For Ma Dawgs is a tribute to the true supporters — our inner circle, our extended family, and those who have stood by our music over the past decade. We don’t see them as fans; to us, they are family. Everyone who shows us love is part of that family.
How long did it take for the whole song to be compiled?
M-Gahd delivered his verse within four hours of receiving the beat along with the hook. However, the completion of the track ultimately took nearly three months. This delay was primarily due to us not being in the same studio, the back-and-forth revisions of the song, modifications to the instrumental, and our collective effort to perfect every detail of the final product.
[SlumKidd]
As a Duo SlumKidd and Mdhadjo, How was the experience working with M-GAHD?
Collaborating with M-Gahd was a seamless experience. He’s incredibly laid-back and one of the most easygoing artists we've had the pleasure of working with. We were particularly impressed by the speed with which he delivered his verse — especially given that we weren’t in the same studio.
Are you planning on Shooting a Music Video?
Whether there will be a music video to follow remains uncertain — only time and the reception of this track will reveal that. What we can say with confidence is this: never expect anything less from us. There’s much more in the vault.
[Mdhadjo]
As you Joined forces on this song, are you also planning to drop a Duo Album or EP?
The project is fully complete; we're simply awaiting the right moment to unveil it to the public. In the meantime, we’ll be releasing selected singles from the forth coming body of work to keep the streets fed and anticipation high.
Who’s the Target Market for this Song?
Our target audience is straight-forward — this is for all hip-hop enthusiasts, plain and simple. It’s not about complexity or exclusivity; it’s about reaching anyone who truly loves the genre, regardless of age. Above all, we’re doing this for the culture, and for 015 Hip Hop.
Stream and Download “For Ma Dawgs” on the Link Below:
Smell Your Roses is about giving loved ones their flowers. It's about acknowledging their efforts and the impact they have in our lives. It's about showing gratitude and appreciating them in a manner that'll last forever.
How long did it take for the whole song to be compiled?
It only took an hour or two honestly. It came from an honest place so there wasn't really much to think about. It was just a session for me to express myself.
Who did you work with on this song and how was the experience working with them?
Lutheking produced this song. I actually paid him a visit and found him making the beat. I instantly knew that it was the right one! Myga Skyy mixed and Mastered the vocals. The process is always the easiest. They just hate the fact that I like to re-reccord. 😂😂😂 I honestly like doing that because it gives me reassurance. I know that when I'm done, I'll be content with it. 🙂
Are you planning on Shooting a Music Video?
I would love to shoot a video for it hey. However... We did a surprise promo video for it. It's the most beautiful thing ever! Especially because I got help from my close friend's family to make her feel special. So I don't think the music video will top that moment. 🥲
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1HssFzHGXw/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Who is the target market for this Song?
The target market is simply everybody that has a loved one to acknowledge and celebrate. 🙂
“Tofotofo” basically means “soft life”, and everyone aspires to have good things in life.
How long did it take you to compile everything from writing to Shooting a Music Video?
Everything took less than a week. I received the beat from Rickyshotsza, finished writing the same, recorded the next day with DJ Rough SA, then shot a video the following day. I shot a video with a rough draft audio, I received the mixed and mastered one later.
Who did you work with on this song plus the video and how was the experience working with them?
The beat was produced by Rickyshotsza then I sent it to Emmortalbeats for some additional production. It was engineered, mixed and mastered by DJ Rough SA, and the video was shot and edited by Rickyshotsza. That’s my team, we understand each other so it’s always smooth working together.
Is there any chance that you can drop a remix on the song?
I’d love to have Touchline and Siya Shezi on the remix, I think they would kill it.
Sabelo “Xavier Thxmas” Thabethe is a Hip-Hop artist from eMalahleni in Mpumalanga. I started making and releasing music in 2017. Started off in a group called Shinjuku Gangular and kicked off My solo career in 2020.
Who or what for you into Hip Hop?
My Musical background started around age 7. Throughout My schooling I played the Marimba and used to sing in the school choir. What got me into Hip/Hop was when I started listening to Lil Wayne. I fell in love with how well he rapped and how all his punchlines used to leave me in awe. Ever since then I started writing raps and trying to get the his level.
