When it’s Meant To Be
Verbalz: HYPE
Visualz: Family Tree
Illustration: OHYESLORD
There has never been a greater time to be alive than right now. SA hip hop has had a habit of bringing up some incomparable talents and one such talent is Gemini Major. The Malawian born artist has solely managed to raise the peak of SA hip hop’s excellence. Think about the songs that have been dropped or worked on by Gemini and we trust you’ll nod in agreement. This isn’t your normal level of skill, this isn’t your typical sonic expectation and this will never be your average recreation. This was all meant to be.
How did it all start off for you? We know we should give the Durban scene credit for inspiring you, along with that Beat Battle competition you entered.
Thing is about the beat battle, I actually didn’t win. I didn’t win but the outcome was so amazing. There were a certain amount of people that were touched and I didn’t have to win you know? From then on that’s when I realized that I have something and that I could actually do this for real.
I’m sure when you started off you were aware that there were other people that were already doing what you were doing and that were probably quite established already. When came into it, how did you see yourself fitting in?
I would be lying if I said I had tried to be different you know what I mean? I was just doing my thing, like I’m really just doing my thing and I’m just different, I guess, from the point where it’s just me. I can’t say that my style is different, I’m not really trying to be different but I’m just doing me. There’s no plan, nothing.
When “juice back” dropped it caused a massive wave, so how did that whole get-together take place?
I was a fan of Nasty C and I was listening to his sh*t, you know Price City and I had been following him, he was following me. We were just cool, we started talking and he just hit me up to send him some sh*t. I actually had this beat, sent it to him and he sent me ‘Juice Back’ like two hours later. I was so amazed.
Did you expect the record to get that huge though?
Nah man, like I said we are just doing our thing and after that he’s just been my n*gga that’s all.
Trust. But do you realize how influential you’ve become in terms of the whole hip hop game? We can tell that you’re a humble person and don’t necessarily want to be in the spotlight when it comes to the music. However do you actually recognize your impact though?
Yeah. I see it here and there you know? But its hip hop and I’m just glad that I’m playing my part. I’m definitely glad that I’m doing something, but I’m just here doing my thing and I love it you know? It’s for the love bro. You know what I mean? All the other things that come into play but I really love doing this thing.
“I’m just glad that I’m playing my part”
– Gemini Major
Word. You emerging into a fulfilled artist now and like full circle. In the beginning, the commercial public first heard about you through the production thing and today we got the Gemini records too. So is Gemini the producer different from Gemini the artist?
I see it this way. Before I’m a producer, I’m an artist and before I’m an artist, I’m a producer. You what I mean? So I can produce and I can be an artist, it just depends on the mood. I won’t want to jump on every beat that I make, because I’m an artist and I’m not always trying to make beats for me. But when I make something and I get inspired to be an artist, then that’s when I’m an artist.
Is Gemini competing with anyone in the game right now? Although we already know that hip hop is such a competitive sport, are you also getting into it with that dominant mentality? Striving to be the best?
I’m just doing me and I’m just doing my thing. I’m thankful that people love whatever that I’m doing you know? I’m just doing my thing and I’ve got bigger dreams, so I’m not really trying to compete with anyone. There is no need to compete, I’ve just got a dream and I’m headed there.
When you became part of the whole Family Tree clique, how did that new affiliation boost you artistically, musically and personally?
First of all, there is a lot of energy coming from the camp. Like you can see for yourself. That is a lot of juice you know what I mean? Most importantly that’s where it comes from (the juice) and they play a bigger role with the support. We are just family and we are all growing.
Praises. You starting to get this traction and momentum going now. You just handled that Coke studio session, people are looking up to you and people know the name Gemini Major. When you envision how far you are taking this, what impact is Gemini Major working on having in the industry? How do you want to be remembered?
Definitely as one of the greatest to ever do it. That has always been my dream, I chose music and because I made that choice, I have to be the best at it. For example, if you choose to do law, then you have to be the best lawyer. So I’m chasing my dream, I need to be one of the greatest man and I hope I can inspire a lot of people.
