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  • Frat’s RnB Corner: Ty Dolla $ign Is The Quiet Tycoon of Modern R&B

    In a world that celebrates noise, Ty Dolla $ign’s genius has always been found in his restraint. He’s the quiet hum underneath a generation’s soundtrack; the man who gave R&B its groove back while hip-hop flirted with melody and pop leaned into bass. His music doesn’t scream; it glides. And with the arrival of Tycoon, Ty finally steps into full mogul mode not just as a hitmaker, but as a visionary architect of modern soul.

    Let’s get into some history on Ty (Chappies Did you Know style). Born Tyrone Griffin Jr. in South Central Los Angeles, Ty grew up surrounded by instruments and gospel harmonies. His father, a member of the funk band Lakeside (“Fantastic Voyage”), exposed him early to arrangement, musicianship, and the discipline of groove. Unlike many of his peers, Ty’s musical education was formal he learned bass, keys, drums, and guitar before Auto-Tune ever entered the conversation. This explains the musicality in his music, even on his ratchet bops.

    This grounding informs a lot of Ty’s sound. His records, from “Paranoid” to “Blasé,” may live in hip-hop clubs, but they’re built like soul compositions ; carefully layered, melodically intricate, harmonically rich. The church is in his chords, even when the lyrics are pure vice.

    Over the past decade, R&B has shapeshifted blending into trap, dissolving into mood, and finding new homes in pop and Afro-fusion. Through it all, Ty Dolla $ign has quietly been one of its key engineers. His vocals have anchored records for Fifth Harmony, SZA, Post Malone, and Kanye West. His songwriting has redefined how emotion sits over 808s.

    If Frank Ocean made introspection cool and The Weeknd made darkness marketable, Ty made musicianship mainstream again. His harmonies aren’t just stacked, they’re orchestrated. Listen to “Or Nah,” “Ex,” or even his features on Skrillex and Nicki Minaj joints: he finds spaces in production that most artists never hear. From pure crooning with the likes of Sevyn Streeter, to trap melody battles with Future, Ty’s range knows no bounds.

    Ty’s sound bridges eras something like a descendant of Nate Dogg’s West Coast soul but also a student of D’Angelo and Roger Troutman. He’s both analog and algorithmic; his music can fill a church or a strip club with equal legitimacy.

    His eye for talent is also something worth mentioning. When Ty launched EZMNY Records, it wasn’t just a side hustle; it was his declaration of independence. After years of building for everyone else, he wanted to build with others artists who understood that melody and musicianship could still move the culture. His signing of Leon Thomas was a masterful play. Leon, a multi-instrumentalist, actor, and songwriter (known for work with Ariana Grande and Giveon), mirrors Ty’s own hybrid artistry. Together, they’ve been crafting a modern blueprint for artist development. One based on collaboration, composition, and longevity rather than streams and virality.

    EZMNY isn’t a placebo label that’s for profile boosting and chasing social media clicks; it’s about craft. It’s Ty’s way of giving R&B its infrastructure back and showing that soul can scale without losing its essence.

    However, before the mogul hat, Ty wore a Taylor Gang hoodie. His bond with Wiz Khalifa was one of those cultural moments that felt organic like the green they grow. Two L.A. and Pittsburgh spirits united by smoke, sonics, and sincerity. Taylor Gang gave Ty the space to experiment. The early 2010s mixtape era Beach House, Sign Language, Free TC became a masterclass in melodic trap-soul. Wiz had the spotlight; Ty was building the blueprint.

    That friendship also represented something bigger: a merging of lifestyle and sound. Wiz and Ty helped usher in the age of the cool-stoner musical chilled guy; a generation of artists who could make chart-toppers while staying authentic, independent, and true to the craft.

    When Ty Dolla $ign teamed up with Kanye West for the Vultures project, it wasn’t a random collaboration as they have had multiple collabs together on different projects. This was two sonic philosophers meeting at the intersection of gospel, trap, and avant-garde.

    Ty’s contributions went far beyond features he co-sculpted the album’s vocal DNA and if the interviews are anything’s to by, he donated a lot of his own gems for the Vultures cause. You can hear his influence in the way the harmonies rise, the way the synths breathe, the way the emotion feels human even when the production feels futuristic.

    The partnership also positioned Ty as a creative equal to one of music’s most daring minds. Plus he delivered a number one album independently. Where Kanye seeks to push boundaries through experimentation, Ty finds it through musicality. Together, they made theology out of distortion.

    Now comes Tycoon  the culmination of everything Ty’s been building (you can see with how active he’s been interview wise). The title itself feels deliberate: not artist, not player, but power. The project threads every phase of his career the gospel upbringing, the Taylor Gang hustle, the Kanye experimentation, the EZMNY entrepreneurialism into one statement piece.

    The single with YG and Kodak Black reasserts his California roots: a hard-hitting yet melodic anthem that feels like both a street bedroom love jam and a radio hit. The album is laced with fire collabs from 2Chainz, Tory Lanez, Destroy Lonely and EZMNY’s own Leon Thomas.

    Every track feels like a masterclass in sonic balance 808s against Rhodes chords, gritty verses against velvet hooks. Ty has a way of merging love jams with strip club and street anthems, a abalance that not many can achieve. It’s West Coast luxury, but with vocal depth. It’s Ty speaking in full sentences after years of being quoted in features.

    In an era where producers are the new songwriters and AI threatens to flatten the human touch, Ty Dolla $ign remains defiantly musical. He plays. He arranges. He directs choirs. He still treats a session like a sermon. That’s why artists trust him because he understands the emotional frequency of sound. He can make a record hit the charts and still make it feel alive. There’s a school that TY is from, with a lot of traditionalism and purism in it, however he isn’t elitist about it and it’s evident in how he fuses sounds.

    With Tycoon, Ty Dolla $ign is entering his Quincy Jones era, not in age, but in intention. He’s mentoring, producing, collaborating, and building infrastructure. His empire isn’t about money; it’s about stewardship. If Free TC was for his brother, Vultures for the vision, then Tycoon is for the future ,for the kids in Crenshaw studios with keyboards and big dreams, who see in Ty a reminder that R&B can still be art and business, street and symphony.

    Ty is showing us that he is not just part of the genre’s construction, he is one of the architects. He’s shaping its next chapter. The quiet tycoon of R&B finally has his name on the building. Shout out to the Tycoon era.

  • FRAT’S RNB CORNER: JOSH LEVI’S HYDRAULIC

    R&B has been moving through a strange time warp half-frozen in mood-board minimalism, half-trapped in trap-soul fog. For the past few years, the genre has lived between playlists and nostalgia, unsure whether to chase algorithmic love or emotional truth. Then Josh Levi pulled up with HYDRAULIC, a 15-track debut that feels like a lowrider gliding through a 2001 sunset. It’s glossy, groovy, and super musical the kind of record that reminds you why R&B once ruled radio and hearts.

