Big Xhosa lets rip on viral ‘diss’ track
In-your-face artist wants to shake up SA's 'dull' rap scene
He says Nasty C uses too many English words in his raps, likens Cassper Nyovest’s beard to a goat’s, believes he is five times better than late US star 2Pac and wants to see all SA rappers pull up their socks.
At just 22, the Eastern Cape’s “Big Xhosa” is not afraid to speak his mind — and he has done exactly that on his new viral “diss” track.
Big Xhosa, whose real name is Sesethu Myeki, said this week that he had already received offers from two record labels, though he would not be drawn into saying more about them at this stage.
“My intentions with the diss track was to shake up the rap scene,” he said.
“I was not trying to be personal, hence I did not say anything deep, and I also thought it would be good marketing for me.
“The SA [rap] scene is dull, it needs something fresh.
“It’s like the rappers are afraid of each other and that is not good for the culture.”
The young man, from Cathcart, said he would still consider working with any of the artists he had run down.
“I will not say no if they want to work with me.
“I am working hard to build myself up and I am now working on an extended play record.”
He started recording music in 2014 while in Cape Town.
Growing up in a small town did not sway him from following his dream of being an artist.
“I actually think growing up in Cathcart with my friends was one of my best experiences in my life,” Myeki said.
“We did not have many things where we grew up, but we were satisfied with what we had.
“I grew up with my grandparents, they showed us love and for me that was enough.”
He said that he had chosen the name Big Xhosa because he rapped in isiXhosa.
He believed there was a shortage of Xhosa-only rappers and therefore saw the gap in the market.
And so far, it appears to have paid off.
He now has more than 25,000 followers on social media platform Tik Tok.
“I chose to be a rapper because as a child I used to keep a lot of things to myself and rapping became a way for me to express myself.
“When I could not talk to people, I could still talk in the studio,” he said.
And, while he was quick to poke fun at rappers like Nyovest, he said it was people like him who had inspired him.