Last night, the internet or rather social media, went into a frenzy after Usimamane shared what appears to be his upcoming tracklist. Whether it’s real or not is almost beside the point. Let’s assume it is real. What I find interesting is how quickly people questioned why he would openly express his feelings about South African hip-hop commentators.
We often forget that these are rappers, and music has always been their primary language. Hip-hop, at its core, is expression. I actually respect Usimamane for choosing the studio as his response, whether this moment is intentional provocation, strategy, or even clickbait. We need more rappers addressing things through music instead of podcasts and social media debates.
Rap about how you feel. Rap about your supporters. Rap about your critics. Rap about being doubted, being backed, being misunderstood. Even rap about socio-economic realities. I’m saying this to all the rappers in South Africa.
That’s how hip-hop has always moved forward. I was also slightly confused by Sol Phenduka questioning why his name appeared on the tracklist. It felt like selective memory. Not too long ago, Sol was publicly vocal about Usimamane being overrated and supposedly propped up by labels or “machines.” When you speak on someone’s career, their credibility, or their bread, you can’t then act surprised when they respond, especially in a genre built on confrontation and dialogue.
Because…. pic.twitter.com/woort9SZWg
— ChrisExcelTranslator (@ChriExcelTrans) January 8, 2026
That back-and-forth is part of the culture. Always has been. All in all, I’m genuinely looking forward to this project. If this is the energy Usimamane is bringing — honest, confrontational, expressive…then this is hip-hop doing exactly what it’s meant to do.
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