    Before the world hit play, Levi had already made waves as a Spotify Artist to Watch and Billboard Rookie of the Month, earning co-signs that positioned him as one of R&B’s brightest new architects. Signed under Issa Rae’s Raedio imprint, Levi doesn’t just make music, he curates worlds (what else do you expect from a writer, dancer and actor). Issa’s influence is felt throughout the album’s cinematic polish. Josh states that she had notes for almost every song. She even lends her voice as the navigation system inside the “Hydraulic” car in the album trailer. Judging by how she scores her content and the sound of this album, she definitely has a great ear for music.

    From the first kick, you can hear some Darkchild influence on the album; those minor-key chords, rubbery baselines, and hi-hats that dance just off the grid. It’s If You Had My Love meets Say My Name energy, but updated for Bluetooth subs and algorithmic playlists. It really takes you back to the year 2000 and expensive videos directed by Hype Williams.

    Produced by London on da Track, Poo Bear, BEAM, and MNEK, HYDRAULIC feels intentional: a world built on bounce, not necessarily nostalgia (even though its still invoked ). Every track fits together like chrome and leather. It’s crafted, cohesive, and full of movement the sound of an artist who understands rhythm and blues have a bounce to them.

    The title HYDRAULIC is more than a stylistic flex it’s a metaphor. Hydraulics are about motion, elevation, and control the power to rise, drop, and pivot under pressure. For Levi, that’s both sonic and emotional. The album mirrors that rhythm: the highs of confidence, the lows of heartbreak, and the tension in between.

    The sequencing reflects that motion perfectly songs like “CRASH OUT” and “RODEO” surge with kinetic confidence, while “CARE 4 ME” and “HOW IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE” slow the tempo, dipping into intimacy and doubt. The result is a project that moves like a ride through a city at dusk up, down, and always in motion, powered by feeling as much as machinery.

    Levi’s voice is built for storytelling. It’s got range, restraint, and swag. On “CARE 4 ME,” he floats; on “HOLD ON,” he pleads; and on “SAY IT,” he commands. Every harmony stack feels engineered, every falsetto flip lands like punctuation. You can tell he’s a singer’s singer someone who studied the mechanics of control and the emotion behind it.

    Where many R&B newcomers lean on mood and toxicity , Levi leans on craft. He treats vocals like architecture balancing tension and release, structure and soul. “I CAN’T GO OUTSIDE” plays like an internal dialogue, while “HOW IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE” lands as closure; a final cap the journey.

    From the jump, HYDRAULIC announces itself with “RODEO,” a confident ignition that hums like the start of a late-night cruise with the bass low, windows down and energy rising. Tracks like “DON’T GO” and “CARE 4 ME” balance groove with sincerity, showing Levi’s ability to modernize the slow jam without falling into autopilot. The FLO-assisted “CRASH OUT” is pure fireworks: glossy, self-assured, and ready for both R&B playlists and bedroom mirrors. Toward the end, “I CAN’T GO OUTSIDE” and “HOW IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE” turn inward, closing the album with cinematic introspection. Together, they give the record emotional altitude. This is proof that Levi can both soar and sink gracefully within his own sound.

    R&B in 2025 sits in a delicate place caught between vibe and virtuosity. On one end are the minimalists, whispering through moody trap chords; on the other are the pop-leaning crooners chasing chart formulas. Somewhere in the middle, artists like SZA, Victoria Monét, Brent Faiyaz, and Coco Jones are reminding the world what full-bodied R&B feels like.

    Josh Levi joins that lineage but with a different mission: to make groove bouncy again. HYDRAULIC is a statement of balance: modern production that honors melody, and storytelling that values texture and gloss. Levi is translating R&B essence for a generation raised on playlists instead of radio.

    Most R&B today sits between vulnerability and vibe. HYDRAULIC reclaims the middle ground where energy meets emotion. It’s romantic but assertive, polished but lived-in. Levi doesn’t borrow from the past in a lazy way, his references are well thought and executed. With Issa Rae’s creative guidance and his own vocal command, he’s turned nostalgia into vibe portal.

    This debut is a beautiful addition to the world’s R&B catalogue. It provides fun musicianship in an era of drowned out presets, and honesty in an era of sad boy aesthetics. This is R&B with hydraulics. Smooth when it wants to be, strong when it needs to be and impossible to ignore once it starts moving.

  • WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REAL:

    FORGET THE AI LET’S GET BACK TO THE PEOPLE

    A topic that has been a big one since the introduction of the technological tool or weapon of mass creative destruction, depending how you look at it, and Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) is still causing chaos as it splits the creative world into two sides. Some creatives see it as a tool to evolve oneself the limits of what our imagination can do. While others see it as a weapon used to destroy jobs for creatives and kills imagination in us because we are no longer forced to train our brains to think and create using what’s in front of us or creating and building what’s not here. Now, I’m not here to tell you what’s right or wrong but just how I feel and perceive the whole situation.

    With technology since the creation of the computer it has always been said, feared and prophesied that A.I. would be coming sooner or later into our world and would eventually take over the world and humans. We see this concept in movies like Terminator, I Robot and various Sci-Fi films and books. The main problem in every case study is that as humans we become lazy and start relying on the machines to think for us and so in term the more the machines think the smarter, they become and start to gain conscious while we as humans start to live unconsciously as if everything is meant to happen or take place automatically with no action or thinking required on our side.

    Now as much as technology can be helpful in the creative industry with fields such as animation and making it faster and less expensive to create or digital illustrations. Even in movies we saw how the upgrade of CGI elevated the movie experience as well as the quality of effects that could be added and experienced in the movie to bring it closer to real life and give the audience and immersive sensory experience. If we look at movies such as Transformers or Avatar, we can see how far we’ve come in terms of technology in the creative field.

    The difference with the forementioned technology and A.I. is that it still requires you to think, strategize and figure out how best to use it and implement the technology into your art and work process. With A.I. the point is for it to provide you with the solutions or answers that you either don’t have the time or energy to figure out or easily give you the skills that one may not have time to acquire or just weren’t meant for them. For example, if one needs to design a poster and has a brief but no idea or inspiration to come up with an idea, they can use A.I. to render some ideas and options for them removing the task of having to create or generate an idea. Or it could be that one is looking to have a poster designed but to try and save money they use A.I. to create a poster instead of paying or hiring a graphic designer for their services.

    Now while both help and can make life easier for an individual you can also see how it steals from the art of creation and the pockets of creatives. Not only that it steals the experience of human interaction. Being able to share ideas, thoughts, experiences, emotions and perspectives that can help shape and add on to your character and outlook as a person. As tiring as it is the acts of brainstorming and reverts in the creative process build us and force us to think not just outside the box but outside ourselves as well.

