It seems South African hip hop fans will be in for a treat later this year as seasoned rapper K.O has hinted at a massive live rap event set to take place in the fourth quarter.
Speaking about the next chapter of his career with DJ Sliqe and Roiii on YFM’s “The Agenda”, the “Hotela” hitmaker revealed that he’s working on something big for the local hip hop scene.
“More business, more growth. Right now I’m busy putting together a huge show that’s planned to happen, scheduled to happen in the fourth quarter this year,” he said.
While he kept most of the details under wraps, he confirmed that the event is definitely happening.
“The announcement is coming out in the next couple of weeks. Be on the lookout for it. Big, big, big. You feel me? Believe that.”
If there’s one artist who can pull off an event of that scale, it’s the “Skhanda God” himself.
Over the past two decades, K.O, born Ntokozo Mdluli, has built one of the most consistent careers in South African hip hop. He first made his name as part of Teargas alongside Ma-E and Ntukza before stepping out on his own and introducing Skhanda rap, a sound that blended kwaito influences with hip hop.
His solo career reached new heights with the release of “Caracara” in 2014, a song that helped change the direction of local hip hop and became one of the genre’s biggest hits. Since then, he has continued to evolve with projects including “Skhanda Republic”, “Skhanda Republic 2”, “PTY UnLTD”, “SR3” and most recently “Phara City”.
Even as the music landscape shifted with the rise of Amapiano, K.O found a way to stay at the forefront.
His chart-topping hit “SETE” became one of the country’s biggest songs, while newer releases such as “20 Summers”, “Hotela” and “Supanova” have kept him firmly in the conversation.
The seasoned rapper continues to stay relevant in a constantly changing industry. Previously speaking on maintaining his longevity in the industry with “IOL”, he credited his success to adaptability and staying connected.
“Your availability is your currency,” he said. “By availing yourself and interacting with other people, you’ll most likely have opportunities come your way, and you’ll also learn from others and go back to your own drawing board and recalibrate.”
