Tonight Castle Lite will be hosting the 2nd episode of their #CastleLiteUnlocks In Bed With Sway live-stream and this time they have the likes of Stogie T, Rouge, and Bas ready to give us some crazy music vibes directly in our homes. The session is taking place at 7:30 PM on Castle Lite’s YouTube page. Now HYPE got on the call with Stogie T to not only ask what fans can expect from him tonight but about how he has been holding up, his #FreestyleFriday showcase, and of course music.
First of all, we have to start this off by asking how Stogie T has been taking care of himself during this lockdown. How have you been keeping up?
You know I’m good man, I’m maintaining, I’m trying to keep some sort of a schedule for myself you know what I mean? I wake up early, sleep not too late, wash every day, put on new clothes, and plan for the future… Obviously, you know I do #FreestyleFriday, I do some other work and I think that helps. Also, I have kids so they’re in school via the web so you kind of have to keep them active as well. So it’s a busy household strangely enough [Laughs]
Yeah, online you’ve been pretty active especially with #FreestyleFriday and when you broke down why you’re doing these cyphers online, it brought some nostalgic feelings. Did you anticipate to grow beyond the initial point?
I knew that I wanted to kind of put out some freestyles here and there but it’s only been 3 weeks since we’ve been inviting people and I thought every time I posted something people would post their little freestyles underneath mine… I thought man… might as well just make this a platform you know what I mean? And through the kind of credibility that I have, use it to showcase some artists. People will want to hear what Stogie T thinks of a dope freestyle you know what I mean? So I thought yo, this is a great platform and just started to do it. And I think even established artists, it gives them light to go okay that’s not their usual sound, it’s not their Kwaito, Ama Piano sound and that makes it really interesting for people to understand that as a hip hop artist you still have to keep your fundamentals you know?
” I’m excited to see Sway again, you know last time I saw Sway it changed my life [Laughs]” – Stogie T
Yeah, we appreciate the fact that your guest ranges from the backgrounds, age, and even location. You even have guys from the states, Canada, and even Nigeria jumping on. Is there some sort of criteria you have to consider an official guest?
I think you just have to be dope, we’ve had all sorts of artists, we’ve had established artists, guys who literally just go on Insta live when I’m on there and rap for me and I’m like oh shit this guy is dope.
Yeah. This lockdown situation has given artists the time to work on music that ultimately serves as a comfort for many of us. You just dropped the Empire of Sheep (Deluxe Unmasked), are you currently making more music?
Yep [laughs]
And hows that going?
We’re happy, we’re probably like 3 or 4 songs away from being comfortable to be able to choose from this album. So the reason I dropped the Empire of Sheep is that I was working on an album and I couldn’t get these features in time and so I just ended up doing an EP. And now that I got all my features, my American features, and what not.. and now that I got them, we’re pretty much ready to go. We just got a couple of songs to go from being happy to select.
“I thought man… might as well just make this a platform (#FreestyleFriday) you know what I mean? And through the kind of credibility that I have, use it to showcase some artists” – Stogie T
The features on this EP are quite an intriguing bunch, is there a particular reason you chose to work with the likes of ASON, Lucille Slade Boity…?
Yeah, I like them [Laughs] I think for me I’ve been incredibly amazed and pleasantly amazed at how Boity has come through, coming through the door and just kind of dominated and cared about the important things you know what I mean? To me the important thing is to make a good song, its to make a dope song and she continues to do that. I think ASON is someone who I’ve always thought is ready for the big time, it’s just about him getting his shot so I’m a fan of his. And then Lucille Slade is just amazing, everyone who has heard a song that I have done will Lucille is clearly justified why.
And of course, tonight you’ll be handling the #CastleLiteUnlocks In Bed With Sway session, we spoke to Rouge before speaking to you and ask what we could expect from her performance and she mentioned how she’s going to have to step her game up considering she’s on a line-up with you [Laughs]. What can people expect from your session? We know the bars will be there but is there something unexpected coming our way?
Uhm I don’t know what to tell you, I don’t actually know that format, it’s basically me vs Rouge but it’s not a battle or anything and I think it should be fun man, it should be exciting. I’m excited to see Sway again, you know last time I saw Sway it changed my life [Laughs]. So that’s exciting and of course man you know we had Rouge on #FreestyleFriday on the first episode [Laughs] So I already know her & what her pedigree is you know? So yeah it should be exciting and shout out to Castle Lite for even doing something like this, it’s important for the culture you know what I mean?
And we have to end this off by asking if they’ve been any other young artists that you’ve been checking out or discovering personally during this lockdown?
Yeah, of course, a guy called Gravity who I loved on #FreestyleFriday, he has a project out (O U T A R O A D) and I absolutely love his project. Dude called Abstrakt who I love… A guy who shocked me is Jabulani Majola as well I like his stuff. Then through #FreestyleFriday I also discovered Hanna, Hanna is amazing, and I’m a fan. It’s so exciting at this time because you have a captive audience and you really kind of have the time to listen to new stuff you know what I mean? But I haven’t listened to a lot of local stuff as much as I’ve listened to now. Its really given me the opportunity to engage with the game a little bit more because I’m always kind of in work mode.