You dropped a hit song “Isinkwa” ft Hxzy Hxsi. What’s the story behind the song and how is the response from the audience towards it?
The song Isinkwa initially started as a joke when I was making a reel comparing the transition of underground rappers back in the day and the underground rappers today. When I released the reel, people fell in love with the song more laughing at the joke. I started getting multiple DMs and comments asking me to release the song. Eventually I decided to get in studio and make it a “real” song, I contacted Hxzy_Hxsi to give me a verse as he was one of the first people I made music with who has unlimited creativity. Today as it stands, what started as a joke ended being a joke on me.
Xavier Thxmas… Whats the Story Behind this Stage name?
Growing up, I was big fan of Bow Wow from his movies. He represented all the swag and stardom of cool kid that I wanted to be. One the characters he played that I found really cool was “Xavier” from the movie “Roll Bounce”. Initially that was the name I wanted to stick to but it felt like it needed something else. So I used “Thomas” as a last name after my uncle who always believed in me and what the dreams I would share with him. Xavier represents the swag and Thxmas represents the penmanship
How is the Response from Your Family & Friends towards Your Music Journey?
My family is made up of teachers and war heroes, so initially it was a little bit tricky getting full support and understanding from them especially since I was doing shows and giving up My weekends to studio. However as time went on and I proved how responsible I can be, My parents slowly understood My passion for music and today they’re My biggest fans. As for my friends they have always known I’ve wanted to do music so the reception from them and how well I’m doing has been great. They support me a lot too
Who would you say is the King of SA Hip hop or Best Rapper in SA?
I am the best rapper in SA. But if I had to choose anyone other than me, it’s a tie between K.O and Cassper Nyovest.
What can we expect from Xavier Thxmas and if there could be one Rapper in the world you would say it would be a Great Achievement working with; Who could that Rapper be and Why?
This year I have actually been busy with a lot of features from upcoming artists and producers, a few have been dropped already and a lot more are on the way. I am also busy with a few singles for summer and a collab tape with DJ Switch which is on its way.
If I could work with any major artist it would be K.O. Simply because he had mastered the skills of being relevant to SA, making timeless songs and maintaining having such a strong pen when it comes to his verses. I want to have a long career and I think he has laid the blueprint how to do that.
Who is Your Celebrity Crush and Why?
It has to be Tyla, I mean she’s the world’s new Rihanna if you ask me.
Shout Out
I would love to send a shout out and a lot of love to Yung Wrld Order for always having my back and pushing me further than I can imagine at times. They literally turn my visions into reality.
Snazz D; Real name - Julian Du Plessis is a South African Underground Rapper and Music Producer from J section or JHB... Snazz D’s other names are Mic Butcher / Snazz Tha Dictator / 4th Dimension
I’m into underground artists like MF DOOM as I am a producer and a Rapper. I am also a journalist and English Teacher so i like to write.
What Achievements have you encountered in this Rap Game?
I won the Emcee Africa competition which included 12 countries competing for “Best Freestyle Battle Rapper” and I won $10 000.
My group Cashless Society has also won awards in the SA Music Industry.
Which song made a lot of people know and love Snazz D?
I have many songs that people consider Classics but the fave is a song called Dolly Parton.
Snazz D… Whats the Story Behind this Stage name?
The meaning of the name is simply Style, Finesse and Exquisite forms of Rhyming. My writing tends to craft the art of Storytelling that touches people on different levels ie. I have had parents thank me after shows and kids singing along to hits like Hottentot Hop, as well as hard core rappers salute me for dope verses.
What makes a Good Rapper according to your opinions and experiences?
I believe that a good Rapper is a person who lives right, has a Moral responsibility not to promote Negativity, Uplift our Women and Children, not glorify Violence.
I have Battled cats with guns and found it very destructive because they end up getting shot by someone not as patient. It’s almost like our poison is delivered by ourselves.
Would you say Underground Hip hop can be relevant again like it used to be back in the days?
The underground Rap never really left, it flourishes beneath the surface, it has the capability to infiltrate and sever the head of the snake we call ignorance.
