Surfing on the crest of the success of his single “Soft” alongside his Durban homeboy Usimamane, rapper and singer-songwriter Nasty C released “Leftie (Dlala Ngcobo)”, a follow-up single as he continues to keep it 031 with the assistance of trap-soul superstar Blxckie. Bouncy, brief, and bass-driven, Nasty’s latest joint amplifies anticipation for his forthcoming studio album, Free, his first since leaving the Def Jam building after giving them I Love It Here two years ago.
A product of the fingers of Cxdy built on a sonorous bassline, resonant bass thumps, intermittent hi-hats, and warped sirens, “Leftie (Dlala Ngcobo)” finds itself straddling the realms of trap music and drill influences as the song alternates between these two influences.
Nasty C | SUPPLIED
While the song assumes a shape faithful to the core roots of hip-hop, elementally speaking and on the production level, the bookending refrain – “Dlala Ngcobo! Dlala Ngcobo!” – as chanted by a group of people not only serves as the shell which opens and closes the song, the hypnotic yet zestful cheer conjures up tribal scenes of ceremonies where dancers are encouraged by onlookers to give it their all by constantly repeating either their name, their surname, or even their clan name – in this case, just the rapper’s surname: Ngcobo. This minor detail infuses a primordially tribal flavour to the song as seen in other genres such as kwaito and amapiano as well, texturing Nasty C’s music with substance that sees him lean more and more into his identity as a South African musician, and a proud one at that.
The hook and the first verse, courtesy of the “SMA” rapper see Nasty C take stock of his current life as is while reflecting on the past, shoes and people he has long outgrown. Whether he’s bragging about fatherhood (“My b*tch just gave me a baby, I’m watching her breastfeed”) or waxing not-so-lyrical about the trope of rags-to-riches (“I was just broke. Pockets was empty”), “Leftie (Dlala Ngcobo)” has a contained thematic range, with simplistic rhymes, sharp one-liners, and a slow flow designed to allow the weight of the lyrics to hang and be caught rather than going over one’s head.
Blxckie | SUPPLIED
Somnyama’s contribution to the track is equally minimalistic, with Yena Yedwa stretching the thematic scope of the song with luxury rapping comprising of boasts about opulent wear (“This Prada fit cost me a limb”), being an object of affection to women (“She want a lil autograph, she pull out her chest, I scribble her breasty”), and stacking the cake (“I see the racks, bring em in”). Employing his signature stop-start delivery with bursts of quickfire flowing, Blxckie’s songwriting mirror’s Nasty’s but with a dash of kineticism that gives the song a sense of progression before the hook guides the song down to its landing strip.
With “Leftie (Dlala Ngcobo)”, Nasty continues his adventure-driven run on making music. Here, he’s not taking himself too seriously, and neither is Blxckie. It’s all about enjoying the moment and seizing the opportunity to convert that sprightly youthful energy into a piece of art that is more concerned with moving the bones rather than the heart that resides within them.
