Kwesta: People started calling me 'Big Bro' in 2020

From the streets of Katlehong to the pinnacle of South African hip-hop, Kwesta has walked a long, deliberate road to greatness. Now 36, the rapper is stepping into his “big bro” era, embracing his role as a seasoned mentor in the game.

Last Friday, Kwesta, real name Senzo Vilakazi, celebrated a major milestone with the release of his fourth album, The Big Bro Theory. For the rapper, this album is more than just a collection of tracks; it’s a celebration of almost two decades of hustle, growth and artistry.

To honour his hustle in the industry, the gravel-toned voice rapper who’s known for his introspective lyrics, hosted a listening session on Wednesday night at Monarch in Sandton, attended by A-List celebrities: DJ Zinhle, Mörda and Nomuzi “Moozlie” Mabena, as well as musicians, Kid X, Amanda Black, Nkosana Daughter, Blaq Diamond, Zingah and L-Tido.

As one of the rappers to help break ground in SA hip hop, Kwesta told Sowetan that he’s more than thrilled to step into a new role—that of a mentor, a leader, and a “Big Bro” to the next generation of talent.

What does a night like this mean to you?

It’s good to have my friends and family here with me tonight because it’s not only a momentous occasion for Kwesta but for Senzo Vilakazi – he was also instrumental in getting to where I am today.

It touches my heart when I am celebrated, especially for the evolution of my music. With this album, I just wanted people to hear me rap and show my growth as a musician.

When did you realise that you are the “big brother” of the game?

It was around 2020 when I started being called “big bro”, I didn’t even tell anyone to call me that ... I mean, it’s not a term like “Dakar” that I gave myself. Somehow, people just started calling me that and this album is pretty much me embracing it.

Being a big brother doesn’t mean there is perfection; this is something people shouldn’t confuse, but it means I still go through things in life that help me learn. However, now I have a responsibility which is to teach. In doing so, I must still show skill, love, sensitivity and understand what the new generation is going through without having to protect what I’ve already done.

How does it feel to be one of the few rappers left from your generation who are still on the game?

We can only try to understand what our brothers who are no longer here were trying to do, and we can only hope to represent them to the best of our ability, but the best way to represent them is to be ourselves.

We were brothers [with our fallen rappers AKA and Riky Rick] and we knew one another. They both knew what I was about, Riky knew what K.O was about ... we just need to continue to show them love by doing the best we can do and not try to think of what they’d like because we might end up disrespecting what they could’ve come up with, which is something we can never fathom.

What’s your impression of the new state of SA hip-hop culture?

There’s always a new fight to fight. When I came into the game, there were already people paving the way. At that time, we were fighting to get our songs played on mainstream radio and to make South African hip-hop a dominant force.

It was a battle we inherited from those who came before us. But now, the landscape has shifted. The guys who were once fighting to be heard are now everywhere and their music is on the mainstream charts.

Their fight is more about identity and the type of hip-hop they should be making. However, I believe time will change or shape the industry.

No rapper should put themselves under pressure and say: “I’m the one who’ll change the game.” Time will determine the sound for this generation.

What’s next for Kwesta?

Anything you expect of me is not where I’m going. I tried out acting last year and this year, I dropped my album ... anything I do next could be headed in a different direction. I just need to find new challenges. I’ve been here for 18 years, so my next step is finding out what those challenges are.