What can we expect from Snazz D and if there could be one Rapper in the world you would say it would a Great Achievement working with; Who could that Rapper be and Why?
The public can look forward to My work with Masauko from Blk Sonshine, Rhyme Assasin, M.O.P. and Ruste Jux, Ackronym, Beatology as well as My new Crew “Iron Fortress” which boasts Damola, Konfab and Albert Iron aka Blue Buttonz on production.
I would love to work with Homeboy Sandman and Aesoo Rock beecause I dig their shit the most, producer wise I consider Madlib and El P of RTJ solid choices.
Back in the Days, Hip hop Crews used to be Stronger… what was the key to having stronger structures as Cashless Society?
The Key to having Stronger structure for groups like ours rested in the fact that the music industry before the internet relied on a hierarchy of sub-industries like print media, television, radio and mass marketing programs. All coordinated by super corporations like Sony and Universal, multi -million dollar institutions that invested a grand budget for maximum profit which included platinum and gold sale targets, not to mention concert performances and tours grossing hundreds of thousands.
These days the high cost of engineering for mixing, mastering as well as shooting videos with full scale film crews and equipment has become redundant because the return is zero to none. As a result the artform has become barren with recording artists funding their own projects so the content value has decreased substantially in an ideal world where the cost of producing good music costs thousands, the money they get now is at a deficit, which means many dope crews simply can't afford that level of showmanship for 0,002c a stream.
What happened to Cashless Society and is there a possibility that we can at least get one more album from the OGs?
Cashless Society has branched out to various businesses and organizations that seek to build the community both within and outside the sphere of music.
Another album is doubtful as the commitment of recording and tours clash with nine to five working hours and supporting family life.
Shout Outs
I’d like to give a Shout Out to My kids; Malik and Mya, Vibrainiac Planet and evey single rapper in the world. its a gift, nurture it and let it grow, the trees will give u Paper!
Zubz is a Southern African Rapper, born in Kasama, Zambia. He relocated to Harare, Zimbabwe with his family, it was while growing up in Harare that he fell in love with Hip Hop and became an active contributor to the culture through school variety shows.
Who or what got you into Hip hop and Poetry?
My earliest memory of creative writing and storytelling with wordplay was when I was about 7. I used to write award-winning, short fiction stories and poetry in primary school. I would read a lot ( and I mean a hell of a lot) of books on science fiction and fantasy as well as poetry. By the end of my primary school years I had won regional writing competitions and the highest poetry honours at school. So by the the time I started hearing hip hop on the radio and falling in love with the culture in my early high school years, I had already been enchanted by wordplay, storytelling and rhythm. While I know a lot of this was inherited from my forebears and from past lives, I think my English teachers, early authors and even early childhood television had a huge hand in introducing me to the art of wordplay.
What’s the first song that made a lot of people Love or Know Zubz More?
The first Zubz song played on SA radio must have been in 2002, I believe, track called The Origins featuring a lady I had formed a duo with named Hope Chisenga, a Zambian from Botswana. Bad Boy T played that for the first time on YFM and I remember how it changed people’s view of me from being a battle MC from the streets to an actual artist who could write dope songs. But it was only when we did Family of One from the Expressions compilation that I think people across the country began to recognise and connect with me as Zubz, the Hip Hop artist in Jo’burg.
I remember sitting in Gabi Le Roux’s studio (who was a Kwaito producer at the time) and hearing his views on why he enjoyed my use of the family metaphor as SA social commentary. By the time my debut album dropped in 2004, a huge cohort of music lovers had gotten to hear and know me because of that song.
What is the Difference Between SA hip hop compared to other African Countries?
In our formative era (the early 2000s) African Hip Hop and SA Hip Hop were very similar; very US influenced in the sound and slang. The rest of the continent had a much more socio-political, social struggle slant to it content-wise, while SA Hip Hop brought vibes to the landscape, with more interpersonal themes like love, partying and success. Over the years, as Hip Hop on the continent developed its own region specific flavour and began straying from the US-heavy influence, SA hip hop became pretty dominant in its aspirational quality as the rest of the continent added more vibes and dance to their approach to the genre, straying away from the political leaning. Nowadays, SA Hip Hop seems like its become very similar to the rest of the continent again (and the rest of the world, I feel) in terms of the sound scapes, while maintaining a uniquely SA flavour with the slang and swag.
