Forming part of Jameson Connects: The Stay Inn, a playbook of live virtual events, Rap A Verse with Kwesta attracted 1 420 competition entries over a 5 week period, with Kwesta enduring the unenviable task of combing through each and everyone to select a winner.
It was ultimately Katlehong-based rapper, K1 Jaxe, who was crowned Rap A Verse’s first king, receiving a trip for two to the Jameson Distillery in Ireland, but also the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to record a track with SA rap icon, Kwesta.
K1 Jaxe’s dream has now, quite literally, manifested itself into reality with the release of ‘Dreams’ alongside Kwesta.
“Being in the studio with one of my idols is a day I’ll never forget and I’m so happy that it happened. Even thinking about it now still gives me goosebumps”, said K1.
“After sanitising my hands, I had my back to the entrance and I remember him walking in. You think you’re ready to hear Kwesta’s voice but you’re really not. He embraced me like we’ve known each other for like 10 years or more.
“While I was recording my verse, I could see Kwesta and he was reciting the lyrics with me word-for-word.
“There was a camera crew there that day and I hope none of them caught me there, crying a bit.
“But that was an amazing moment and I’m so grateful to Jameson that we were able to capture that on video, because it will always be captured in my mind’s eye,” K1 added.
“The recording of the track was very special and the atmosphere was great. K1 Jaxe was in the moment and he didn’t let it get too big for him, he also didn’t allow himself to act bigger than the moment. He was there and he was present - and he was pretty smooth” said Kwesta.
“The lyrics are specific to mine and K1 Jaxe’s dreams and what it took to get them, or what it’s taking right now to get to them, so it encapsulates all the things we spoke about before we made the song. So it came out just the way it should have,” Kwesta added.
K1 Jaxe and Kwesta’s striking single “Dreams” is available to download exclusively on the Jameson Irish Whiskey website, for free from 14 - 21 August.