    Another thing people don’t consider when looking at new technology is that the laws around technology are always reactive and never preventive. It’s like when websites first started and there were no safety checks on the web and the dark web thrived in the shadows. We didn’t know what could or would come from chatrooms and all the nasty that can go on. The laws are always reactive to how people use the technology and what can be done with it. The same goes for A.I. where now in the music world people have been using A.I. for posthumous albums or verse but now it’s worse with A.I. artists existing and now the common fan using A.I. to make songs that sound like your favourite popular artist and real but are from it. What are the implications there and how do we have a check against A.I. generated material and creations.

    With the whole world in a frenzy over A.I. I genuinely had the belief and thought that as the cultural country we are filled with a history of art and creation. A country that prides itself on Ubuntu and connecting with one another as humans. That we as South Africans stood strong against A.I. and especially in the hip-hop community. I mean the international hip-hop community as a whole is still angry at legendary producer Timberland creating and endorsing his own A.I. artist so it leaves me lost for words when South African hip-hop festival, Back To The City [the largest hip-hop festival in South Africa], chose to use A.I. in their promotion of the festival.

    It really hurt me, and I believe majority of the South African hip-hop community because it feels like the biggest violation ever. Firstly, let’s look at the culture of hip-hop and how it’s supposed to be a celebration of one being able to look at nothing or something of old and be able to use that as inspiration to build and create something new out of it. It’s more of an homage to the art and creatives that have come before when producers sample or make flips and mashups or performing artists find new ways to re-imagine or re-use lyrics to bring something new to life. Hip-hop is celebrated for its originality with artists who have ghost writers not necessarily frowned upon but not seen in the same light as thought who create their own. A.I. goes against this whole philosophy. A.I. is the ghost-writer in the situation and they shameless put it out there thinking as hip-hop that would be it but I ask you what happened to the real? This is adding to the cries of South African is either dead or dying.

    The second point is that hip-hop has always pushed and encourage entrepreneurship especially for black people and the youth. With the A.I. creations they are taking away what could have been a job opportunity for a young creative wanting to learn or sharpen their skills or to give the graphic designers, strategists and creatives who have put in the 10000 hours a chance and opportunity to show that all their time, effort and hard work has finally paid off and being recognised. This feels like a pie in the face.

    Thirdly and lastly, hip-hop has never been shy of labelling something as whack and calling it out and the use of A.I. in especially in this regard is just whack and nothing more about it needs to be said. From our leaders and people who have been pillars of the hip-hop community this one was heart-breaking to witness and experience.

    Taking away that home emotion from what has been known as a festival that connects creatives and humans of all walks of life together to celebrate an artform and culture that is based off the people and using your creativity to the fullest to not just making a living but make means of expressing yourself just feels as though we have been short changed, Luckily though we are all still human and we are all allowed to make mistakes but as well redeem ourselves for our past mistakes. Back To The City has always been a pillar and foundation for the growth of South African hip-hop and even though they might have fumbled the ball with this one we still thank them for all the service they do for putting us on the map and always shining a spotlight on all fields of creatives in the hip-hop and giving young artists the opportunity to perform on the big stage in front of 10 000+ people. As a community let’s close our laptops and let the A.I. die; I mean it was Jay-Z who told us death of autotune, and open our hearts, minds and soul so that the real can rise again because it never died.  

  • CARDI B USHERS IN HER NEW ERA

    Let’s keep it a stack “Am I the Drama?” turned seven years of chaos, confidence, and cash moves into a fire victory lap.


    When Cardi B finally dropped her long-awaited sophomore album “Am I the Drama?” in September 2025, the world stopped scrolling for a second. Not because it was a surprise, but because it felt like an event, a full-circle moment for a woman who turned fame, controversy, and Bronx culture into one of the most magnetic empires in modern hip-hop.


    Seven years had passed since her Grammy Award winning debut “Invasion of Privacy” changed the game. Seven years of rumours, legal battles, motherhood, meme moments, and internet wars. In that time, Cardi didn’t fade, she’s been on mogul time low-key. The album title wasn’t just witty; it was prophetic. After everything, she really may have been the drama; and she knew it.


    Calling Cardi’s seven-year break a hiatus almost misses the point. If you think about it, we didn’t get a chance to miss her. While fans begged for “album 2,” she fed the culture bite by bite, putting us on portion control. Let’s track it chronologically.
    In 2020 Cardi and Meg blessed the world with a fire acronym and baddie anthem which was WAP. Then she told us it’s up and it’s stuck all the way to the top of the charts with a solo No. 1 anthem “Up” in 2021. Fast forward to a year later the viral “Tomorrow 2” collab with GloRilla in 2022. She spun the block with Meg in 2023 with the tropical flex that was“Bongos”. And last year she gave is a fiery “Like What” freestyle in 2024 that reminded everyone she really be spitting.


    Cardi stayed omnipresent without oversaturating. The strategy looked like scarcity with intention. She wasn’t chasing the TikTok trend cycle; she was letting the culture orbit her until the right moment.

    Now let’s talk about the album. The sound is loud, lush, and unapologetic. From its name alone, “Am I the Drama?” tells you everything about where Cardi’s head is. It’s a wink to the tabloids, a jab at her biggest critics, and a reminder that she’s still self-aware enough to laugh at herself.

    The sound is big and shiny like booming 808s meeting glossy pop edges. It’s rap you can yell in your car and dance to in your mirror. She recruits a dream team with cameos fromMegan Thee Stallion, Kehlani, Summer Walker, Janet Jackson (fire sample), even Selena Gomez.

    Critics were split on pacing but unanimous on presence: Cardi dominates the mic with he idgaf energy . Whether she’s clowning her ops or flexing her wins, her delivery is pure Cardi ; unfiltered, funny, commanding, Bronx to the bone.

    Commercially, the numbers back it. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with nearly 200,000 units first week., Over 145 million streams in week one. Both of her albums debuting at No. 1 is a stat as it’s a first for a female rapper.

    You can’t talk Cardi without mentioning the noise. And she knows it. This time, though, the noise became strategy. A few light jabs between her and Nicki Minaj reignited the internet’s favourite soapie Bardi gang vs the Barbs. Screenshots, tweets, deleted posts everything you’d expect. But here’s the kicker: it only amplified the album rollout. Cardi didn’t shrink under shade; she weaponized it.
    She’s long mastered the art of chaotic marketing. Every clap-back becomes a headline; every headline drives streams. That’s not by accident.


    What makes Cardi’s career fascinating is how she’s maintained relevance without begging for it. Her controlled scarcity strategy seems to be working like a charm using her music moments wisely to make each drop an impactful event. She knows how to sell her personality too. From Instagram Lives to viral memes, every platform feels like her stage.


    It’s modern celebrity chess and she’s a better player than her critics realize. From studios to boardrooms, Cardi’s business reign is something to study. While most some chase streams, Cardi chased equity. Her vodka-infused whipped-cream brand Whipshots turned into a monster hit, selling over 5 million cans within its first few years in the market . It’s stocked nationwide, viral on TikTok, and marketed with her signature humor (“don’t get drunk, get Cardi”). Her Reebok collabs sold quite well. From the Let Me Be… In My World collection to Mommy & Me editions, she’s built a sneaker empire that feels authentic to her audience . Let’s not forget her stint as creative director in Residence for Playboy rebranded the legacy publication through a modern boss lady gaze.