Would you Say SA Hip hop is slowly losing the touch of street freestyles rap battles and focusing on commercial hip hop or everything is balanced?
The commercial allure of hip hop is nowhere near as influential as it used to be, so I would say it’s pretty balanced. From what I can tell, there isn’t a real “commercial” vs “street” vibe anymore in the hip hop landscape. The emphasis now seems to be on defining ‘characters’ as opposed to sounds. Everything seems like it overlaps into each other, including the new-school vs the old-school leaning. I believe this is because the modern-day custodians of hip hop culture are much more appreciative of the old school even as they create new joints. There is more of an openness to, and acceptance of, style, era or even genre, by the modern hip hop artist and I love this about them. Literally, they go from tweaking out and slurry one minute, to boom-bap and lyrical the next. It’s fascinating to watch! Even the audiences seem to be in lock-step with this energy, having no real regard for rules and limitations, only focussed on a “live and let express” type of mentality. I don’t even think there are even any standards of skills-levels to compare cats to each other against anymore, as we aren’t in an “apples to apples” comparison game anymore: every fruit in the basket in different and unique. It’s pretty incredible to see in realtime.
In 2024 you were Celebrated on Back to the City Festival for your Iconic Album “Listener’s Digest”… What did that Mean to You?
That acknowledgement meant a lot to me. To be alive and able to receive those flowers, even as many of my peers aren’t able to do the same, is no small thing. I shared that moment on stage with Amu (whom I consider one of my own influences, not just a peer) as well as young Shabzi Madallion ( I consider him my nephew). So to represent that 20 years’ worth of an album with an intergenerational presence of artists on stage that I love and call my family really was an awesome moment for me. I hadn’t experienced hearing “Handiende” being sung back at me by a thousand people at once in a few years, so to celebrate that moment with people who have been as touched by the music as me was a big deal. We also shared a once-in-a-lifetime rendition of Heavy 8 I won’t ever forget. I’m grateful to the BTTC family for making that happen with me.
What are you Expecting to See on this Year’s Back to the City Festival?
I expect the usual solid representation of both legends and mavericks as well as trailblazers, with up and coming artists given a massive stage to shine as well. I expect to feel more of that raw hip hop energy we all connect with, not just in Africa but the world over. I also expect to learn even more about the game! Every time BTTC happens, we all seem to leave having learnt a ton about our favourite artists, new artists and even ourselves! It’s always a trip. Oh, and of course the reunion with my fellow OGs. Some of them I only get to see once a year, so it’s a privelage I don’t take lightly.
Zubz The Last Letta… What’s the Story Behind This Stage name?
Well ‘Zubz’ evolved from “Ndabs” (Ndabaningi is my full first name) and I have been called that since I was a kid. I remember for one of the poetry competitions we spoke about earlier, we had to come up with nom-de-plumes for our pieces and not use our real names; I called myself “Lub Dubs” (I thought I was being clever cos I was writing from the heart and when it beats, it goes ‘lub-dub-lub-dub’)! The ‘Last Letta” part is really just because Zubz begins and ends with a “Z”,….alpha and omega, type thing. My aka “The Golden Mic Holder” was literally because I would perform with my golden microphone everywhere I rapped, and it represented ‘annointing’ like the song “Legend of The Golden Mic” from my debut album. Names are crazy like that. You can almost write a whole thesis on artist names and monikers, especially after a multidecade career.
Who can you say is the Best Rapper in Africa and why?
Of course this is always subjective so the only criteria is “because I said so” which doesn’t really hold up to much scrutiny, right. But my answer to this generally stays consistently Tumi (Stogie T). For me, he fits that title perfectly, “Best” cos he’s an incredibly gifted writer and performer, “Rapper” because he truly understands and respects the artform, and “Africa” because he has carried the continent on his back across the world so many times and has done us proud every single time. Few others (Jabba, Reggie Rockstone etc) can also be said to do the same.
