Hip hop king with a pan-African vision
Zanzolo Ncamile will use award to push projects across continent
POLITICAL activist, rapper and MC are just some of the titles Zanzolo Ncamile goes by, but the 30-year-old Khayelitshaborn hip hop artist can now also call himself King of the Western Cape. He scooped the title at the South African Hip Hop Awards held in Joburg in December. He aims to use his title to take his projects across the continent.
“The South African Hip Hop Awards are about recognising and honouring hip hop excellence in every corner of the country.
“No other awards recognise producers, promoters, dancers, etc, but (the) South African Hip Hop Awards,” said Rashid Kay, who organises them.
Other award winners included DJ Ready D, AKA, Riky Rick, Okmalumkoolkat and newcomer Emtee. Local MCs and rappers could be nominated for the King of the Province awards, conferred on hip hop activists who have driven the growth and development of the genre in their regions.
Ncamile is part of a duo called Uzwi Kantu, loosely translated as “the voice of the nation”. He and Andile Ntonga have been involved in hip hop for about 16 years and have a number of projects lined up.
“My sound is in two forms, it could be described as Afro jazz and hip hop which is influenced by my upbringing in the Eastern Cape. I love my culture and traditions and have always been a lover of languages. I’m inspired by the likes of Thandiswa Mazwai and Busi Mhlongo.”
Ncamile described himself as a political activist and said he is influenced by the “struggles of his people”, which has led him to labelling his music as toyi-toyi hip hop.
“Toyi-toyi hip hop is about the struggles of African people in general and is inspired by great African leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah,” he explained.
He is passionate about taking hip hop to townships and runs events and workshops in collaboration with other artists. Together with Zoey Ngose, Ncamile hosts the Mayibuye Hip Hop Festival held in May annually.
Ncamile plans to travel around Africa at the end of the year. Before that, he will be touring Germany in August to perform at the Breathe In - Break Out Festival.
“I would love to visit Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya and Tanzania as I know artists from all over the continent and it ties in with the work of the Freedom Warriors SOS Collective.”
While he was rewarded for his contribution to hip hop in the province, Ncamile’s interests lie beyond South Africa’s borders.
The Freedom Warriors SOS Collective, of which Ncamile is part, aims to “conscientise the minds of Africans”. The collective hosts an Afrikan Hip Hop Caravan in November each year, travelling to 16 countries “to bring about change and unification in Africa” through art and music.