While rapper Zakwe’s debut album Kubhodloka isfuba setsotsi was actually released about a year ago, for some reason, I only registered it about 2 months ago, randomly having put the CD on a drive to somewhere. The KwaMashu born and raised rapper has been able to carve a niche for himself in the mainstrean as not just a rapper in general but also as a rapper from KwaZulu-Natal. To date, it has been the Joburg and Cape Town rappers who have traditionally led the way with Durban dominating ‘new era kwaito’.

He’s also benefited from the joint venture between Sipho Sithole’s Native Rhythms Productions and Sony Music, ensuring that his music is pushed out across the various platforms. What I’m loving about his music is that it is rooted in the environment from which it is created, reflecting his life and his reality, as opposed to random ideas of a lifestyle not lived. Secondly, it really feels like he understands the concept of creating songs. Every song feels complete and the album overall is coherent and flows from track to track.

Benzani

[youtube]http://youtu.be/bz0Wn_QxO30[/youtube]

Scatterlings Reloaded

[youtube]http://youtu.be/laMc2vHmAZw[/youtube]