South African rapper and singer-songwriter Ntokozo “K.O” Mdluli has been on a new wave since his cross-genre hit single “SETE” alongside rapper Blxckie and amapiano star Young Stunna. With Mzansi hip-hop being seen as a declining sport, the former Teargas member has appointed himself an evangelist of the game, making it a point to recruit amapiano musicians with his songs, such as the TOSS-assisted “ROCKABYE” and “FEZEKA” which sees Zuma do quick one-twos on the mic. In his latest single, K.O has enlisted vocalist Daliwonga for “Thatha”.
The BET Award-nominated lyricist has come a long way since his rugged days with “Goodfellaz” Ma-E and estranged partner in musical crime Ntukza. “Thatha” is an embodiment of K.O’s evolution from being a foul-lipped MC to being a charming wordsmith versed in marshalling his words with cocky confidence that doesn’t come off as too off-putting. The song is sealed with the signature storytelling which made his SAMA-nominated single “Supa Dupa” an endearing offering about his rags-to-riches story as well as the coolness of “SETE”.
Musically, “Thatha” is a down-tempo hip-hop song charged with simmering organ-based melodies overlapping with an understated bassline that undulates with the erratic personality of a standard trap song. Mdluli understands his sound, rightfully so with so many years and accolades in the game, and with the song, he and the instruments conjure up a progressive R&B-esque atmosphere of comfort. Each element in the simplistic layers of the production, from the subtle snares to the humble thumps of the bass, suggest that K.O is slowly moving to the nirvana of being content to be while considering how far he has gotten to be where he’s at in his life and career.
Sliding into the chorus with a rap-sung cadence, K.O continues to slowly improve upon his singing voice. And while he does not hit the spot as he did on “Supa Dupa”, he falls slightly short, cushioned by the background harmonies of his voice.
Throughout the song, he cruises on the same gear until Daliwonga comes in towards the middle of the track, dynamising it with a quickfire verse of rap done to the liking of a purist hip-hop ear. He picks up from themes of money-making and the escapades of being well-to-do that K.O used as a foundation. The singer avoids a whiplash of transition by slowing down towards the tail-end of his contribution, fusing it with the base feel that K.O spent the first half of the joint establishing.
“Thatha” is yet another song in which K.O explores his singing persona. And the result from the sandbox is a commendable piece of work that displays musical courage that makes up for some artistic deficits that come with venturing beyond the comfort zone.
