Sngwali & Kim Flow - Sbeng Sam

New track from a talented group of a young crew coming out of Ngomane in the Sugar Belt. First, I am super pleased to debut Lubumbo’s first rapper on Ayoba Swaziland. Most of the stuff I have gotten comes from Mbabane or Ezulweni. It is about time the Eastside gets some love. Second, this track is hot. I love the throwback kwaito vibe of this track. Harkening back to 90’s Boom Shaka or Mandoza when everything was played on syntesizers and this stuff was bumping on every corner of every township in South Africa. Not that I was there. But this is my overly romanticized few of an actually very turbulent time. Regardless, Sngalwi and Kim Flow do well to keep true to their roots and ignore flash-in-the-pan gimmicks and Lil’ Wayne karaoke contests. Looking forward to hearing more stuff from my side. Mpaka where you at?

T-Baby - "In For It"

--> What were you doing in Form 5? Chances were you weren’t rapping with as much swagger as this kid T-Baby. AyobaSwaziland is proud to debut T-Baby’s introduction to the rap game. And like any proud parent we wish him the best. Her certainly has the chops, lyrical flow, outstanding production and professional sounding voice to make it far. While an adept rapper, although prone to rushing through his delivery and trying to cram too many consonants and vowels into his wordy flow, “In For It” shines on the bouncing, bubbly chorus. T-Baby has the talent to make this work. He is young and hungry, it will take him taking a step back and some guidance from the big brothers in the game to see him reach his full potential. Regardless, “In For It” is an auspicious debut. We are excited to see what he has up his sleeve for a follow up.

Kwang feat. THA BIZ-NE$

Artist: Kwang feat. THA BIZ-NE$

Area: Mbabane

"Get Low" is just a taste really. A sample of the amazing new producer out of Mbabane. New is a misnomer, in fact THA BIZ-NE$ has been on his game for quite some time producing tracks for the likes of Swazi artists like EZ Dlamini, Rico Cash and P3. THA BIZ-NE$ (Allaister from Bombasos) is a producer par excellance and can bring the heat on his guest spot on "Get Low". I had the opportunity to listen to some of his latest house stuff he is working on. I really think this kid has the makings of something big here in Swaziland. Listening to the production on this track you can tell he is operating well outside of the boiler-plate gimmicks of a lot of Swazi producers. This is the real deal. Grimy low end, high end up scraping the clouds. This is stuff Ayoba SD was created for.

Staladi.com - "Shoot 'em"

Artist: Staladi.com

Location: Mbabane

This new Staladi.com track is hotter than a Lubumbo summer's day at high noon. I mention both because it is extremely hot here and Lubumbo and because, just like in High Noon, someone's gonna die. That someone is anyone thinking they can best Staladi.com in lyrical flow or production. This track has it bossin' over in a major way. Just check out the opening bar. Middlefinga and Steamrolla rap in a stuttering, halting, cd-is-skipping-in-the-car-stereo flow that features tons of distinct African vocal articulations. Whistles here are their own language, and the whistling in "Shoot 'em" is equal parts come on, equal parts warning. Just like this song. Seductive in its in-your-face masculinity, yet dangerous by that same token. Oh yeah, and the chorus...well you will just have to hear it for yourself. Peep the track below.

Mangaliso Mdlulu A.K.A DJ Steve

Artist: Mangaliso Mdlulu A.K.A DJ Steve 

Location: Ezulweni




For those of you who think that a nice way to spend a relaxing evening is to stay indoors studying for the GRE on your computer with a nice, hot cup of tea. Please, let me dissuade you from that idea. The other side of that idyllic setting is tea spilling all over your expensive computer and shorting out your keyboard. Bummer. Because of this unfortunate accident I have not been as active on blogging about the great Swazi artists who have been e-mailing me their submissions. I am hoping to get the problem fixed. Until then please let me introduce you to an artist I believe deserves some long overdue exposure. Mangaliso Mdlulu who plays House and produces under the moniker DJ Steve is a force to be reckoned with. Straight-forward House under DJ Steve with prodigeous command over a variety of instruments. His production work on "Touchy Feely" has the feeling of every good night and bad decision wrapped into one burner of a feel good hip-hop track. If this isn't already bumping in every nightclub that plays local music, it should be. T.F can turn a phrase like an accomplished wordsmith while perfectly commanding the arresting bark and delivery of Stateside rappers Rick Ross ("Let's Bounce") with a definite Kasi edge to it. I apologize if you cannot access the track or if the embedded youtube video is not working. I am trying to work out some of the technical kinks in writing a blog in SD. AyobaSwaziland is just too awesome for the limited bandwith here. Shem.

Staladi.com - "Ekaban Leparty"

Artist: Staladi.com

Area: Mbabane

Staladi.com is a hip-hop duo of two of the best named MC's in the business. Steamroller and Middlefinger. How awesome is that? The names of the MC's hint at the music they create together: triumphant hip-hop full of skittering breaks, pulsing strings that pack a wallop when pitch-shifted down to create a sturdy bass line that hits like a maize sack full of doorknobs. Verses are slung in a loose, off-the-cuff style which became the hallmark of the Kwaito of years past. Staladi.com fully delivers on this but puts their delivery in the forefront of the track, both spitting verses in an off-kilter, almost slurred delivery that sounds as fresh as anything I have heard in Swaziland. Check out their track "Ekaban Leparty" attached below. If you are having a hard time accessing the embedded player you can check out the track here.

Ryan H.

Kasi Vibe - I GV U MA EART

Artist: Kasi Vibe

Area: Fonteyn, Mbabane 

Label: Unsigned

Kasi Vibe, composed of rappers Ngelezayne and Fistos, create a music style they have dubbed “ghetto gospel”. In this debut single it is easy to see where they get this name from. The song begins with a beat that wouldn’t sound out of place on any Prince & the Revolution album in the 90’s and a chorus that wouldn't sound out of place during any church service. While Kasi Vibe’s intended purpose is to keep their listener’s eyes heavenwards, their vibe is hardened and forged in the streets of Mbabane. “I GV U MA HEART” embodies all of this, the struggles of living in living in a Kasi neighborhood and the hope that one must have to get out. We can expect big things from Kasi Vibe in the future.