In the game, talent has never been an issue. There are a multitude of artists who are talented but, somehow, the “hip-hop is dead” narrative keeps rearing its ugly head from time to time. As a staunch supporter of the genre, I hate that narrative. However, I would be foolish to completely ignore it because that is feedback from the market. One needs to analyse the disconnect between South African hip-hop and the rest of the consumers. For that to happen, I need to step out of my own bubble and hear out the narrative from the other side. If I were to be truly honest, I struggled to see things from the other side but, in my conversation with Bantu Nots, I began to see what the detractors are talking about. As a human being, Bantu Nots possesses a great deal of self-awareness as well as an understanding of what it takes to create music that caters to people from all walks of life. In a candid conversation, Bantu Nots lets me in on his holistic approach to music, the world around it and so much more.
On the cover art, you have a motion effect over a figure of yourself. What does that represent?
On the cover art, you cannot see my face properly. That was purposeful because I want to highlight my standout feature as an artist, which is my hair. Hence, the name of the EP, Bantu Nots. Outside of the fact that my hairstyle is my distinguishing feature, it is also a nod to my African roots.
I believe that the intro song is crucial, as it sets the tone for a project. Why did you opt to go for an aggressive song like ‘Turn’ for the intro?
With the song ‘Turn’, I wanted to make a statement. After hearing the song ‘Bantu Nots’, people expected more of the same but I wanted to show the listener that I am capable of creating more than that. The idea with ‘Turn’ was to capture your attention and entice you to listen to the rest of the EP.
On the song ‘Emphantwini’, it becomes very apparent that experimenting is very important to you. What informed your range in sounds?
Since I started making music, I have always paid attention to the intricacies of it. I enjoy learning from both artists and consumers alike. Having grown up in the hood, I would listen to the artists who are considered to be the best in the game and think to myself, “How are people relating to it?” Where I come from, people would not be able to listen to some of these artists. At some point, I felt like I was falling into that trap and I was getting lost from a sonic point of view. I want to create music that is able to touch people and give them hope. I think that is what inspires my sound – being relatable.
Would you say that being relatable is going to be at the core of your music going forward or are you going to be free to try things out?
Honestly, I think that, as an artist, you have to be free to experiment with different sounds. It’s okay to have a niche but, at the same time, if you are someone who enjoys talking about love in your music, you shouldn’t shy away from talking about negative emotions.
On the song ‘New Age Ricky’, I really enjoyed the tribute verse. What are your views on Riky Rick’s legacy and what does it mean to you?
Honestly, when Riky Rick was alive, he did the most. Everything he did, I intend to emulate in my career. He is a huge inspiration to me because he was more than a musician. I see him as a culture “carrier” because his influence expanded into the world of fashion. You could tell that he loved what he was doing and enjoyed having people around him. Also, his collabs were crazy in the sense that he could collaborate with both the OGs and the kids.
I am interested in the duality of the song ‘Make It Ma Dawg’. Why did you make the stylistic decision to have contrasting sounds in one song?
Honestly, it was just a feeling that came to me. From a lyrical point of view, I was telling myself that I need to be patient. My heart breaks when things don’t go as planned. I just have to keep putting in the work and the right opportunities will come. From a production point of view, I needed a beat that could reflect that mentality.
‘Phuka’ got me thinking about your encompassing sound. If you were to describe the energy of your sound, how would you describe it?
I am still learning my sound but I would describe it as liberation. I have an energy that I put in my songs. Even the down-tempo songs are a vibe. Again, I aim to be relatable to everyone and that’s why I mix Zulu and English.
On ‘Sebenza’, you talk about some real-life circumstances. How do you find the courage to be so vulnerable?
Honestly, it’s about being relatable. If you always tell fictional stories, it takes away from the relationship between you and the fans because they don’t know you. Me rapping about things like murder and guns wouldn’t make sense because I was not exposed to those things. I want to create stories about my life or the lives of the people around me. The song ‘Sebenza’ is close to me because it was around the same time I lost my grandmother. The fact that the song is about real-life stories brings me closer to the fans.
Throughout the EP, it is evident that melodies are important to you. How do you describe the experience of creating a purely melodic song like ‘Never Lose’ in comparison to songs where you play both singer and rapper?
I would say that there is a difference between those two sounds from a creative point of view. Making a “hard” song is easy because that’s what comes to me naturally. For the soft songs, I have to be in a certain state. When it comes to the melodies, I am inspired by music from different eras and execute them in my own way. I respect the soft songs more because they require more from me emotionally.
Your sound is dark but jovial. How do you balance that duality without defaulting into one more than the other.
If you look at the construction of the EP, I make sure to cater to both sides of my sound and I try to execute each sound to the fullest. Some people only come for the hard songs but there are also people who love the soft songs. I capture your heart from the trap songs and then I express my versatility in the rest of the EP.
You kind of remind me of an artist like Blxckie because he captured the market with his trap songs but, because of that, we are open to other interpretations of himself. At that point, that is when he gives you a song like ‘Sika’.
Yeah, people like Blxckie are the inspiration too. He mastered the art of being relatable. When people say things like “he reminds me of Blxckie”, that motivates me because it means I’m on the right path.
In closing, what do you want listeners to take away from Bantu Nots?
I want to create music that is relatable to people across the country. People can also expect more music from me – I am currently working on the deluxe version of Bantu Nots.
