HYPE Magazine Interviews Shane Eagle For #CastleLiteUnlocks [Cover Story]

C’mon by now you should know that Castle Lite is about to unlock rapper & social activist Chance the Rapper on the 30th of April at the TicketPro Dome in Johannesburg which is in a couple of days time. And apart from Chance celebrating his birth month on the Extra Cold Stage, of course the other highlights to look forward to at the concerts are artists such as Frank Casino, Nadia Nakai and Shane Eagle also being unlocked to create an unforgettable experience as headliners. With that said we thought it would be interesting to drop 3 interviews with our 3 local headliners to get an insight how they’ve been preparing for the upcoming night as well as how they perceive the continuous cultural involvement from Castle Lite.

First up we have Shane Eagle, who has been on everyone lips since he dropped his debut album Yellow which was arguably the most celebrated SA hip hop release of the year 2017. Shane Eagle has since established himself as an incomparable act, who has obviously proved that with his moves. Having him be a part of the #CastleLiteUnlocks concert with Chance The Rapper just simply makes sense and further emphasizes on the uniqueness of the concert. Shane has come a long since his Hustle days to become an special energy in the game that we’re eager to indulge ourselves in!

Wassup Shane! I think we begin by getting to know how you’re feeling about being a part of probably the biggest and most exciting concert on the calendar. When you got the request from Castle Lite what was your immediate reaction?

When I heard about the news, I felt impressed with the approach this year for Castle Lite Unlocks, it really shows that Castle Lite are switched on and in touch with the culture, the line up is “New Wave” and exactly what needs to be happening. For them to include me feels like a blessing.

These #CastleLiteUnlocks concerts have not only managed to create unforgettable international-level musical experiences but they’ve also played major roles in cultivating local artists by giving them the opportunity to share the huge platform as well. What would you say is Castle Lite’s secret when it comes to these #CastleLiteUnlocks concerts?

Staying ahead. Being in touch with what the streets are saying, filtering out the noise and making moves to contribute to the growing hip hop culture in SA.

And of course the artist revealing process wasn’t nothing but extra cold during the live stream. How soon did you find out about Chance The Rapper and how do you imagine South African fans will receive him?

I found out about Chance being the headliner, a few days before the reveal, when we had wrapped up our discussions with Castle Lite. It was dope to find out that he will be headlining, he is a great artist who represents more than just his music. I think the people that understand music and hip hop culture will pull up and show love.

Word. How does being a headline artist for a big concert such as this influence your own career?

I think this is part of the process. Its great to be apart of the show in the capacity I am involved in, it will be one of many the stepping stones I will make use of in my career.