Singer, actor, rapper dancing on touchline
Thabo ignites life on hip-hop stage
It’s been a while since the South African hip-hop scene was blessed with an artist who sings, raps and dances.
Upcoming star Touchline, whose real name is Thabo Mahlwele, is one such artist.
The 25-year-old hails from Hospital View in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, and dances so well that he won an opportunity to dance for US superstar Keri Hilson during her SA tour in 2009 – a moment he hails as one of his biggest achievements.
“I also used to play soccer in my hood. My brother still thinks I would have made it big as a soccer star, but then that’s him. I act too. I sing, I rap and I think I am a pretty good dancer,” he says.
Touchline started recording his own music at 17 and says that’s when he realised his passion was in music.
“I used to listen to Prokid, HHP and ProVerb’s music. Prokid’s music made me realise that this is something I wanted to do and I started writing from there.”
The talented young rapper released a number of singles last year.
They include Smokolo, The 16 Flow, Still Here and a controversial track Loolkat, which he says is dedicated to local rapper OK Malume Koolkat.
“I started working on the single during that time he was facing sexual assault allegations overseas. In the song I am not promoting what was happening, I was merely saying ‘here is a rapper who has not been given the recognition he deserved’.”
Touchline is currently working on a new album.