As I make my way into the Mthatha Community Art Centre in Richardson Park near Mthatha’s once affluent suburb of Norwood, I keep wondering if I have acquired enough “hip-hop” vocabulary for my interview with Musa Maki, commonly known as Top Shayela in hip-hop circles.
Not only is the man one of the pioneers of Xhosa rap, but he has worked and produced beats for South African hip-hop luminaries such as Mr Selwyn, Proverb, Hoodlum, Zuluboy, Wikid, Blaklez, Maggz, The Anvilz, DJ Kenzero and afrosoul musician Camagu and Mxo.
The pair composed anything from RnB to hip-hop, but having listened to American producer and singer Teddy Riley, Top knew deep down in his heart that he also wanted to produce his music.
“We were not really thinking about performing as we felt we did not have enough material. I knew I wanted to do everything he was doing.”
And in 1996, they achieved a breakthrough when they were introduced to famous playwright Mbongeni Ngema who showed them “moments of enlightenment” from how he played music through to how he harmonised his vocals to create music. “I was making beats and trying to make connections . I had graduated from producing with a keyboard to a computer.”
In 2001 Top relocated from Johannesburg to King William’s Town (KWT) and began concentrating on himself as an artist.
He also made a conscious decision to rap in Xhosa, his home language, partly because he was always surrounded by folk who were able to hear American rap rhythms but never really understood the message.
When not making music, he worked on his other passion, creating clothing under his own label Xhosa Ina Vatha (XIV).
Two years later, while still in KWT, he hooked up with another Eastern Cape rapper and producer Mr Measure, which is when Top Shayela the rapper was truly born. After thrilling audiences with their fresh style, the pair decided to put out an album and in 2005 debut album Buffalo City was born.
The album receive massive airplay on Yfm. Top was also instrumental in setting up Touch is a Move, a movement of rappers with a similar love for hip-hop.
They released a mixed tape called Beats and Pieces in 2006 featuring acts like Mr Selwyn, Maggz, Zuluboy and Proverb among others.
Another Top-produced mixtape called Once Upon a Mixtape was also released. In this year he also got the opportunity to represent South Africa in a Red Bull Academy event in Australia in 2006.
In 2007, after some years spent between Joburg and KWT Top made the decision to return to Mthatha for good as he felt he had acquired enough experience.
“I could be driving a Lamborghini if I was a straight capitalist cat. I would have kept my equipment at home in my room but here I am thinking about other people. God gave me this talent. Sometimes it’s a curse and a blessing,” he says shyly.
“ Mandela wasn’t concerned about prosperity in life. That is why I also do a lot of community projects.” He explains his fascination with the story of how the American state of Detroit, formerly known as a hub for the production of cars, had gone on to be regarded as the home of Motown in the early ’50s.
“I want Mthatha to be known as this place where there is a huge pool of music producers, engineers. I want people to think of Mthatha in the same regard as Detroit when it comes to music.”
Driven to keep our musical stars at home
Not only is the man one of the pioneers of Xhosa rap, but he has worked and produced beats for South African hip-hop luminaries such as Mr Selwyn, Proverb, Hoodlum, Zuluboy, Wikid, Blaklez, Maggz, The Anvilz, DJ Kenzero and afrosoul musician Camagu and Mxo.
The pair composed anything from RnB to hip-hop, but having listened to American producer and singer Teddy Riley, Top knew deep down in his heart that he also wanted to produce his music.
“We were not really thinking about performing as we felt we did not have enough material. I knew I wanted to do everything he was doing.”
And in 1996, they achieved a breakthrough when they were introduced to famous playwright Mbongeni Ngema who showed them “moments of enlightenment” from how he played music through to how he harmonised his vocals to create music. “I was making beats and trying to make connections . I had graduated from producing with a keyboard to a computer.”
In 2001 Top relocated from Johannesburg to King William’s Town (KWT) and began concentrating on himself as an artist.
He also made a conscious decision to rap in Xhosa, his home language, partly because he was always surrounded by folk who were able to hear American rap rhythms but never really understood the message.
When not making music, he worked on his other passion, creating clothing under his own label Xhosa Ina Vatha (XIV).
Two years later, while still in KWT, he hooked up with another Eastern Cape rapper and producer Mr Measure, which is when Top Shayela the rapper was truly born. After thrilling audiences with their fresh style, the pair decided to put out an album and in 2005 debut album Buffalo City was born.
The album receive massive airplay on Yfm. Top was also instrumental in setting up Touch is a Move, a movement of rappers with a similar love for hip-hop.
They released a mixed tape called Beats and Pieces in 2006 featuring acts like Mr Selwyn, Maggz, Zuluboy and Proverb among others.
Another Top-produced mixtape called Once Upon a Mixtape was also released. In this year he also got the opportunity to represent South Africa in a Red Bull Academy event in Australia in 2006.
In 2007, after some years spent between Joburg and KWT Top made the decision to return to Mthatha for good as he felt he had acquired enough experience.
“I could be driving a Lamborghini if I was a straight capitalist cat. I would have kept my equipment at home in my room but here I am thinking about other people. God gave me this talent. Sometimes it’s a curse and a blessing,” he says shyly.
“ Mandela wasn’t concerned about prosperity in life. That is why I also do a lot of community projects.” He explains his fascination with the story of how the American state of Detroit, formerly known as a hub for the production of cars, had gone on to be regarded as the home of Motown in the early ’50s.
“I want Mthatha to be known as this place where there is a huge pool of music producers, engineers. I want people to think of Mthatha in the same regard as Detroit when it comes to music.”
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