When they say dynamite comes in small packages, Steero is definitely someone they had in mind.
The 14-year-old is already making a name for himself as a rapper and producer.
Steero, whose real name is Langa Masina, is the son of hip-hop pioneer Mphakamisi "Ramesh" Masina and Christine "Shero" Lesenyeho.
The Masina family are well versed in entertainment, having produced the likes of Fortune Masina, Naked DJ and the Masina twins, Hlelo and Ntando.
“I chose music because I fell in love with the art of rap and it became a passion that I’ve pursued. I grew up listening to hip-hop and fell for the art - from the lyricism and different flows to the beats,” Steero says.
He has already released an online song - Hip Hop Hero, which received rave reviews from the hip-hop fraternity.
On Wednesday he will release his debut single, Black is Beautiful.
“The song is about how I was victimised at school because of my afro. I was always told to cut it but I refused, and as a result I was seen as a rebel and accused of doing other things I didn’t do.”
Steero said he wanted to get across the message that it was important to believe in yourself and to be proud of who you are, no matter what people say.
His father said the relevance of black beauty was paramount.
“It is timeless - in South Africa it is more relevant than ever before because all that makes us beautiful, from our land to what comes out of it, had been taken away from us and it is systematically and cleverly kept away from us under the guise of freedom,” said Masina.
Steero credits his parents for his self-awareness. Masina runs a non-profit organisation, the Khulisani Foundation, which is focused on youth development through knowledge of self.
Masina said African fathers had more children than any other population group in the country, and their role as teachers had a direct link to the well-being of society.
“It’s imperative that self-worth is taught consistently in a child’s life in order to avoid negative external influences.
"I can tell you for a fact that not only are the schools not teaching about black excellence, but they are deliberately avoiding it as a topic of discussion.”
He said Steero’s music dealt with a variety of subjects, including celebrating family and motivational messages of overcoming challenges.
Masina discovered Steero’s gift to emulate rap and to express himself through it towards the end of 2015.
“For me, that was the moment I knew he was ready to be active in the culture.
"I then taught him how to use Logic - this is world-class software for producing music, and he learnt it in one day.
"A few weeks later he made his intro track, Hip Hop Hero.”
An album is set to be released in December with all the tracks written and produced by Masina.
“I would also like to go into mass production for my clothing line and expand the range. And I would like to get more endorsements,” said Steero.
The single Black is Beautiful will be released on the Steero website, www.steero.co.za, and also on iTunes and on cellular networks. It will be on sale from Wednesday.