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He has made a name for himself as a producer to the stars, and now he’s returned to his hip-hop roots – behind the mic this time.
Ntokozo Mazibuko, better known by his stage name Buks, recently released his debut album as an artist.
Titled Pegasus, after the winged stallion in Greek mythology, he says that it is his “ride to getting closer to my dreams”.
The 28-year-old Soweto-born musician has spent 15 years in the music industry as a producer, laying some of South Africa’s hottest tracks for Pro Kid’s Bhampa and Ringa More, and AKA’s hit records such as 4am.
He is also behind Khuli Chana’s No More Hunger.
Tswak Stick em by Khuli Chana
He believes that hip-hop is not just a music genre.
“It is a way to have a voice, but for those with something legit to say,” he said.
“As artists, we need to express what we feel about our surroundings or issues that are affecting our communities, such as drugs, abuse and criminal activities,” he added.
“Music for me is a way to get a message across, whatever that message is,” he said.
“The social issues that I discuss come from my own life: how someone who has had a privileged upbringing has also seen the rough nature of early post-apartheid Soweto. My story is nestled more in my own recollection of a shielded childhood at home, and transitioning to the bigger spectrum of Johannesburg.”
He told City Press that his music was about his journey as a musician, about a boy who was born in Soweto but was fortunate enough to get out and experience different facets of life because of the hard work of his parents.
The rapper fell in love with music at the age of 13, even though his parents were not happy with his decision to start a group of his own.
“I had already joined a music group named Entity – which I formed with my high school friends in secret for my parents not to know,” he said.
During this time, he was in boarding school and practised during “lights out”.
“We would stay up until the early hours of the morning,” he said.
“I would practise almost every day if not every day. My academics took a lot of strain because of it too,” he said.
“After completing Grade 12, I went on to the University of the Witwatersrand to study a Bachelor of Arts in media studies.”
The rapper said producing music was still a big part of his life, but he was ready to step up to the stage as an artist.
Buks’ album, which has 15 tracks, was released through Universal Music.
“Don’t Need Stress is one of my favourite songs from this album because it talks about finding peace within yourself as an individual,” he says.
This song and Over Achiever, featuring Mashayabhuqe, are already making waves in clubs and on radio charts.
“My music inspiration comes from TKZee’s Halloween and Bongo Muffin’s Four because their sound is one that has more African sounds and it reached out to other countries,” he says.
The rapper believes that artists need to go all out and break boundaries.
“My message to young, upcoming musicians is to follow their dreams and also believe in what they do,” he added.
