporate the digital space with what I do. I would’ve had it hard if social media didn’t exist.

    While we are on technology what are your thoughts on AI mainly being used and developed in the art community and not as much in other sectors?
    AI is being used heavily in finance, tech, healthcare, etc. There are AIs being trained to trade in the stock market. Agents are creating NFTS and selling them amongst each other, making agents earn their own money. AI is solving complex problems in mathematics and physics, problems that haven’t been solved in 50 years. The disruption is happening everywhere, not just the arts.

    Maybe I Will Tell (2022) Oil Painting by Nene Mahlangu

    At the Cr8tor Con Week Africa panel you had a very interesting and hot take on wanting to work with Elon Musk and I loved your take on it. Please do explain this take for the people who weren’t able to make the panel.
    I can’t remember the specifics, but I love it when people have audacious dreams, if it’s in your skillset, why not aim for collaborating with people who are venturing into space. Sometimes creativity deserves alternative spaces to shine, spaces bigger than a stage or a gallery. Why not dream the impossible? Why not take your art to Mars?

    At the panel is where I found out more about you and your work. How important is it for South African artists to still use traditional/physical media and platforms to showcase and highlight themselves?
    It all depends on that artist’s goals. If your dream audience is the older generation, then sure use traditional media. And if your client is a younger audience then digital would be better. There is no cookie cutter formula to this, it depends on the artist, their work and their goals.

    Speaking on South Africa and physical/traditional platforms. What’s more physical than money, plus everyone wants it. How was it working with the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) and what did you learn or unlearn about money?
    There was a point, during the tour that the Reserve Bank gave us of the Mint, where we were standing in one of the warehouses that store the R5 coins. That one warehouse was as big as an airport hanger, floor to ceiling, shelves were packed end to end, with money. Physical, literal millions were in that one room. And what got me in there were charcoal drawings. That rewired something inside of me. As someone who grew up in a township, who didn’t even know such rooms existed, it just seemed insane that I was in this room, a room most will never see, a room that had literal millions and I, Neo “Nene” Mahlangu, was about to design coins. Something in my core changed after that day. That’s why you can never convince me that anything is not possible. It doesn’t matter how you start, how rough the beginning might be, anything is truly possible.

    You speak on wanting to have black women represented on money and more importantly in life. Where are spaces in the art community that you think need more black women representation?
    Aren’t black women already everywhere? I see them everywhere. Most of my clients are black women. Most people I do business with are black women. And that has accelerated as the years have gone by. I’m not dismissing history here, but I think black women have done a fantastic job infiltrating the ranks in society, I think we should spend more time celebrating that. 

    You recently just did a collaboration with Poetry? What was it and how was it?
    It was an in-store live illustration at their flagship store in Sandton for Mother’s Day. It was fun because I made a lot of people smile and allowed them to use my talent to spread love. I created illustrations for the store, but I also made time to create art for adults who wanted to give personalised gifts to their mothers. Last year this time I made an artwork of my mom and gave it to her and saw how that made her feel. It made her cry. It felt great to do the same for other people’s moms.

    Neo ‘Nene’ Mahlangu Envisioning The World She Wants To Pant

    How is it collaborating with brands and how do you make sure that you don’t lose your voice (let it get drowned out) and still make sure that you and your beliefs are being represented?
    Working for brands is always a great creative challenge. If I were to give a suggestion to artists, use that brand collab money and invest it. Do it enough times until you get dividends/passive income. Having that breathing room will help give you the freedom to work only with brands that align with your values. I’ve never worked with a brand that didn’t align with my values and therefore it was always easy to keep my creative vision because we usually saw eye to eye.

    What is your dream project right now and what do you think you need to make it happen?
    My dream project is to travel and meet 10 people who I think are the most fascinating minds in the world right now. They’d span creative fields, science and maybe spirituality. I’d start with Myha’la (Harper Stern from Industry), then go see Robert Greene, and so on. I’d document it and share it on my Youtube channel.

    What would you say to other young black women artists in the space or try to enter the space?
    I don’t know if I can give the best advice. Just spot the person whose career you’d like to emulate most and retrace their steps. 

    THE END.