Called Kwesta Dakar – or just Kwesta – he stands out as one of the important voices in South African rap. And he’s respected for his gifts.
Kwesta, who began rapping when he was much younger, readily counts the likes of Nas and Jay Z as inspiration. In fact, when he was much younger he studied their raps and honed his skills. The results are there for all to see – a couple of platinum-selling songs. More than that, he is among the few South African rappers who are able to drop hits back to back.
Well, like some artistes out there, the muso has got a favourite “verse of all time,” and it’s from “No Hook” by Jay Z, one of his heroes in his early days as a musician. He would drop the verse, in the company of his pal and compatriot Reason, as follows:
“Poor me, dad was gone, finally got my dad back
Liver bad, he wouldn’t live long, they snatched my dad back
Guidance? I never had that, streets was my second home
Welcomed me with open arms provided a place to crash at
“A place to study math at, matter of fact, I learned it all
Burned it all, this music is where I bury the ashes at
Flash back, not having much, not having that
Had to get some challah bread so you can holla back and
Holla at my Jewish lawyer to enjoy the fruit of letting my cash stack,”
Are you feeling this verse and Kwesta’s rendering of it in the accompanying video?
What do you think of Kwesta’s rap style? You are welcome to join the conversation by dropping your thoughts in the comment section below.
