Trigger was born and grew up in Johannesburg, he moved to N’waxinyamani village in Limpopo at the age of six where he schooled and got his matric there, although he was mostly interested in Rap but he also had an interest of going to varsity which he did of course and graduated at the University of South Africa UNISA, hence now I am currently pushing music n hoping for to be the best as an underground Emcee
What drove you into hip hop?
I fell in love with Poetry, got interested in story-telling; I therefore listened to great heads who are underground emcees and man! I told myself that this is the ish I’m about; i got involved in street cyphers n battles and rap competitions for the love of underground rap...
Any achievements?
Yeah some days are better than others as they say man, so I lost a couple n won a few, I remember back at the University of Venda (UNIVEN) in 2009 where i battled a kat by the name of King Jesse who was seen on SABC 1 FANBASE those days. The guy is good but nobody won the battle as it was a tie, it was a great battle indeed. So yeah all in all sometimes you lose and sometimes you win and you grow from that.
How do you deal with negativity response from your surroundings towards your Rap Journey?
They say; a wise man ignores fools for they do not know what they are doing. I always choose to be determined and never be septic about my success. So yeah, it’s all about staying focused, following your destiny and let critics build you, and not break you.
Who is your role model?
Lol funny enough I am my own role model, I look up to nobody, I’m a man of my own words, but I appreciate the likes of Proverb, Stogie T, Reason and Zubz. I don’t necessarily see them as my mentors but i appreciate their art of work (more like an inspiration).
Are your lines educational or motivational?
Yeah man, I make music for heads to listen and to overcome circumstances, the single I dropped in 2014 entitled "Lost souls" was a real story that I experienced and the pain was no more since I dropped it. So in short, i find spiritual healing when i write music.
How is the response from family and friends towards your Rap Journey?
I have family, friends and strangers who like my sound and my skills. Most people have been good to me and told me that I should keep pushing until I reach the light, which is pure success of course, although I’m not well known but I’m working on that and hoping for the best...still more singles to come and for the likes of Jay and Dollar who encouraged me to register with SAMRO, It really meant a lot, hence am paving a way forward
Your stage name, Why Trigger?
I remember back in the days while i was part of a crew called "000-zero"… Uhmm we were brainstorming stage names while in studio about to record, I also remember back in Soshanguve on a street cypher whereby an emcee by the name of Lunatic said to me that once I start in a cypher, I never stop, words just come out like I have a machine gun in my mouth. Back to 000-zero, while we were brainstorming, I then thought of what Lunatic said to me, then i was like oh... it means i trigger these words, so I’ll called myself TRIGGER!!
Who intimidates you round your hood?
As you know, hip hop is an ego driven genre, However there might be kats around my hood who are working hard but I haven’t encountered any competition unlike when I’m at Pta where there is a lot of competition. Uhmm I know two kats who are working hard though... Tory Blaze and Dollar. These guys can spit.
Music, Religion, Academics and Social life? How do you balance the 4?
I’m a guy who humbles himself before God. I’m a believer and my soul is filled with faith, hence the hand that balances the 4 things you’ve mentioned comes from the heavens. I hope u get me!
One word to define Trigger?
Persistent
Word of Motivation
It’s all about working hard and following your dreams. One must not limit their selves but they should go beyond their enemy's reach, which will be their success of course. Underground rap is the most hardest rap in the world that requires a solid vocabulary...for one to be able to achieve the best and to keep it all elevated on this context of lyricism...keepin it straight as sick on the cypher, battle, freestyle rap tradition at all times.
