Hip hop fashion statements are often as diverse as the musical styles of the artists. You get the bearded-and-bald dudes such as DJ Khaled and Rick Ross and the clean-cut look favoured by the likes of Sean Combs and Jay-Z.

One look that is not that common, however, is the dreadlocked rapper. “What about Lil’ Wayne?” you may ask, but aside from him, it’s a trend few other have dared to follow. The last time a dread-locked dude topped the hip hop charts must have been when The Lost Boyz were around.

So it should not come as much of a surprise to local rapper Maraza that people think he is a reggae artist. The winner of Channel O’s Emcee Africa in South Africa may have shoulder-length dreads that could make a few Jamaicans jealous, but he also has the ability to deliver lines that not only rhyme, but make sense.

“After Emcee Africa, I got a lot of attention through a mixtape I dropped online for free,” said the animated rapper.

This mixtape was meant to keep him relevant in the music industry after he had generated some interest through the talent search competition. The hype his mixtape created would, in turn, provide him with the ideal launch-pad for his debut album, 20.

“I had one foot in the game and was making my debut album on the side. It was a strategy and now it is paying off,”he explained.

Maraza started writing poetry in high school, inspired by the poems in his English class. He later added beats to his rhymes, sparking his transition into a rap artist.

The album 20 is named after the rapper’s age and has the artists Zubz, Malik and Tuks featured on it.

“The project went through a lot of changes and, in the end, I had a sound that was poetic and dance,” he said.

To make his music unique, Maraza listened to other genres and incorporated them into his music.

“You can find me listening to people like REM, Imogen Heap and Dido.

“Though they may not be hip hop artists, but they have crazy talent and if I can channel some of that creativity into my sound, then I’ve done good for myself. I feel, in the end, it is not about making rap, but about making music.”

Two music videos later and Maraza is proud that his strategy is paying off.

He has also branched out into TV. He was head-hunted by Channel O to be the stand-in presenter for Idols host Proverb on their hip hop show Headrush (Saturdays at 10 am on Channel 320, DStv) and is now a permanent feature.

l For info on 20 visit www.mp3twit.com/ac2

To vote on our Tonight poll click here

To sign up for our Tonight newsletter click here