“I have decided that each and every song on the project must have a stamp of radio — it must be relatable, friendly and not contain any [strong language] — that’s why I’m taking my time to make it,” he said.
Zalabe said the album would feature various hip hop artists from Nelson Mandela Bay and surrounds.
Zalabe said his collaboration with King Melisizwe and Kay E had been met with obstacles due to the lockdown.
“I made the decision that whenever I work, I’ll collaborate with fellow artists, so I contacted King Melisizwe whom I know through acquaintances and him sending music to PE.
“I asked him to also recommend other artists he thought would do justice to the song.
“For a while we couldn’t record because of the lockdown but when they were eventually able to get into studio, they sent the song to me for mixing and mastering,” Zalabe said.
Born in Soweto-On-Sea in Port Elizabeth, Zalabe grew up in a music-loving family with a father who had a diverse music collection, which influenced the radioman’s interest in music and dance.
From dancing on waya-waya stages to singing in the church choir when he was younger, Zalabe began to find his niche when he started writing poetry and infusing it in his rap performances.
In the late ’90s, he formed hip-hop group Loxion Native with his brother and two friends, performing regularly at events around the Bay, while his love for the arts grew stronger.
Zalabe debuted his radio career on Nkqubela FM (KQFM) in 2004 after approaching the station with a proposal to introduce hip-hop show The Voice of Hip Hop.
EC ‘DJ Sebz’ releases uplifting single ‘Any Way’
Image: SUPPLIED
Port Elizabeth hip hop DJ, Sebenzile “DJ Sebz” Zalabe, 38, has given his fans a glimpse of what’s to come on his compilation album with the recent release of his single, Any Way.
The Bay FM host and hip hop enthusiast released Any Way, featuring Plettenberg Bay rappers King Melisizwe and Kay E, on Saturday.
Recorded and mastered during the lockdown, Zalabe said Any Way was an anthem that encouraged hard work and highlighted the importance of believing in one’s talent regardless of the circumstances.
Zalabe said the single’s release was aimed at enticing fans ahead of the release of his compilation album, Frequency 101, in 2021.
“The project is a bunch of radio singles.
“I have decided that each and every song on the project must have a stamp of radio — it must be relatable, friendly and not contain any [strong language] — that’s why I’m taking my time to make it,” he said.
Zalabe said the album would feature various hip hop artists from Nelson Mandela Bay and surrounds.
Zalabe said his collaboration with King Melisizwe and Kay E had been met with obstacles due to the lockdown.
“I made the decision that whenever I work, I’ll collaborate with fellow artists, so I contacted King Melisizwe whom I know through acquaintances and him sending music to PE.
“I asked him to also recommend other artists he thought would do justice to the song.
“For a while we couldn’t record because of the lockdown but when they were eventually able to get into studio, they sent the song to me for mixing and mastering,” Zalabe said.
Born in Soweto-On-Sea in Port Elizabeth, Zalabe grew up in a music-loving family with a father who had a diverse music collection, which influenced the radioman’s interest in music and dance.
From dancing on waya-waya stages to singing in the church choir when he was younger, Zalabe began to find his niche when he started writing poetry and infusing it in his rap performances.
In the late ’90s, he formed hip-hop group Loxion Native with his brother and two friends, performing regularly at events around the Bay, while his love for the arts grew stronger.
Zalabe debuted his radio career on Nkqubela FM (KQFM) in 2004 after approaching the station with a proposal to introduce hip-hop show The Voice of Hip Hop.
“The PE music scene has always been very vibrant.
“When I approached KQFM about the hip-hop show, I knew there was a lot of talent to be unearthed through the station,” he said.
He moved to BayFM in 2015.
He has spent most of his career uplifting Port Elizabeth hip hop artists through management, events and collaborations.
Any Way follows on the heels of Zalabe’s previous single with Zain SA, Abantu, released in 2019.
The DJ continues to promote local music on BayFM from 8pm to midnight on Saturdays and hosts a gospel hip hop show on Mpuma Kapa TV (formerly BayTV) at 10am on Sundays.
Any Way is available on digital music platforms.
HeraldLIVE
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