    Cardi is proof that personality can be a strategy, that controversy can coexist with credibility, and that the loudest woman in the room can also be the smartest in the boardroom. If the rollout of “Am I the Drama?” is any sign, Cardi’s only getting started. Maybe we can expect some fire content moments fashion partnerships that double as cultural moments, and maybe that long-rumoured Netflix reality venture she keeps teasing. Whatever it is, it’ll be loud, lucrative, and unmistakably Cardi.

    In a rap landscape obsessed with new faces and micro-trends, Cardi B’s comeback is a masterclass in how to stretch relevance across years, industries, and headlines. She’s the rare artist who can spark memes one moment and move product the next. She’s unapologetic and near untouchable. She is the drama and the numbers prove she’s earned the right to be.

  • A-REECE vs NASTY C:

    A 9 YEAR HISTORY ALBUM REVIEW

    2025 has been a great year for music and especially in the hip-hop space whether locally here in South Africa & Africa or internationally with it various mainstream and cultural echelon caliber artists releasing full bodies of work. Being proudly South African, with no DNA but purely RSA making up my genetic code, I’m going to focus on South African hip-hop and the month of September.

    In the southern hemisphere the months of August, September and October play a huge and important role in the music and entertainment industry. Those three months are the beginning of our springing and beginning of the people starting to choose not only their summer hits or bangers but their year-end as well. It’s quite the double 2 for 1 special when you look at it and explains why as South Africans, December just isn’t a month but a lifestyle and in usual Erratic fashion…that’s a topic for another day. Back to the music.

    As previously mentioned, August – September is a crazy time in the entertainment industry with everyone trying to catch a wave or capitalise on the festive season of people wanting to be out and about in the summer to celebrate life. It only makes sense that most artists and creatives would want to release their projects during this period. In the hip-hop and r&b world we received musical projects from artists both established & emerging such as Dee Koala, Phiwo, Nomfundo Yekani, Flow Jones Jr, Iam6teen, Juni Kobe, Nanette, Blue Pappi, Belo Salo, Kiddo CSA, ZRi, Flvme, Shekhinah, Priddy Ugly and I would carry-on counting if I could keep count. With so many notable artists dropping within this two-month period, two people stole the show and spotlight from everyone for the month and September and I’m going to break it down for you.

    Nasty C Bad Hair (Deluxe Version) Album Art

    The two names that stole the show happened to be A-Reece and Nasty C. Reason being, that Nasty C had announced on the 14th of August , that he would be releasing his album Free on the 12th of September 2025. This being a big deal because it would be his first album as an independent artist released under his own label. Nine Days later on the 23rd of August 2025, A-Reece announced that he would be releasing his latest offering Business As Usual on the 8th of September 2025, four days before Nasty C’s album. This set the hip-hop community ablaze starting and causing a whole lot of think pieces, arguments and conversation around the two artists and their relationship.

    I’m going to give a quick history recap and explanation on why that shook up the South African hip-hop community and the relationship between the two artists so that you can understand the magnitude of the situation. It all starts back in 2016 when after his mixtape Price City went platinum in the streets Nasty C was ready to give us his debut studio album Bad Hair (I bought the CD and still have it) release on the 23rd of September 2016 and people loved it. A month later on the 21st of October 2025 A-Reece, signed under Ambitiouz, releases his debut album Paradise, which was also loved by fans and the culture. Now with both rappers being born in 1997, having released their debut albums a month a part, one being from Durban and the other Pretoria and finally both have two different sonics and sounds of their rapping; it caused fans to start up debate around who is next to the take the crown and who is better than who.

    A-Reece Paradise Album Art

    Now both rappers never engaged on the topic, but the fans kept running this narrative and most accusing A-Reece of trying to sound or being obsessed with beating Nasty C in terms of sales and stats. This ran on for years and whenever being asked each rapper saying that they don’t have any personal issues with the other and would love to work together, something the positive fans always championed for and thought they were finally going to get it in 2018 when they rapped alongside each other in the 2018 BET Africa Cypher and then Nasty C announcing that A-Reece would be joining him on the Durban leg of his Ivyson tour taking place on the 6th of October 2018.

    Nasty C’s Ivyson Tour A-Reece Announcement Flyer

    Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned with A-Reece not performing at the show. This caused a frenzy on social media with people claiming Nasty C was jealous or getting outshone in his hometown of Durban. It later came to light, through an interview with Nasty C, that A-Reece had shown up late for his set and by the time A-Reece had arrived to the show it was time for Nasty C to close the show but A-Reece was suggesting that instead he still goes on to perform after Nasty and close the show. Nasty C took this as blatant disrespected and denied the request. This also made Nasty C question that maybe there is a silent beef between them. It’s also important to note that 6 months later on the 6th of April A-Reece held his own concert titled the Reece Effect at 012Central in Pretoria and boooooy it was a time. I still have videos from then, hopefully I can attach them in the article but otherwise just trust me fam.

    Reece Effect Flyer

    Through their history up until this current date, one starts to notice this pattern of Nasty C making a move and A-Reece either following right after or making a flip of his own.  Now in recent tweets and interviews A-Reece has claimed that he holds no ill-will or has beef with Nasty C but that he sees it as healthy competition that the entirety of South African hip-hop benefits from and that he would love and hope they get to work together one day.  Having gone through their history you see why this moment is so important. We were introduced to their debut projects 7 years ago only separated by a month and 7 years later with all the chitter-chatter and drama we get their latest offerings 4 days apart. It feels reminiscent of when 50Cent & Kanye West dropped on the same day using their competition as roll-out for fans to go buy their albums, so the highest selling artist wins when in fact they both win from the marketing and hype of this media frenzy.

    You’ve been patient with me as I take you through this journey that is the relationship of A-Reece and Nasty C so let’s talk about what we all came here for. The Music.

    A-Reece Business As Usual Album Art

    Starting with A-Reece’s Business As Usual. To start this off I want to say that I’m a big fan of A-Reece and listen to him more than I do Nasty C, just cause his brand of rap and sound is the style I enjoy and relate to more. Now with that said it pains me to say that this project didn’t feel special or felt like there was any passion or heart in it. It felt like A-Reece was just in the booth to go and do his job and then clock out. Nothing crazy. Nothing out of the ordinary just business as usual. I don’t know something about this project didn’t have the usual hunger of proving to be the best lyricist and having one of the best flows in the game. His usual talent of being able to give the streets, real n*gga anthems and quotes wasn’t as prominent as usual. Even the content and how he addressed it was very lack-luster compared to the standards that we as a community have for him. How he addressed that he is a father now to a beautiful baby girl, congratulations and welcome to the Girl Dad club slime, just felt like it was flat and that he didn’t really want to address it but felt like he had to or that it was owed to the fans.

