An artist with individuality, who has golden fingers that produce memorable hits and possesses a totally different sound to offer fans across South Africa, is probably what got rapper Kimosabe to become one of the streaming site Deezer’s NEXT artists for 2018.
The Eastern Cape native has been around in the music industry, switching between the microphone and the sound boards.
His vocals entice you to hear the stories he has to tell - stories which aren’t centred on the gentrified themes of love or bravery, but rather on humanity as a society, its ills and the reality behind the human heart.
He was considered by some as a person who was lost in his own thoughts, which were put on paper and released as songs. The songs he produced were considered in some circles to be an acquired taste.
However, the more I listened to his latest EP, Nights, the more I began to understand just how talented he was, and why he changed his name to Kimosabe from his original name, Sixfo.
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Between 2012 and 2014, Kimosabe gained more exposure to the music industry as he released songs that he had rapped on and had produced.
There is a notable difference in his music when you hear his early songs from his La Dolce Vita album, or Just Wait from his 2013 Kimosabe EP, compared to his later songs such as Good Woman from his Nights EP.
He begins to expose more of himself, evoking emotions through his music, while not sugar-coating what he feels in each of his songs. One feat that is admirable about Kimosabe is his reinvention as an artist in an industry that is heavily dominated by hip hop, house, gqom and R&B.
Rapper Kimosabe. Picture: Supplied
Kimosabe has made his name known across the music world as a successful alternative pop singer, and an award-winning producer. At just 23, Kimosabe has been featured on and produced a number of songs that cross genres, including the likes of Maggz, DJ Clock, Ifani and DJ Ganyani.
It is pretty simple to ask the question: “What makes him different from other singers, rappers and producers in the industry?”, and the answer is even simpler: “Nothing.”
There is nothing that differentiates Kimosabe from other artists who perform across genres, but its the individuality of the artist that counts, and how that artist reaches out to his or her fans.
That is what makes Kimosabe different.
He is one of those producers who puts his heart and soul into the tracks he produces, attracting more heavyweight artists like DJ Dimplez, PDotO and DJ Ganyani, while keeping the unconventional sound for himself.
Kimosabe is beginning to define himself as a brand, and not just as a rapper, singer and producer.