Smanga music gives life to hip hop
Ferreira
On Wednesday, local hip hop group Smanga dazzled the audience with their vibrant beat and thoughtprovoking lyrics.
The group of four, Zolani Tshobo, Bongani Spopo, Siyanda Booi and Azlan Makalima performed at the Rhodes Club in the Steve Biko building.
Grocott’s Mail spoke to one of the members, Azlan Makalima and he explained that the group not only lived in the same vicinity, but they used to host a radio hip hop show together.
“We decided to form a group because each member has a different style. We thought that this would be an opportunity for us to come together with our different styles because we need variety to produce something concrete” said Makalima.
The group was formed late last year but they still perform individually as local hip hop artists.
“Our style has no category because I’m a street rapper and others are into ‘trap music’.”
The music is based on lifestyle, more specifically township lifestyle and the night life.
“We chose this theme because we want to come up with a bit of consciousness. Nowdays people that perform aren’t in touch with reality,” said Makalima. This realistic theme caters for everyone.
Makalima explains that things have been going slowly for the group because all of the members have jobs, so they take it “one day at a time”.
However: “This year we want to raise the stakes, the National Arts Festival is our Photo: Simone first achievement and after the festival we are going to start working on a project as a group,” he said.
Tshobo released a mixtape called It’s not just a Dream. It was his dream to create music but the song explains that it is also beyond “just dreaming”.
According to the members of Smanga, hip hop is life.
“We decided to give this title (It’s not just a dream) to his album. This album is what we are promoting during the National Arts Festival this year,” said Makalima.
Smanga has one track at the moment but they are aiming to produce 13 or 15 for the album.
“It’s our first time as a group so we’re hoping for the best, we are hoping that this year we will be able to come up with something tangible,” said Makalima.