Bad Girls, Lemonade & Phoenix Ashes

A WHO...

I recently had the priviledge to interview a guy who in my opinion could help us revolutionize the position Hip-hop as a lifestyle and as an art form in SA. His name is Xola X and he is Andre Fresh. I had the chance to listen to his offering and loveed it. The mix-tape is free just click on this link: Http://soundcloud.com/xola-x/sets/spitplaylove/ and get jamming. Here is a glimpse of his world and some of his thoughts.

INTERVIEW

Q: Where did you get the name Xola X and why? How does it characterize you as a rapper?

A: I got the name for video games. I created it as a way of tagging my custom characters in games I played. Then it caught on and I started using it in my poetry and drawings. Then in 1st year I started using it as my artistic name

Q: Where are you from and knowing where you from, how has that inspired you in anyway?

A: New Cross, a little neighbourhood in Cape Town. (laughs) It always gets overlooked because its inbetween Gugulethu and Nyanga. So if you listen to my lyrical copntent you will notice that I always give a shout out or mention to my neighbourhood. So it led me in the path to try and outshine artists from eveywhere and have people wondering "who is that and where is he from?". And it inspired me to not "floss" in my rhymes, s@$# is real out here.

Q:Surely you love Hip-Hop, when was your first Hip-hop experience?

A: I'd say going to the All NY's Hip-Hop sessions was my 1st experience. (laughs) I went there after about 5 years of bedroom rapping feeling like the best rapper alive. A bag of boos brought me down to earth quick!!! I realised that I shouldn't want to stop developing, success is a journey not a destination and we can't all be Lil Wayne.

Q: Do you do it for the love or for the money or a bit of both?

A: I wouldn't have been on the path if I didn't love what i am doing hey, 'cause that's what makes it worth it, the money will come. I'm grown and educated so this is a potential career to me as much as it's my childhood fantasy and dream job. You know that recently the SAMA awards removed the Hip-Hop category and mixed it with the Kwaito category, can you believe that, hahahaha

Q:what is your music like in your own terms? What sets you apart in your opinion?

A: In the midst of all this "swag" rap comes a kid from a kasi, too burby to kasi and too kasi to burby. Raps hard as the best of them but can still make good music for the rest of them. I am a precison rapper like Proverb but can make good music like Kanye. I'm more than just a rapper I'm a creative, they'll all say it- but is true? I have my finger in everything that involves me , I'm involved in all my videos, photoshoots, performances and always try to differentiate myself from what's out there. There is a bit of Xola X that you see in everything that has Xola X in it.

Q: Explain your sound and the title?

A: NICE! The title means the 3 thing that I want in my life. To 'spit' (rapping), to 'play' (fun) and simply love- that's self explanatory.

Q: what is your vision for the future? What should we expect from you in the future?

A: Basically a bomb (laughs), an influx of high quality material. Expect to work with people that i respect, because that is what i do. So short term, a solid presence from SPIT PLAY LOVE., videos, radio interviews and plays and long term... I'm working with some special people and I was told it's too early to talk about anything so, Stay Tuned to this site, check out my videos on www.youtube.com/mrxolax, follow me on twitter; @XolaXtheXilaman or www.reverbnation.com/xolaxthexilaman or search for Xola X Feni on Facebook. I'll definately use Bad Girl So Ill in the future so keep viewing this site :)

Q: Any last word os encouragement for those trying to get as far as you've come and the youth in general?

A: It's not easy as it seems. Stay in school and get your degree to fall back on. Your mom was right (lol). Do it for the love and the money will come. Hip-Hop is like a woman, if you are with a woman because you love her, you will never get tired of her but if you have ulterior motives and they don't work out, you won't be satisfied. Besides, SA needs more engineers we can't all be rappers. Follow your dreams, not someone else's dreams. IT'S YOUR LIFE! Stay up.

REVIEW

http://soundcloud.com/xola-x/sets/spitplaylove/

Cape town has talent and it's not in any way ordinary. This is my first interview with someone who is up and coming in the muso industry and in my opinion he is no ordinary fellow. His beats are something different but easily appealing and the rhymes & lyrics you can easy relate to. He raps about real situations and he is versatile for example the 3rd track on his mix-tape- Generals features foreign rappers and I love it. Ladies I know you will love the 4th track- Nasty, he doesn't slash the female existence, surely he is raised by a Queen. Every track on the mix-tape targets a different subject and that's why I love it, its not just about the "money and the hoes". This is a must listen and in my opinion a must have and it's free so why not. Xola X, get with or miss out!

This is his video for a track called 'Andre Fresh', where he shows you a bit of his life

and offers a bit of himself.