    This was my feeling for this nine-track project. That it was just something he didn’t want to do but felt that he needed to do. Maybe now with being a father he feels as though he needs to spend more time practicing and being a dad for a while and putting down the pen to focus on life but one of the major criticisms about A-Reece is that; he lacked the work ethic or drive and push to be the superstar and reach the heights he should and could reach with the fanbase and loyalty he has built within them, and maybe now with having a daughter he feels he needs to stop doing to just for the love and passion but something bigger as well so even when you don’t feel like getting in the booth you got to find that inspiration to get to work as if it’s business as usual. I’m just speculating off what I feel from the project, I have no inside trader information, but my logic just leads me to believe that A-Reece could be caught and stuck in this limbo and would explain maybe why this latest project sounds like it.

    That was one side of the coin of this story so let’s flip to Nasty C and his project Free. Before we get into this project it’s important to note that in 2020 Nasty C signed a deal with American record label Def Jam which was crazy, and everyone was excited to see what is to come. What was to come was his album Zulu Man With Some Power that didn’t pack the punch most of thought it would and a disappointing delivery. It felt like Def Jam was trying to make him more palatable for the States and overseas and cause a separation and disconnect from his day ones and fans in South Africa. From this disappointing turnout it seemed as if there was some tension between Nasty C and the album with him expressing, he is disgruntled as an employee and releasing mixtapes such as the Ivyson Army which allowed him full creative freedom without the label getting involved.

    Nasty C Free Album Art

    In 2023 he released his project IVYSON, which was a pleasant surprise for fans because the one criticism about Nasty C was that he has dope beats, songs and bars but lacks depth in terms of speaking on issues and being vulnerable with his self and fans. Ivyson was exactly that and the perfect way to “comeback” from the reception of Zulu Man With Some Power.  Now with his latest offering, Free, he had told HYPE Magazine that the reasoning behind the title of the album was that he was free from his contract with the label but not just that only. He was free from living a perceived lifestyle that comes with being signed to a label and being a rap superstar, free from the alcohol and drugs, free from people’s perception of him, free from the pressures of being a people please and he’s now free to be who he truly is and express it freely.

    When I heard all this, I can tell you for free that I was super excited for this project. Felt like we were going to get Ivyson pro max plus but instead got Bad Hair pro max plus. Now when I say this it’s not a bad thing at all. As I mentioned in the beginning of this article, I love Bad Hair, I bought the album but that was 7 years ago. With all that Nasty C has been through and now being a father and going through the motions of an international album and them trying to make him what he’s not and now he’s back in the Ah [South Africa] wanting to fly our flag high knowing he has our support. It just felt like we were going to get the evolution of Nasty C into his final form. The promotion run he did of working everyday blue- and white-collar jobs and all the media run he did make it feel as if this was going to touch the common man and hustlers in a soft place that only the realest of bars and feelings hit. I was wrong and it wasn’t that. Instead, it was someone who found their inner kid again and just having fun making music like they did when they first started. No worries and no cares of being something bigger than what he needs to be but just being him at the biggest level that he can be. It’s a really fun, jiggy rap album to bop along today. It can feel too commercial or pop at times with songs like Soft, I’m not a big fan of it and don’t really enjoy the song that much but I see its appeal and what it does at partied and I understand it. If you’re looking to pop in an album that you can freely enjoy without having to think too hard and let play freely then Nasty C’s Free is the album for you.

    To end this review on both artists I believe their case study to be one of talent and work ethic. Where A-Reece is more talented at the art of rapping and lyricism, Nasty C’s work ethic to want to be the best and keep improving on his talent seems to keep him inspired and energised. When listening to the two projects I would rate A-Reece’s Business As Usual a solid 6.5/10. A-Reece is dope as usual but the lack of energy and just feeling really bought down the rate of the project and I don’t see myself running back to it like I do a, From Me To You And You Only or Reece Effect. With Nasty C, I would rate his project, Free, a 7,5/10, just because I feel if it had a less commercial and pop feel it could be an album just full of bangers and with some added depth and a little more conscious raps it could definitely start entering the conversation of a classic South African project like Price City or what should be and will be in that conversation, Ivyson. All-in-all both artists are amazing and keep elevating South African hip-hop at the benefit of the fans and artists alike and can’t wait to see the next level of evolution in these young men’s lives and wish the all the best on the journey of fatherhood.

  • The Last Alpaca:

    A Dying Breed

    In today’s modern society, there aren’t too many spots where you can just come as you are and be accepted without judgement. Whether you’re running at zero or you’re on a hundred, a place that always has room for you. Need to sit-down and unwind with a drink, cigarette, joint, hubbly or some great food while enjoying the music that makes you get up and shake your money maker then you’ve probably found yourself enjoying The Last Alpaca on a warm spring night.

    The Last Alpaca is a restaurant based in Greenside, Johannesburg in South Africa, ran by Fezile Majozi Matthew Fourie and Chisanga Mubanga, who are not just business partners but brothers in arms. The restaurant doors officially opened on the 16th of April 2021 with the restaurant looking to celebrate its 5th birthday next year. The Last Alpaca is a South American inspired restaurant, and you can tell by the vibe and theme of the restaurant with the highlight being the outside area with the colour tiled café tables, hanging pot plants and comfortable lounge areas.

    With it being a South American/African themed or inspired restaurant, the quality and taste of the food and beverages was always going to be the talking point and what would either make it a staple and beloved pillar of the community or just another building filled with broken promises and dreams. Fortunately for The Last Alpaca and its patrons the food didn’t not fail and delivered the high-level quality and standard that was expected of it. Starting with its famous burger that became an instant hit amongst their patrons that allowed them to start building a community. People would come for the food and to try out their menu of burgers, ribs, wings, empanadas and more. You combine that with the high-quality service received from both the bartenders and servers they started building community with people growing an emotional attachment to the establishment. People were no longer just coming for the food but coming because they wanted to feel a part of something bigger than, a part of a culture and space that catered to the human spirit. The food was so good that in 2023 they started their own food truck called the Roaming Alpaca which has featured across multiple events and occasions around Johannesburg, growing and expanding the reach that is The Last Alpaca.

    Now what’s a meal without a good cold beverage to wash it down and another thing that South American’s & South African’s have in common is that we love our liquor, and we don’t just want to get drunk but we want our tastebuds and pallets to be intoxicated with a flavour of ecstasy in every sip. As people were complaining that the art of making a cocktail and mixology was dying The Last Alpaca stood tall and proud in the face of extinction. They’ve made it a culture and religion to pay special attention, time, energy and details on their cocktails so that great is the standard and exceptional is not a rarity. You can tell they have a deep passion for mixology as well as the art of creating mixing cocktails. They have had special activations where; they will serve and create new cocktails every day for a month, they will do taste tests and mixing classes, have competitions where they trial new cocktails and the community will vote for the one that stays on the menu and most recently they had a week where they invited close friends and creatives to come and be a bartender and mixologist for an hour each in the night.

