Birth Name: Boitumelo Sedumeli
Born: 14 April 1994
Origin: Soweto, Phiri, S.A
Occupation: Rapper / Producer / Cinematographer
Genres: Hip hop / Trap / Rap
Instruments: Vocals, Fruity loops
Visual work (Music videos and Documentaries)
Associations: Member of Laconic Tribe, Blaxsnow, Wethejunkiez, Msg
Years active: 2013 - Present
Also known as: Fre$h B.
Label: Rarebeats Records (pty)
Online distribution (Cd run Africa)
Follow Fre$h B on:
www.facebook.com/freshblac
Born in April the 14th 1994; known by his friends, family and online fans as Fresh B. (Always styled with a dollar sign “Fre$h B”)
This is a South African, Soweto born rapper, producer and cinematographer.
Fre$h first saw his music abilities by the age of 15 in grade 9 where he had a book full of self-written lyrics, his hip hop influence came from a cousin who was much more like a brother to him.
He made it clear to everyone that he’s an artist when he first dropped his single “Net fella dah” on datafilehost.com in 2014. The track had a fair amount of downloads and was well praised online.
He released his debut EP on the 17th of February 2017 alongside tribe members Nerdymee and Trippy Rare that was entitled “High-Tape EP”.
Fre$h has been dropping singles ever since and worked on Laconic: A compilation by Rarebeats records which is currently getting good energy too.
He just released his debut EP “Euphoria” on the 1st of September 2018 which it’s lead single is entitled “Jumanji” ft. Doggey808, Envy and Tpz.
The song is loved by many and has over 300 downloads and streams on datafilehost and Sound cloud.
The single was then followed by a great music video shoot directed and edited by him and his team which dropped on the 2nd of October 2018.
Euphoria is a great 7 track project with a new sound to trap and includes appearances from Cooladationcaptain and Trippy Rare.
He’s planning a second music video for “Gazzibo” to be shot in December.
Boitumelo was born in Soweto, Phiri. He lost his father at 15.
He is the only boy among two sisters.
He grew up in a very active family and therefore says he had no choice but to be good with something because dance, music and arts were always encouraged.
He then finished high school in 2012 and went to study video and radio production in college where he met Trippy and Doggey who are co-founders of Rarebeats records.
His major music influences include Skwatta Kamp, A$ap Mob, Marvin Gaye, Dead Prez, Wiz Khalifa, Jay z, Three 6 Mafia, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Mr Selwyn, Flabba, Lil Wayne and Juicy J
Discography
- Singles - Net fella dah (2014)
- Abafana ft Trippy Rare (2016)
- Rick Flair ft Nerdymee (2016)
- Hunned and 50 ft Nerdymee and Trippy Rare (2017)
- Tourist ft Blaxsnow 2017
PROJECTS AS LACONIC TRIBE MEMBER:
High-tape EP - 6 tracks (2015)
Laconic - 17 tracks (2017)
Witch flow(s) - unclassified (2019)
Solo project(s)
Euphoria EP - 7 tracks (2018)
Out of all genres, why did you choose hip hop?
I was exposed to a lot of music genres at home and around my community, but hip hop was more of a culture than a music genre. People had the whole look, the feel and direction in which i felt like i belonged to. I loved everything about hip hop; skate boarding, music, dancing and rapping. Being surrounded by such intriguing culture inspired me to fall in love with the art.
What’s the good and worst about hip hop?
First of all I always try to keep an open mind with regards to the arts (especially music). But personally, the best thing about hip hop is the power it has to change people’s lives and inspiration to improve their current situations and whatever it may be that they are battling with. It has been a place where a lot of black artists get recognition.
The worst thing about hip hop would be the stereotypes associated with genre by those older than us and a lot people are expecting hip hop to remain the same way it was when we first heard of it. But it has become part of every major city all around the world and as such it is expected to change and evolve and adapt to the modern ways of life. Because first of all regardless of one’s perception and thoughts, hip hop has always been and will always be rooted in rapping about what is currently happening around us and the experiences and hardships we endure as black people living in the hood. And not forgetting about male, and having a good time.
Who are the legends that you wish to reach out and work with?
I want to reach the young and the wild. I want to reach the youth all across Africa and beyond. My main goal is to have them as part of the tribe movement and culture. We want to change the hip hop scene in Africa, as it is an internationally recognised we therefore need to recognise and appreciate good music and make sure it gets proper exposure. I want African artists (rappers mostly) to work together without the record labels because they make it hard for us to be creative freely, there are limitations. I would love to work with Burna Boy, Davido, Nasty C, Kanye West, Maphorisa, Busiswa, Lil Pump and the late Xxxtentacion.
What is the Motive behind your writings?
On my latest project i picked a theme to express how i want to be seen in the trap/hip hop home, this current project is xanny in a way that i created a world where i have magic and power. I also explain a bit of my origins and how i see my future in hip hop and rarebeats as a brand. My motivation usually differs depending on what project i am working on and who. I see music as i see photography, it has to have a different point of view and feel from track to track. Every track is individualized unless they are in one project, individualized in terms of what is being said on the track and the vibe.
Rapping, producing and cinematography, how do you balance the two?
Right now i don’t need balance in the three i simply do whatever i feel inspired to do at the time, work on it until i give it life. Mostly right now i am recording which is what i am sort of putting all my energy in at the moment. I do visuals for the music to bring it to life. but truthfully i just do what i enjoy, so most of the things i do are in sync, i focus on the planning what needs to be done then spend time and energy on it and create. The same applies to making beats and producing a video work. In the near future video work will be more than what i have put out at the moment.
What’s the story behind your stage name Fre$h B?
It took me a while to find a suitable stage name and one that pretty much sums up my ultra-ego and everything. After dropping about three names i realised that the person actually gives their stage name life. so i kind of evaluated myself, my hip hop, personality and after doing that i decided to take my initial b. and called myself fresh b because of the crazy energy and hip vibe i put in my lyrics.
How is the response from family and friends that you are in this hip hop game?
My family and friends were not surprised when i started recording music, they were only surprised when they realised how much i know and planning to do within the industry. So the response has been greater especially from those people because they supported me to go study what i love, and now they are doing their best so that i make this my career.
When upcoming artists start their dreams, they start with high hopes and give a lot of energy, but when time goes by, everything flushes off… where do you think the problem might be?
I think the support system is a problem for upcoming artists in the hood. Upcoming independent artists are the ones that have to prove themselves every time their music drops; they either have to follow and do what is trending or suffer the risk of going broke again. So they have to firstly carefully give people whatever they feel like expressing at the time. secondly a lot of African artists should stop making themselves seem like they are gods/superior, fans love to know artists personally and i would like to see people putting their real life characters out there in social media and lyrics. So people (fans) feel like they are part of the family or whatever you are pushing, especially where they come from.
What expectations do you have from fans as an artist?
I expect the love and the freedom i express in my music to be the type of energy i get from them; i want them to know me personally as an artist and a normal person.
Wise words
Be wise, open minded and be unapologetic about your art and music.
Shout outs
I would like to send a shootout to every artist at Rarebeats/Laconic tribe. Votex gang pimville, Msg Mapetla, 033m Mapetla, my family and everyone who loves hip hop.
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Fre$h B has dropped his first music video #Jumanji ???? from his latest project #Euphoria EP
Check out the full video
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