Durban-based rapper Zakwe is headed to the United States for a hip hop summit of sorts. Zakwe, who is already on his way to the US took some time out before his departure to let Drum in on what it is he will be doing in America.
“The US consulate in Cape Town has been keeping an eye on what I was doing for KZN hip hop. I've been doing a lot of shows for the youth since 2018. There's a competition that I'm running called Hood versus Hood that involves all the hoods around KZN. More like soccer from top 16 to top eight, you know to the semi-finals to the final and then the team wins the winning team wins 40,000 grand,” Zakwe says.
Zakwe has been running Hood Versus Hood for the past two years now and it is providing stimulation to the KZN hip hop scene. Teams consist of 10 rappers each and designated captains scout for talent to fill the respective rosters. The showdown culminates in 20 performances with a battle staged thereafter. Each day of the tournament sees two hoods go at it in an attempt to restore the regionalism in rap music as well as the much-needed spirit of competition which we all watched capitulate this week thanks to American rapper J. Cole copping out of a competitive setting.
Thanks to Hood Versus Hood three artists have been signed and one is working with Big Zulu on his Inkabi Records.
“Yeah, so that's how they [the American consulate] found out about the fire things that I do for local hip hop,” Zakwe whose given name is Blessing Ntokozo quips.
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This hip hop engagement gathering will host talents from over 22 countries.
“There will be guys from Malawi that I'm going to move with from Africa to America. There's a girl from Cameroon and then on that side, there are guys from Canada and Italy just to name a few of the people I saw who will be in attendance.
“So that's what's happening, it's a hip-hop engagement and we're going to learn about culture exchange and unpack the difficulties that we can address within hip hop and through hip-hop and hash out the challenges that we face in our countries.”
It is to be a summit with a few influential figures of the culture who will give seminars and webinars which Zakwe will also be involved in to provide the South African take and insights. The entire culture will be examined from MCing to dance and all that lies in between.
“For the first few days I'll be in Washington DC and then for a couple of days after that, I'll be in Raleigh in California and then after that, I'll be in New York learning about the culture there. In each city I'll be staying for three to four days so it's going to be two weeks,” he explains excitedly.
The code of battling and how have become more important than artists.
He is a veteran artisan now and has seen the soundscape change and adapt, advancements he is in favour of, in part.
“I think hip hop is doing very well, you know. I think we've reached a phase where it's not about the dopest artists but mostly the dopest songs. I don't even have a favourite artist right now because there are a lot of guys who are doing well. Previously, I'd be like, off the top, Jay-Z, Eminem, Nas, you know. I'm a rapper, but I know songs. I'm like, this song is very dope. I do think hip-hop is doing very well but to the extent of finding new talent.”
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He is taking the good with the bad and does feel that the culture is somewhat topsy-turvy in moments.
“Maybe there's a lot of people who are coming in and not maintaining. It's one thing to be on the come up, but then maintaining is another thing. Some rappers are not doing it. I can only name the big three, like they always say, which are Drake, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar. They're still holding me down. As far as other rappers, I'm not sure.
Markets still crave hip hop according to Zakwe which is something to be protected by delivering top-tier artistry.
Touching on the recent burst of subliminal snubs and diss tracks, Zakwe answers with an emphatic ‘no’ when asked if he has or ever would walk away from a battle.
“‘I've never. I come from the cypher era. In the early 2000s when we didn't record at all. We used to freestyle at the bus terminals. It was called the workshop bus terminals. That's where we used to hold our cyphers. So, a cat will just come in now and pass freestyles and pass raps and battle,” he recounts with nostalgia coating his cadence.
Zakwe says this would force up-and-coming rappers to stand on their own and show and prove.
Currently, Zakwe is hard at work, crafting new music and stretching his sound in different directions.
“I'm going to drop a new single featuring Mubi Azo. It's a beautiful, vibey club joint, which is what I hardly do but I felt like now is the time.”
He would like to create a new album but is wary about this approach of late.
“I'm also working on an album but I'm very sceptical about it because I don't think albums are doing well. I don't think people have the time to listen to a project because there's so much music that is out. We used to drop albums that had 20 songs and the album became a classic because there were not many people dropping. Right now, like I said, it's not much about artists, but mainly about music.
Locally he loves the diversity of the hip hop music on offer but feels as though the two overarching factions, the mainstream, and the underground, could find a way to feed off each other more harmoniously.
“The underground scene has now become very underground. The commercial side of things also seems to be moving along and people stay in their lanes. Either way though, hip hop stays winning.”
