When we walk in, rapper Duboiz is busy with another interview and we are told to wait a few more minutes. He is wearing a white Versace T-shirt, designer black jeans and white sneakers. And even though the interview is indoors, at Mabala Noise offices in Fourways, the Dope Dream rapper is wearing black sunglasses.
I ask him why he is pushing “superstar” tendencies and he laughs and says, “It’s been a rough night.”
The Metro FM Best Music Video nominee explains the life of an artist means late nights and tons of interviews in the morning. Duboiz is currently enjoying airplay for his song Celebration and Hallelujah where he features rapper AKA.
“AKA’s verse is amazing in the song and I am grateful he did it with me, because I am also a fan of his music and working with him has done amazing things for my music,” he says.
The rapper is fairly new in the game and has a small following, but he says he wants his fans to grow with him.
“In a time and an industry where money can get you anything from followers on social media to a crowd at your performance, I find it important to stay real and have the people that actually love me (and my music) come up with me,” he says.
He also maintains he does not see himself as a superstar yet.
“I performed Hallelujah with AKA on the 1st [January] and I can say he is a superstar; the treatment, the fans, that is how you know. He is at a point in his career where he can afford to only take 20 pictures and say, ‘that’s enough’ and people will still wait for him”.
Duboiz is of the opinion these things are supposed to take time and he is enjoying the process. He is nominated in the same category with established artist such as Mafikizolo and Anatii.
He adds that that implies his music video, which features international rapper Tyga, has done something right. He hopes to hone those same “right” ingredients into his music and says he has been in studio working on a sound unique to him.
“The thing is, people don’t know what they want but they want what they know,” Duboiz says.
He says he believes Celebration is one of his best works yet and wants to bring more great music in 2017 and strengthen his “international” connections.
“I told the director of the music video, Matt Alonzo, and even tagged him on Instagram, to tell him the video is doing more than well.” He adds the director has been looking to make a name for himself in the “motherland” and the nomination brings him a step closer.
“This nomination is a win-win situation for all parties involved and now all we need to do is get the fans to help us win it,” he says.