    It’s activations like this and community engagement that has created a strong bond between the restaurant and its patrons. Even in celebration of their own, they still reach out to the community with Fezile hosting a donation drive at The Last Alpaca every year on his birthday. They’ve planted themselves and dug right into the roots of the young black creative and working adults, hosting events such as; chess and game nights, birthday celebrations, after parties, special occasions and music themed nights. You can feel the energy is that of young people of colour and culture who have been given the keys to the door to own and create their own narratives and vibes. You hear it in the playlist and music selection, hearing the songs you pray to hear when you go out but know you won’t because it doesn’t fit into the mainstream and the popular but at the Last Alpaca it’s not about what’s popular but about the quality and the shared experiences, we all love and have in common.

    The bond and strength of the Last Alpaca community was demonstrated early this year when they were threatened with being shut down and had to lock their doors for about 3 months. They raised awareness through an online campaign and petition that had required 20 000 signatures that they had received within a matter of week. Their presence was missed with people tweeting and posting about missing the food, cocktails, music and experience that is the Last Alpaca. The whole community was scared and worried about living in a world with where the Last Alpaca goes extinct, and we now must search and hunt for a new home and animal that could feed our appetite for love and life. Luckily, we don’t have to imagine that world because with the strength and support of the community the Last Alpaca was able to beat the case and have its doors re-opened and everything that has been flowing like they never left.

    If you’re looking to have a great time, to find a place that can feel like home when home starts to feel a little strange. When you want to find yourself enjoying a delicious cocktail that just flows down the throat while your tastebuds are being spoilt with flavour and afterwards you enjoy it with a relaxing joint while the smoothest and funkiest jams play into your ears and the rhythm syncs with you are heartbeat then your looking to find yourself at The Last Alpaca where the vibe can never go extinct.

  • Make It a Reality Not a Fantasy:

    A Comic Con Review

    As South Africans we would watch TV and movies, seeing & hearing about the magic that is Comic Con. If you’re new to the concept of Comic Con, it is meant to be a wonderland for everything comic, animation, anime, manga, superhero, gaming and sci-fi based. A place where fantasy meets reality…yet somehow it feels as if that spark is missing or isn’t being translated for the South African crowd and I have some thoughts and feelings on maybe why this may be the case.

    Let’s begin at the world of comic books, sci-fi, fantasy, animation, anime and cosplay. It’s more socially known to be more of a white person’s hobby, interest or activity. Now while even in white cultures it is seen as more of a nerdy, geeky and weird trait to enjoy and have in black cultures the level of perceived weirdness is multiplied tenfold with cases of ostracization taking place or being teased, bullied or roasted for having a liking and passion for such interests. It made one feel as though they were doing something wrong or had to enjoy in secrecy to not have the negative stigmas thrown upon you.

    MORTAL KOMBAT VS DC UNIVERSE GAME

    What made things harder was the lack of representation for black people and people of colour in these comics, shows, series, movies and such. Having said that I’ve always been of the understanding that as a creator of anything one would create from their lived and perceived experiences so I’m not expecting a white person to create with a person of colour’s perspective in mind, especially back in those days and that we should always be promoting and encouraging our own people to start taking up these spaces and create our own stories and narratives around these interests. Growing up facing the ostracizations from both sides, whether intentional or accidentally, it felt like there was no safe space for one to express themselves. Having to either enjoy in privacy, secretly searching for your tribe or living it out loud and proud, facing the criticising and roasting head-on. This was all until 2018 when Comic Con arrived in South Africa for the first time.

    When the news first broke in 2018 that for the first time ever Comic Con would be in Africa, hosted in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the Coca-Cola Dome, it broke the internet. The world’s largest comic, superhero, anime, gaming, sci-fi and cosplay convention was coming to South Africa, and everybody was in a frenzy. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend the first one or the second in 2019 and then in 2020 Covid-19 was the cause for a Comic Con Africa free year. The convention came back in 2021 and in 2023 I had the privilege and honour of being selected to participate as media for the convention and have been to every Comic Con since.

    TABLE TOP GAMES

    Now that we’ve gone through the history of Comic Con Africa, let me breakdown my experience with the event these past 3 years. My first year attending in 2023, it was held at The Nasrec Expo Centre, and I went as selected media, so the experience was cool and different to the regular bought ticket. We were invited to a media address night at Cracker Zac in Rosebank and then invited to a walkthrough of the convention on the Wednesday, the day before the convention officially opened. We were told of new editions happening at the convention such as; Street Con – A spot to highlight, what they would call the “urban” culture but we really know they mean black and hip-hop culture, Otsuka Town – A collaboration and partnership between South Africa and the Japanese government and arts program, The Table Top Tournament – Showcasing table top games, which are card games like Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic The Gathering and more.

    As a first timer, this was exciting, and I felt fresh-faced and wide-eyed. Even though I was media, I had to go in cosplay because it would feel criminal otherwise. I went to 3 out of the 4 days, going as Monkey D. Luffy, and Donkey Kong. The experience was truly amazing seeing all the different and amazing cosplay and costumes from the home-made to the crazy complex machinery and make-up people had. The whole centre was filled and buzzing with excitement. Seeing so many black and people of colour enjoying their passion and hobbies with full joy and no fear of judgement or teasing. Having black kids, parents and adults stop and ask you for a picture and just to talk favourite anime or comic and genuinely share a passion and love with others that look like you are a blessing. A better feeling was walking around the convention and seeing different stalls, finding new local vendors that either sell or create their own comics, posters, merchandise and more. It opened my eyes to a whole deeper and active world within South Africa that hasn’t been highlighted because of the stigmas around it. The Street Con was dope with them showcasing that hip-hop is a fantasy world itself with its descriptive writing and artforms that present itself in graffiti, sneaker culture and its fashion.

    POPULAR ANIME CHARACTERS

    With everything looking and feeling so good, I had noticed some areas of concern or critique that were worthy to note.  My first critique would be that in the space and area they have the main stage where they have the talks and cosplay competitions was centred in the busy of everything and makes it confusing to know what’s going on at the time or to pay attention to the show taking place on stage. It feels as though they should have a whole area set up specifically for the different talks and speakers that could serve as a conference area and patrons can attend the talks and programs they would like to attend. This would lead me to the next point which would be the programming. They usually set their talks with the international guests early at around 9am – 10am which is hard on a Saturday morning and especially with people having to prepare and get into their cosplay before arriving. This includes the gaming tournaments as well. Lastly it would be the entertainment factor with South Africans being people known to enjoy a great time and celebration it felt like in a world based off imagination it was very limited. I wondered why they hadn’t hired choreographers and stunt people to dress in cosplay and re-enact or create new fight scenes with characters or do a flash mob, having mini competitions around of trivia, quizzes, guess the character, a scavenger hunt where you have to find or take pictures with certain characters or getting clues by visiting different stalls. The entertainment area that did have live bands performing should learn the South African market and get the artists that also provide a commercial appeal and attraction for your average person who may just be looking for a great time out while learning more about a culture they were previously shout out to.

