Publications
Partners
The year in music has had a slow start locally, but there is more than enough time for some of our favourites to take to the studio. We round up a few confirmed albums and some we’d like to see happen.
Nadia Nakai
The first lady of Family Tree is set for her debut release this year. She’s released a number of singles and I think it’s about time she became a household name. I hope she doesn’t plan to package too many of the existing tracks as local rappers tend to do. We need it fresh and hard. I have faith.
YoungstaCPT
The album will be called 3T (Things Take Time) and he has already released Young Van Riebeek, the first single with an accompanying video. He dropped Own 2019, a track in which he lays out his plan of action and it sounds like the man is ready to take hold of the scene yet again.
Rouge
Rouge was aiming to follow up the success of her album The New Era Sessions with a release last year. We don’t yet know what the project will be called, but we do feel she needs to drop this year. It will be tough to follow the intensive visual and audio offering she did last time, but if anyone is going to raise the bar, she’s set to.
Okmalumkoolkat
The follow-up to Mlazi Milano should be on the way this year. We know this brother is problematic, and there have been issues with the law and the weight of apologies, but he is a pioneer of local street culture. Will you be boycotting the album? Some of us at #Trending will be.
Prince Kaybee
The title for the third studio album from Prince Kaybee is said to be Re Mmino. Since bursting on to the decks through the SABC1 talent search 1’s and 2’s, this guy hasn’t looked back. This project promises to be a monument to the dance floor, and we’re eager to hear it.
Releases we’d like to see:
A-Reece
The smooth-voiced rapper has gone independent and gained more traction in the eyes of his fans. Lyrically he’s a capable emcee, but the time to advance from mixtapes is now. It will be harder without the aid of a machine behind him, but the avenues he could choose to take his art down are endless. I pray he veers away from too much of the vulnerable lyrics and style for a few heavy hitters. The people say he’s got that raw, I say show me.
Priddy Ugly
E.G.Y.P.T was an interesting project, but one that was slightly convoluted. I would love something rugged from this guy this year, something truly street without any lovey-dovey tracks or an unwanted dancehall fusion. We need more of that Ho$h and Come to My Kasi, that raw. I can demand this from this guy because I know he would understand what I’m talking about.
Saudi
For some reason this guy seems to bubble under. Some might say he has been in the shadow of his label mates, people like Emtee and before the large-scale exodus of talent people like Priddy Ugly, Fifi Cooper and A-Reece. We need a full-length Saudi tape, it’s been too long and I’m convinced this guy has more to say. Just don’t serve up too much of that In The Mood vibe, more that verse on Vura.
Thandi Ntuli
I expect this young lady to at least bless us with a solo offering, but imagine if she sweetened things by extending her output to include an album with her group The Rebirth of Cool alongside Sphelelo Mazibuko, Benjamin Jephta, DJ Kenzhero, and The Muzik. This sister is one of the freshest artists we have in SA and what she could potentially do with her sound is truly a mouth-watering prospect. Her wheel house is jazz but after you’ve seen her play, you’ll understand that she could play whatever sound she really wanted, including soul and pop.
Punch Line Clique
Consisting of Manuworldstar, Tony X, D.ee Xcslv and Luna Florentino, these newcomers have been building their rep up slowly. This year promises to be the one they release their group project. They’ve already begun work on a joint album, which we can expect some time around June. In the meantime, check out Luna Florentino’s Fresh Prince of Rustenberg EP.
Shekhinah
It has been over a year since SA’s leading pop princess dropped her debut Rose Gold, which was a collectable offering to say the least. I would expect her to drop again this year, I’m really hoping. She should just do a double disc and really serve up her combination of pop and soul. Her debut wasn’t collab heavy, but the sophomore could boast a few collaborations as more than a few artists would work well with Sheki. Imagine a Shane Eagle or Stogie T joint with her on it, fire.