What can we expect from Zubz next?
More music, for sure, I don’t believe musicians are even capable of retirement. These days most of my fun with the power of the spoken word happens at the intersection of Art and Tech, so that’s where I’m at for the foreseeable.
Shout Outs to?
All your folks, the consumers of these Rap Type joints you put out as well as your whole team that creates them with you. We are all united by our love for a thing Africans created and Americans popularised and the globe owns; hip hop culture. Shout out to you!
Artist: Moral Da Prince
Title: Zee Nxumalo
Kukhona losisi oFresh,
Oshaya nge voice efresh,
Yi-slenda Gents,
Akekho engingam' Compare-a naye bonke abadobhi nex
Zee Nxumalo,
ngiRinga ngo Zee Nxumalo,
Yeah Zee Nxumalo,
thetha ngo-Zee Nxumalo
Hello Siissi (yeah)
Igamu Prince (yeah)
IMaMe'li-Ghetto ngyal'ncanywa
Yaz ngyafis' ufike emakasana sbamba makot' elast Naamba,
Before siye eParkin, singene makuleni ngik'bambeli Kho-Le-ba-ndayo,
Sothi mas'qeda ng'bhelel' uSabby s'bhukhe ne-STU sshayi-Namba,
Mama lephi-mbo laaaKho elisho kamnandi
Khona lomjt' engizwa khulunywa k'thiwa nijola kamnandi,
Lalela bhut' uSminofu losisi namhlanje ngyamcova,
Sondela Dali syenkwarini,
Sohamba sbuye ngoSikisi,
Soloku sishintsha amaGear,
Tshela abangani uzobabona late, tshela abochom' uzobafounel',
Woza syobangene Slotha,
Sfike lapha sbamb' ikhona,
Pushi scamthi yang'thola ey,
Kukhona losisi oFresh,
Oshaya nge voice efresh,
Yi slenda Gents,
Akekho engingam Compare-a naye bonke abadobhi nex
Zee Nxumalo,
ngiRinga ngo-Zee Nxumalo,
Yeah Zee Nxumalo,
thetha ngo-Zee Nxumalo
Yiii yii yii yii yiii Oouuh
Yiii yii yii yii yiii Oouuh
Yini ngathi abagcwali ngawe,
Babulawa wumona Mah-Wee,
Izinja Ze-Game endaweni,
Hlala njalo ucindezela mama baze bak'landele ikhemi k'Maweni (X2)
Kukhona losisi oFresh,
Oshaya nge voice efresh,
Yi slenda Gents,
Akekho engingam' Compare-a naye bonke abadobhi nex
Zee Nxumalo,
ngiRinga ngo Zee Nxumalo,
Yeah Zee Nxumalo,
thetha ngo Zee Nxumalo
Stream “Zee Nxumalo” by Moral Da Prince on the Link Below:
As a Zee Nxumalo fan, I wrote the song as a compliment to her as the talented artist… not forgetting to mention that she is one the female artist I wish to collaborate with one day
How long did it take to construct the whole song from start to end?
It took me 2 days to write the song ,30 minutes the producer took about 4 days to mix and master
Who did you work with on this song?
The beat was done by Brindajoy Beatz, Mastered by Sabby Zee, wrote and recorded by me [Moral Da Prince]
Do you think things would have been different if you would have used a different title besides “Zee Nxumalo”?
The song would have been totally different had I used a different title than "Zee Nxumalo", the song talks about usisi oFresh, beautiful with a nice voice of which in my opinion that describes Ms Zee Nxumalo
Did Zee listen to the song? If “Yes”, how was her reaction?, if Not yet… how do you think her reaction will be?
I don't know if she heard the song yet but I tagged her several times when I share the link because the song is Available on the net. I have no doubt she will definitely love the song when she hears it
How do you survive as a Rapper in the era of other Genres making noise?
I may be a rapper however I make different music of different genres [Afropop,Piano ,afrobeats and hip-hop] I manage to move to different sounds that's how I survive
Stream “Zee Nxumalo” by Moral Da Prince on the Link Below
