Kommanda carries baton as a cultural soldier
Rapper takes pride in Sotho tradition
Kommanda Obbs continues to break boundaries in his quest for Africa without borders.
With his Ts’epe Sethuamajoe art movement, the Lesotho-born, South Africabased rapper has been to Reunion Island and is now headed to Morocco where he preaches what’s close to his heart. He is passionate about transcending the divide between Francophone and Anglophone Africa.
He describes Ts’epe as a sub-genre of hip-hop that delivers stories relevant to their environment, whether you are in Mafeteng, Leribe, Rustenburg or New York.
“I started the movement in 2005, inspired by Sesotho culture. I was aware that there is a difference between rapping in Sesotho and rapping Sesotho. Delivery must incorporate bokwata [rawness] and be clear of English/American ad libs, like the popular yo yo. We represent reality of where we come from.”
With a South African father and a Mosotho mother, he was schooled in Bethlehem in the Free State where he says he experienced racism and this spurred him on to engender black pride and affirming all that is glorious and precious about being an African.
He takes pride in rapping in Sotho and says his latest, self-titled album is his most personal yet. He has two albums to his credit, Ts’epe and Keteu. It’s an eclectic mix of jazz, hip-hop, dancehall as well as elements of what makes it distinctly Sotho.
The catchy single Hure featuring Eme from Nigeria is an ode to the ride-or-die kind of love between a man and a “hood chic” who gets him in trouble yet they remain together in a toxic romance. He shot the video for the song recently while Eme was in Joburg.
On Pina featuring Bhudaza, he looks back at how far he’s come with music. He says he’s reached the point of no return as he surrenders to song.
Tlatlamacholo, the opening track, is a powerful prayer about unshakable faith in God which he says anchors him.
We speak ahead of Heritage Day and unsurprisingly Kommanda feels strongly about it.
“Heritage is about our traditions and things we are proud of as black Africans. It’s about knowing ourselves and valuing the heirlooms from our ancestors. It’s a reminder of the baton we carry as soldiers. We don’t do people a favour when we celebrate our being and embrace ourselves, it comes naturally.”
He notices a positive move towards African pride.
“At the start of this journey people were not trusting of what we were doing. After centuries of being told that we were inferior and our languages backward, we still have a long way to accept ourselves. The black man is always demeaned, but it’s a journey.
“Interestingly our heritage is taken to the world by the Caucasian who appreciates the indigenous talent, while Africans try to sound like other people.”
On his career, Kommanda says: “It’s been fulfilling. I have also learnt so much and listened to music and languages such as French, Creole and pidgin.
People are willing to learn and understand languages and platforms are opening up. We are not under pressure to fit in, because the world accepts you the way you are.”