Staying true to his hustle
KWESTA: SAYS HE HOPES HE IS A GOOD FATHER
Convincing people to appreciate his music was the biggest challenge for him, says multiple Sama award winner.
Tshepiso Makhele
After deservedly winning five South African Music Awards this year, South African rapper Senzo Mfundo Vilakazi, known to his many fans as Kwesta, says it’s heartening to finally be acknowledged, but points out that awards are not the be-all and end-all for him.
“It’s nice to be recognised for what you do, but I don’t go into studio to win awards.
“They are more of a pat on the back for me, but definitely not the reason why I make music,” he said, adding that he appreciates the gesture nonetheless.
The Ngiyaz’fela Ngawe hit-maker says although he knew at a tender age that he had a flair for words, he only started being serious about his talent in high school.
“I use to write poetry back in high school. That is when I met a friend who made beats and we would combine the two,” he said, adding that his catchy stage name started off as Quest and then developed to Kwesta as he grew up and found his feet in the hip hop industry.
“Regardless of the name adjustment, I’m still on a quest to better what I do,” he said, indicating that though penetrating the hip hop scene was tough, his mission is only beginning.
“Convincing people to buy into my music was the most difficult thing to do. I needed to get a reaction from people, and as a new artist you never know how that will work,” the rapper said.
“Convincing people comes with being yourself. The more you do that, the more people hear you.”
Kwesta says what his journey has taught him is that growth comes with losing some things and learning a few others along the way, and he indicates that although it took time to be where he is today, it was worth all the challenges he faced.
Being the rapper to be reckoned with in Mzansi at the moment, Kwesta explains that this recognition comes with its fair share of pressure.
“People wonder what I’m going to come up with next.
“I have never stopped being in studio. I constantly try to challenge myself, but I won’t let the pressure weigh me down. I will still write like a boy from Katlehong, and not an award-winning artist.”
The father of one, who recently married the mother of their little girl Khai, says fatherhood is very close to his heart and so is being married to the woman he loves dearly.
“I hope I’m a good father. I’m learning every day, but I still feel I’m her favourite parent,” he said with a giggle, adding that he tries to instil good values in his daughter and encourages her to never forget those values.
“I think runaway dads are cow- Edited by
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ards,” he said. “If you are looking for easy and you are scared to face challenges, then you will run.” The star says marriage for him means “embracing the love that exists between you and the other person, and deciding to spend your life with them, as imperfect as you both may be”. To mark his 29th birthday, Kwesta will hold a three-day music festival in Katlehong from Friday, August 26 until Sunday, August 28. “I’m bringing over 30 of the biggest urban acts in the country to my home town. “I couldn’t think of a better place than the east of Johannesburg, with people I grew up with,” he said, adding that he is going to be on stage for quite a while, performing all the songs his fans love and others he hasn’t performed before. “People can expect a lot of energy, as we are planning on manipulating some of the songs. “I also plan on creating a song with the crowd while I’m on stage,” he concluded.