After shaking the Durban underground hip-hop scene as a member of his high school crew Dope Fam, Blxckie decided he wanted more. Born Sihle Sithole, the rapper, singer and producer born from Sydenham Heights was in Joburg for the first time for the festival Cotton Fest when South Africa was placed under lockdown in 2020 to curb the spread of Covid-19. Stuck, unable to return home, he and his crew (Lucasraps, 808Sallie and Shouldbeyuang) resorted to flooding the internet with singles, freestyles and videos daily. The LucasRaps-assisted “Big Time Sh’lappa” went viral. But it was Dr. Peppa’s “Mntase”—containing Blxckie’s fiery hook–that became a major hit. The catchy Zulu refrain resonated and pointed to an artist repping his city with flair and swag. His undeniable x-factor has earned the artist co-signs from DJ Maphorisa, Kwesta and Nasty C among other front runners of the game. Cementing him as the face of SA hip-hop’s new generation, Blxckie’s debut album B4Now—featuring tracks like “Hold”, “Ye X 4” and “Stripes”—is a modern benchmark.