Today award winning rapper, K.O, drops his latest single ‘K:HOVA’ reminding us who the real gawd of South African rap truly is. The long-anticipated single is available on all digital platforms.
A smart play on Jay-Z’s self-proclaimed nickname, J-Hova (a play on the word Jehovah) ‘K:HOVA’ is a reminder that K.O has over 15 years under his belt and sends a clear message that, he is not only a legend in the SA Hip Hop landscape, but he is also claiming a spot that is rightfully his. On the single produced by Lunatikbeatz, K.O shows off his consistent and impressive flows and lyrical dexterity, “I am not just another rapper, I have earned my stripes and I am the embodiment of sheer African greatness,” said the multi-platinum rapper. K.O. prompts us to “give me my flowers, I’ve been doing what I’m doing, and I do it very well”. We for sure know that Mr. Cashtime deserves to be given his props and ‘K:HOVA’ marks the beginning of another Skhanda Gawd era in SA Hip Hop.
At midnight he dropped the provocative visuals for K:HOVA. When asked about the inspiration behind the video, K.O said: “The video is inspired by my life story, in and outside the confines of the music business.”
With his album set to be released in late 2021, this sneak peek will keep his fans very eager for what is to come.
About K.O
Growing up in Piet Retief in Mpumalanga, K.O (real name Ntokozo Mdluli) dreamt about becoming a world renowned MC, looking up to West Coast greats like Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg from an early age, in the hopes of forging a similar path that spearheaded his culture.
It was only when K.O met future Teargas members Ntukza and Ma-E at Vaal University of Technology, that the Soweto-born rapper made the decision to pursue music as a full time career. Without a blueprint for success, Teargas blazed their own trail and laid the foundation for the next generation of SA hip hop to thrive.
Their four critically-acclaimed, award-winning and commercially-successful albums K’shubile K’bovu (2006), Wafa Wafa (2008), Dark Or Blue (2009), and Num8er Num8er (2012), ensured their status as SA hip hop royalty and established K.O as a charismatic, breakout star.
Alongside Teargas member Ma-E, K.O formed entertainment and lifestyle company Cashtime Life in 2013, releasing his scene-changing SAMA-winning debut album Skhanda Republic (2014) soon after. But it was the album’s second single “Caracara” that completely changed the game, capturing a mood and signalling the birth of The Skhanda sound. Mixing kwaito and hip hop, The Shkanda sound defined an era that many consider to be the peak of SA hip hop.
Township slang for the VW Caravelle minibus, “Caracara” is K.O’s ode to the legendary vehicle and its prominent feature in SA township lifestyle circa 1990. Just like its namesake, “Caracara” ushered in a new era of cool, changing the landscape of SA urban youth music. It also became the first song to top all 5 EMA charts – SA Local Music Top 40 Playlist, SA Local Music Top 40 RAMS, SA Television Top 40 Playlist, SA Top 100 Playlist and SA Top 100 RAMS, at the same time. It was also the first SA hip hop song to reach 1 million views on YouTube.
Picking up the SAMA for Best Collaboration and Record Of The Year (a first for a hip hop song) in 2015, “Caracara” became the biggest song in SA that year and over time, the most significant SA hip hop song ever released.
As a consummate risk-taker, K.O. continued to push the envelope sonically on his socially conscious second album, SR2 (2017), and R&B, pop and amapiano-tinged third album, PTY unLTD (2019), with the evolution of his sound at the core of every release, ultimately influencing the culture and impacting the game.
Now, with his newly launched imprint and clothing line, Skhanda Wold, K.O has emerged enlightened and invigorated, ready to take on the airwaves and stages with his future music and entrepreneurial endeavours, proof that the streets will always find a way.
