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THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF AFRICA NOW RADIO: LOOTLOVE CHATS TO BIG ZULU

South African hip-hop star Big Zulu joins LootLove via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to talk about his latest track, “iStradi (feat. PRO).” He also discusses his new album, Ichwane Lenyoka; his close relationship with the late PRO (Linda Mkhize); why starting his own label was the right move; and how South African hip-hop has evolved.


Big Zulu on the subject matter of his album Ichwane Lenyoka


LootLove: So, let’s talk about your album. It’s 22 tracks long; very personal—you rap about your upbringing, growing up fatherless; being raised by your grandmother… And there are many of us who relate to the things you’re rapping about.


What made you want to rap about something so deep and so personal,

that a lot of people would rather not put in their music?


Big Zulu: I’m of the notion that we must educate people, we must be exemplary, and that the more I rap about my origin, the more I heal from the things that hurt me and grudges. So, all the things that might have hurt me, when I rap about them, I’m letting go.