South African hip-hop has always thrived on evolution. From artists rewriting their stories in real time, and platforms like HYPE capturing each turning point. From AKA’s fearless rise and Cassper Nyovest’s dreamer-to-mogul blueprint. From A-Reece’s transformation into the antihero and Blxckie’s quiet storm turned cultural takeover, this piece takes a trip down memory lane through the magazine covers, interviews and moments that shaped the game. More than just profiles, these are chronicles of ambition, rivalry, resilience and reinvention. This is proof that hip-hop in Mzansi isn’t just music – it’s legacy in motion.
AKA: A Rise In Levels
The chosen one emerges: From the earliest spotlight, HYPE paints a raw and hungry AKA. He forged his style with a bold swagger and fierce ambition. At just 24, he reflects on Altar Ego not just as a title but a manifesto. He displays purposeful arrogance, carving space for English rap in a scene that had yet to embrace it.
This wasn’t just confidence; it was calculated vision. AKA wasn’t content with being a participant in South African hip-hop. He wanted to redefine what it looked and sounded like. At a time when vernac rap was dominant, his decision to rap in English was a daring move at the time. That boldness laid the foundation for a career that would constantly challenge boundaries.
Independence: Flash forward to 2010/2011 on HYPE’s Leaders of the New School cover, AKA stands with Khuli Chana and L-Tido as the fresh wave of independent rap. That independence is no flex; it’s the DNA of his artistry.
At that point, AKA was already experimenting with the kind of business-minded artistry that would define his career. His insistence on being independent was more than just pride – it was about freedom of sound and control of image. He wanted to be his own boss. He wanted to craft his own path without compromise. This is the self-determination that became a cornerstone of his brand.
Levels: By 2014, HYPE’s On Another Level feature takes us to a man crafting his legacy. He began to push for higher standards across music, performance and professionalism. He didn’t just want respect; he demanded excellence. “There are LEVELS… I want to be THAT guy. I wanna sell out stadiums… be ICONIC,” said AKA, in his HYPE interview.
This period birthed Levels, an album that catapulted him into superstardom and gave South Africa some of its biggest anthems. But more than the hits, it was his ambition that set him apart. AKA saw himself as a brand, a movement and a symbol for where African hip-hop could go.
The great debate: With fame and ambition comes friction. On The Great Debate HYPE cover, AKA’s cultural dominance plays out through the Cassper Nyovest rivalry. What made this rivalry legendary was how it elevated the entire culture. Their beef wasn’t just about egos. It wasn’t just about ownership of the throne
It was also about who represents South African hip-hop on the biggest stage. While many saw AKA’s fiery personality as destructive, it was also the spark that ignited debates and history-defining moments. He understood that controversy and greatness often walk hand-in-hand.
The legacy: Fast-forward to early 2023… The cover feature, The Legacy, was released around the time of his passing. AKA stands as a pioneer, as one of the first few English rappers to break out in South Africa’s mainstream.
In many ways, this was the closing chapter of a story he’d been writing since Altar Ego. He wasn’t just chasing relevance anymore. Rather, he was curating how he would be remembered. His insistence on sounding like no one but himself, even at the peak of global hip-hop homogenisation. Kiernan Forbes wasn’t just AKA the rapper – he became AKA the legend.
Cassper Nyovest: Maftown Dreamer To Fill-Up Pioneer
Cassper Nyovest’s first big HYPE cover came at a time when South African hip-hop was at a crossroads. Here was this kid from Mafikeng shaking the room with Tsholofelo. He wasn’t just another Motswako rapper. He was the heir to HHP’s legacy, but with a vision to globalise that sound. HYPE painted him as the underdog with the biggest hunger – the rapper who could hit 100,000 downloads on ‘Phumakim’ in hours, while still grinding daily on stage.
What stood out most was his self-belief. “I will go down as the best to ever do the sh*t. Watch!” said Cassper in his HYPE interview. Cassper entered the industry with his game face on, daring the industry to doubt him, and that energy quickly turned into dominance.
The new king: By the mid-2010s, Cassper was no longer just a promising act. He was the voice of the streets. HYPE’s coverage around this time shows how ‘Doc Shebeleza’ became a generational anthem, turning township slang into arena chants. He understood how to rally people.
This was when the Cassper vs AKA rivalry exploded, and Cassper’s underdog-to-superstar journey gave the beef even more weight. For him, every diss was fuel. He wasn’t just fighting for respect; he was proving that a kid from Maftown could stand toe-to-toe with anyone in the game.
Fill up the Dome: 2015’s Fill Up the Dome was the career-defining leap. HYPE documented how Cassper turned what seemed impossible into a national moment by selling out TicketPro Dome as an independent artist. It wasn’t just about hip-hop; it was about South African possibility.
