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SMOKEYANDWIGO ON THE RISE

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The music industry in the Kindgom of Eswatini has never been this wavy!


Hip hop has experienced many divisive moments over the past few years but best believe, the young up-and-coming generation of superstars are taking the country by storm.


If you haven’t heard about the names SmokeyandWigo, then you’re probably living under a rock.
At a time when young people are at the forefront of a major contemporary social change, we cannot deny that music has been a central element in these events and movements as a potentiator of change within social and urban culture.


In fact, songs can constitute manifestations of millennial generation’s thought process.


Jamming


SmokeyandWigo are at the forefront of that new age sound that has all the ‘youngens’ jamming.
After releasing their smash hit record ‘Palm Trees’, SmokeyandWigo, it is pretty evident that the future is bright for this promising rap duo.
At just the age of 21, SmokeyandWigo, real names Samkeliso Dlamini and Welile Mthethwa respectively, have been able to achieve and reach heights that many have failed.


We had a chat with this rising rap duo:
Briefly describe how you feel now that you have performed at one of the biggest hip hop festivals in the Kingdom of Eswatini.


Being part of the line-up and securing a prime time slot at one of the biggest hip hop festivals in Africa is a huge deal. In our eyes, this means that our work and our music is getting louder by the day. We are definitely getting the recognition that we deserve!

How has the journey been, from the time the two of you were still on the come-up, to now?
It has been a rollercoaster ride. No one really likes or believes in you in the beginning, even your best friends doubt you. I don’t blame anyone really, it must e scary seeing someone you love commit to such a risky career. Sometimes we would get opportunities and think ‘this is it, we have made it!’ only to find out that people were just selling us dreams. Then there were days where we would hit dead ends and not know what the next move would be. However, through it all, God has been there providing strength and endurance.

Would you be interested in perhaps breaking into the South African Music scene?
That is actually the next step towards our growth as artists-breaking into another country. It doesn’t necessarily have to be South Africa because at the end of the day, what matters most is the growth. However, the SA music industry is looking better right now and it would be a solid move for us. The best part is, we can fit in anywhere because of the uniqueness we have to offer.

Do the two of you identify as hip hop artists?
Man! I don’t want to lie, when we first stepped in to the game, that is where our heads were; hip hop! But the growth and experiences life brought made us realise who we really are and that is musicians. People have heard our music and it is nothing but vibes and feels.

Since the two of you started making music, have you noticed any discrepancies or problems within the Eswatini music industry? If so, what do you think can be done to better the industry in its entirety.
Everyone wants to be behind the microphone. No one wants to do radio, magazines or PR. People need to understand that the musician is made a brand by the team. He/she can never do it alone. We need to fill those loopholes.

What preparations went into your HIPNOTIK performance and how did you make sure that you up the ante?
Well, of course we made sure the music was of the highest quality. We had to do a lot of rehearsing; after all it was a live performance. I’m pretty sure only AKA and SmokeyandWigo went on stage with a live band. We also had local clothing brand, Baby Juice endorse us with cool gear for the performance and the rest of the night. We put in so much effort to make our performance way better than last year’s.

What do you have planned in terms of future endeavours as far as your music is concerned?
Right now, we are focused on selling our latest Extended Play (EP) titled ‘Birth’ and maybe organise our own shows. Who knows?

In the past years, we have seen many groups eventually splitting up and establishing individual careers. Are you two planning on a long career as a duo or will you, maybe years from now, consider going your separate ways?
We are in this forever. We work well together, people love us as a duo. I know my role and Wigo knows his. We are good!
Well there you have it; this is only the beginning for the budding rap duo SmokeyandWigo!

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