    FAMOUS GAMING CHARACTERS

    These were my initial worries and in the last two years unfortunately it hasn’t gotten any better with Comic Con Africa taking away the Street Con and removing some of the speaker engagements. The spread of information for the program has gotten lost in the communication with people not knowing which competitions or showcases taking place and were. For example, this year quite a few people were surprised to find out that there was an amateur and fan cosplay competition participation and not just the professional one. Talking about the cosplay competition, I’ve personally never been able to experience with everything happening, everywhere all at once by the main hall. Last year when attending Comic Con Africa as a patron this time, it felt as though it was just a convention for vendors to find new customers and market themselves but not as a fantasy experience. This year with it being moved earlier in the timeline from September to August, it felt rushed and with knowing what to expect it felt like going to school opening your lunchbox at break knowing you’re going to get the same old cheese sandwich; yeah, it’ll do the job but there’s no craving for it. Even with the tabletop games, they could make them an exhibition and have people sign-up for tournaments and prizes, dress it up and present it like a spectacle and battle of the best to ever lay hands on a deck.

    I know I maybe sounding like I’m being overly critical and just knit-picking at things but in a world and country where young black kids and kids of colour aren’t really encouraged to get into comics, anime, fantasy and the sci-fi world. Besides the stigma and ostracization around it there also comes in the barrier of costs and knowledge. With most coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, most don’t have the money necessary to hire out and buy the professional and authentic cosplays or costumes ad because not being encouraged to look into the world of fantasy most are clueless on where to start and how one is able to make their own homemade cosplay using everyday products. It could be really cool if, before leading into the main event, Comic Con would do workshops and activations around the townships and cities in Johannesburg on cosplaying and all it’s sub-genres like make-up, performances, sewing and more.

    Comic Con Africa has such potential to make an impact in the world of fantasy in South Africa and Africa as a whole but they need to engage with the people and community, in terms of immersing themselves into the event culture of the people and providing us with an experience instead of a convention. Help change people’s realities and bring them the fantasy that we so desperately seek and hope to be immersed and engulfed in.

  • Ed Sheeran Serves Soft Life Vibes with New Album & Ice Cream Session

    Yes I know what you thinking, is Fratpacker World going pop!? Yes it is because all genres matter. Plus Ed opened the album with some bars. Talking his big popstar talk. Did I mention that I also had some fire ice cream at the listening session. We rocking with Ed here.

    To celebrate, Warner Music took the soft life soft server route and hosted a private listening session at Paul’s Homemade Ice Cream in Parkhurst. Imagine: Joburg sun, soft serve in hand, and Ed Sheeran’s new music floating through the vibe. It was a scooping vibes moment where global stardom met local flavor. Plus they had headphones for everyone so it had a silent Ed Sheeren disco tint to it.

    Ed’s rap moments were the cherry on top (or let’s say the flake on the soft serve). You could tell he’s having fun pushing boundaries, giving us tracks that sit just as comfortably on a late-night drive playlist as they would on a “catching feelings but also catching a groove” tip.

    Warner kept it cool with ice cream and music as the perfect combo. Everyone left the session feeling youthful and closer to Ed’s music. The soft serve rollout proves that when you blend storytelling with experimentation (and add a scoop of Joburg lifestyle), you get something refreshing, global, but still grounded in vibes. Good job Ed. Good Job Warner. Check Ed Sheeren’s new album on your preferred legal streaming platform (yes I said legal, we know how you pirate lovers do).

    Frat!

  • Focalistic And Ch’cco Dock The Boats


    When Focalistic and Ch’cco announced BOATS (Based On A True Story), it was clear from jump that this wasn’t just going to be another album. The gents were carving out a movement rooted in lived experience. This wasn’t a fantasy project or an empty promise. Nah! The gents delivered and ha ba cancela selo!

    The rollout? Textbook. From Instagram Lives where they built hype in real time, to performances where they teased unreleased snippets like secret handshakes, they made fans part of the journey. By the time the project landed, the music already felt familiar like we’d been living this story with them.

    Their chemistry is what makes BOATS undeniable. Foca brings that presidential charisma. It’s bold, commanding, larger than life! while Ch’cco balances it with melodic smoothness and effortless cool. Together, they embody the duality of the hustle; the grind and the glory, the fight and the celebration. The boys are more in sync than a boy band with Timberlake.

    Then there’s the merch. Reworking the True Religion font into their own branding was a genius play, and they rolling around with a real boat. It’s a wink at hip-hop’s long tradition of remixing luxury into something street-authentic, something the people can claim as their own. The attention to detail on the aesthetic presentation is phenomenal.

    And let’s talk about the freestyle on Pro Kid’s beat. That was a full-circle moment; saluting a legend while proving that their own story belongs in the same lineage. Plus it was relevant and topical at the time since new school rap heads were questioning the relevance of freestyles and that particular beat. It was a cool flex and cultural respect, tying past and present into one continuum of South African music.

    Focalistic stays true to his title as President Ya Straata. But what makes this era powerful is his cabinet Ch’cco right there beside him, the producers and features aligning perfectly, and the people standing behind them like a nation. If the presidency is built on trust and vision, then BOATS is the policy document the streets will happily sign off on.

    Bottom line? The President has spoken, the cabinet is strong, and the true story has officially been stamped in history. And this is not a review. Its a call to action to go bump BOATS and have some fun to it.

  • THE TOP 10 SOUTH AFRICAN STREETWEAR BRANDS: ACCORDING TO AN ERRATIC RATING

    It’s 2025 and the fever of patriotism has filled the South African air and the youth are breathing it in more than they are vapes.  We’ve seen the growth in wanting to buy, support, attend and promote everything African and especially South African. We see it in the way we celebrate our music, film, tv and visual arts but nothing has the youth flying the flag of patriotism higher than the South African streetwear market. In the last 8 years we’ve seen a growth in both brands and demand for more local streetwear clothing and I decide to create my own rubric and criteria to rate the top 10 South African Streetwear Brands as we go into the spring/summer season.

    To start off let me breakdown the rubric for the scoring and rating. In total I looked at around 30+ South African streetwear brands. I do have to mention that some brands were ineligible just because they were on the high-end scale of streetwear and this was more for the authentic sense and feel of streetwear. I used 7 different categories, all with a rating out of ten and rounded to the first decimal point, to score and rate the brands. The categories were; longevity, cultural impact, relevancy, collection, branding, style and price. After rating each category, the scores were added up and divided by 7 to give a final score rating out of 10 and that’s how the rankings were formed. As I rank each brand I’ll give their final score, and give a brief description behind my thought process and rating. Now that we’ve gone through the process and you trust it. well, I hope you trust it after this but let’s get into it.