This move changed the game. Cassper rewrote the blueprint for independence, branding, and ownership in local music. Where others saw limitation, he saw a platform to prove that ambition has no ceiling. “Fill Up” became more than a slogan.
The rivalry: HYPE’s The Great Debate cover immortalised Cassper and AKA’s clash as the stuff of hip-hop history. For Cassper, the beef was just one chapter. He knew how to weaponise it for visibility, but he also knew how to pivot. Each of his subsequent albums post the cover saw him shapeshifting, from kwaito-inspired sounds to Afrobeat blends, while always keeping his Maftown storytelling core.
This reinvention is what kept him untouchable. While rivals came and went, Cassper learnt how to evolve his sound without losing his voice. That agility is what turned him from a rapper into a cultural icon.
The mogul: HYPE’s later reflections place Cassper as more than an artist. With his Family Tree label, endorsement deals and ventures like Billiato, he expanded into empire-building. He proved that South African rappers could become CEOs.
A-Reece: The Hero Turned Villain
The prodigy: In 2016, A-Reece dropped Paradise at just 19. It was a polished offering with the kind of storytelling that felt too seasoned for someone his age. HYPE positioned him as a generational talent. A rapper who wasn’t chasing trends but building worlds, and Paradise was the first glimpse into his mind.
This project was more than an album. It was more like a prophecy. For a teenager to map out love, loss and ambition with such poise marked him as an anomaly.
HYPE’s Deviance cover story pulls A-Reece and Khuli Chana into one frame in a contrast of generations. A-Reece, still a teenager, recalls the gravity of having Khuli open for him at his first show: “I don’t treat it as a simple thing… I was 16 when he did that.” This moment already set the stage. Here’s a young dreamer, 16, carrying hope into every bar and stepping onto a stage lit up by someone who came before him.
Khuli, recognising raw talent, validated A-Reece’s destiny from the jump. It served as a passing-of-the-torch moment. A-Reece walked into his career not looking for permission but affirmation, and with Khuli Chana’s unspoken nod, he got it.
The big-hearted bad guy
On his 2024 HYPE cover, the narrative casts A-Reece as the classic antihero. His heart was huge, but it was hardened by betrayal. When TWC splintered, he stayed silent as whispers grew. “I realised that I didn’t owe anyone an explanation…
sometimes it’s just better to leave things the way they are and let those people expose themselves from a distance,” said A-Reece in the interview with HYPE. Silence became his armour, and sound became his confession. His shift from the big-hearted bad guy to the bad guy had begun. No longer did he chase infamy; he embraced it.
Independence: A-Reece built with love, but the blueprint cracked. TWC started as a family, but growth forced choices. However, his forthcoming silence wasn’t indifference. Instead, he let music speak. The separation didn’t make him cold. Rather, it made him fierce, and isolation became part of his armour.
P2: The antihero 2023’s: P2: THE BIG HEARTED BAD GUY was more than a sequel. A-Reece leaned into the title given to him. The project confirmed his duality as a soft-hearted person, but also the villain in the overarching narrative.
By embracing the “bad guy” label, he turned weakness into strength. P2: THE BIG HEARTED BAD GUY framed A-Reece as an artist who was no longer haunted by perception but empowered by it. He no longer needed to explain himself. If Paradise was the prophecy, then P2: THE BIG HEARTED BAD GUY was the fulfilment.
Blxckie: 031 To The World
HYPE’s 2021 cover story captures a rare vibe of pure excitement as Blxckie breaks out in real time by dropping songs almost daily in a pandemic-stricken world when everyone else was figuring sh*t out. That relentless energy launched him forward. While others paused, he pushed.
A signature sound: Blxckie blends rap, soulful melodies and structure effortlessly. It’s instinct, not imitation. He creates in the moment, letting the beat dictate whether he sings or raps. That flexibility is what defines Blxckie as an artist.
Debut album: His official debut album, B4Now, dropped in May 2021 and debuted at number one in SA. The album boasts features from heavyweights like Nasty C, Flvme and Lucasraps.
One can be forgiven for being taken away by the sheer musicality of Blxckie’s music; however, the real magic exists in the messaging of the music.
A song like ‘David’ is a testament to that. The song sees Blxckie create a self-motivating mantra, a theme that we hear often in his music.
Making moves: By 2023-2024, Blxckie wasn’t just blowing up – he was breaking through. His green-dyed hair became a trademark of the artist. Around that time, Blxckie bagged a Sprite campaign where he was dubbed the king of cool. This monumental achievement saw Blxckie cement himself as a cultural icon.
The promise: In November 2024, Blxckie landed his second HYPE cover. The issue spells out his place in the game, describing him as the hottest and the greatest.
This cover isn’t just recognition; it’s validation. It marks the moment when the grind became a legacy in real time. From dropping songs daily during lockdown to topping charts, going platinum and now commanding the HYPE cover. We have the pleasure of witnessing Blxckie’s rise to new heights.