    TOP 10 SOUTH AFRICAN STREETWEAR BRANDS

    10. MERCHA

    At the ten spot is Mercha. They are still infants to the streetwear game but the fact that they’ve become a home for local artists, before mainstream and emerging, to create and sell their own merchandise has helped break barriers for most artists and the foundation to building household names.

    9. THESIS

    Coming in at number nine is Thesis. A brand that has survived through the years and become a staple in the community. They’ve been able to adjust and pivot with the times to still remain relevant and on top of the people’s mind but could do more to connect with the new youth of South Africa.

    8. PUNYETE

    At number eight rea faka Punyete. The clothing brand, that was built off an adlib, became a cultural impact story with their consist collection and capsule drops and hitting the pop-up features like crazy over the last two years. Most notably and recently they just did a pop-up store at the Mall of Africa. Showing that no matter how young the brand and brains behind it, you’re always able to compete with the big dogs as long as the dog in you is up to the challenge.

    7. EMBEDDED

    At number seven is Embedded. The Pretoria brand that has been around since 2015 is an amazing clothing brand that should be talked about more. They have an amazing collection filled with pieces like biker jackets, leggings, soccer jerseys and more. They have had cultural impact supplying clothes for artists such as DJ Sliqe & Emtee for their music videos. For some reason it just feels as though they haven’t managed to get over the hump of just being a hometown hero and touching more of the nation. I believe engaging more with fans in their different cities will be the first step their and creating more analogue experiences for them will help elevate them to a new level.

    6. BROKE

    At number six is Broke. Based in Cape Town the collective has been able to make a nationwide name for themselves with their young and energetic take on their marketing and building of their brand. From having the Broke Klubhouse where they sell their clothes but also host events at, to their boot sale tour that they go on road and visit several cities and province in the country to physical sell their clothes to their patrons, bringing the retro selling style back into fashion. Their prices are reasonable and not too hard on the pocket. Being a young independent collective, the challenges of manufacturing and distribution does limit the collection pieces they are able to produce but excited to see how the next 5 years turn out for the collective especially their under-garment pieces.

    5. CULTISH

    At number five is Cultish, another Cape Town based brand. The clothing brand that launched in 2020 brought in a new aesthetic and style to the South African streetwear scene. Where most brands are more colourful and cheerier, the Cultish brand came with an edge of grunge, street and a sort of dark melancholy vibe with it that really spoke to the rebels and the wild youth of the streets. Collaborating and dressing local music talent also helped them build this brand and deepen their connection with the streets, with them supporting and rooting for the underdogs, and the nonconforming. Only reason they don’t sit higher is that they are pricier than most brands featured with the cheapest t-shirt costing R750 on sale.

    4. DEAD.

    At number four is Dead. The streetwear brand that has been alive for 9 years now has had its ups and downs. When first arriving on the scene the hype and buzz around it was electrifying with people being drawn to the name and wondering why & what Dead. is. The ‘D.’ became iconic and you’d see it on shirts, shorts and socks around the city. They took a hiatus for some time but returned from the dead better and stronger than ever. Opening their store in Rosebank and releasing pieces like their crossbody bag, cardholder, underwear, sunglasses and most notably their timepieces. Their timepieces are beautiful and had such an impact when they released that most recently; they did a collaboration with, South African footwear brand, Dakotas, where the Dead. timepiece buckles are designed on the Dakotas moccasins. If not for those few years in the lab Dead. would be higher but life is long and they will live forever.

    3. ARTCLUB

    At number three is Artclub. The third clothing brand based in Cape Town to make it on the list. The clothing brand that was made by artist for artist and the community has accepted and held them with open arms. The quality and range of their collection is done beautiful and of amazing quality. When they say they are for artists, it wasn’t just to sound cool but they’ve embedded that in their clothing, creating pieces that fit the appeal of the working and corporate artist. You can see their intention in every piece they create and release. South African being a rich place of arts and birthing some of the greatest artists in the world, naturally gravitated towards this artistic approach and vision to clothing. Their popularity grew so much that it gained traction throughout the nation of South Africa and this led to them being able to go in partnership and collaboration with Mr.Price on a nationwide campaign that brought Artclub to the masses and allowing them to mass produce their products. This was an important moment for the creative industry showing that there is no such thing as niche just a lack of information and reach.

    2. S.W.A.N.K

    At number two is S.W.A.N.K. It might be sitting at number two but make no mistake S.W.A.N.K is huge. Having 11 years of experience in the streetwear the brand has always set themselves as trendsetters and trailblazers. Their growth came from the fact that they stitched themselves within the purity of street clothing looking to connect not just with the style and branding but actually being a representation of the South African street culture. They have managed to continuously release collections that are fresh, stylish and cause heads to turn and bloggers to type. Keeping relevant by mixing in street art into their marketing campaigns and clothing designs as well. They have been able to grow with their community and fanbase while still being able to attract new customers and still be a cultural right of passage for the youth. Can you truly say you’re a streetwear or South African fashion hypebeast if you have no S.W.A.N.K in your collection? I don’t think so. They have solidified themselves in the South African streetwear brand and have reached legendary and classic status.

    1. GALXBOY

    Now before we get into our number one, I just want to mention that the difference between one and two was decided by 0.1, with that said; our number one South African streetwear brand is GalxBoy. The Pretoria born clothing brand was started in 2008 under a different name before officially becoming GalxBoy in 2012. I want to try and explain the hype, craze, buzz and cultural impact of GalxBoy when it first launched onto the scene. I was fortunate enough to be doing my first year at University of Pretoria in 2012 when they opened their first store in Hatfield, right by the Fields. They had the streets in a chokehold with the bright colours and graphic t-shirts that represented the style of 2012 with the skinny jeans and animated fashion. To see their evolution of the last 13 years to where now they are manufacturing; dome bags, tote bags, cardholders & wallets, cross body bags, purses, necklaces, bracelets, sandals, sunglasses and more. They’ve made themselves to standout as a pillar of not just the streetwear culture but the culture of South African youth, especially in the hip-hop culture. This has led to them working and collaborating with brands such as; Rocking the Daisies, McDonalds and Scorpion Kings. From starting at humble begins in Mamelodi to now having 14 stores across the country in 8 of the 9 province of South Africa they are truly the streetwear brand of the South African people. What Thatiso Dube, founder of GalxBoy and more famously known as Vuittots, has been able to create, construct and carry-on building is truly a wonder, inspiration and should be written down in our history books for us to study, document and aspire to.

    In conclusion, every has a different style, preference and pockets so this not the definitive list so please do not come for me and family but I doubt you would find a better one. If you think you could create a better top ten, we would love to hear from you, so leave a comment or send us an email. Thank you for reading and stay dripping because the sun is out and you need to stay hydrated.