Innocent ‘Swarve’ Ntuli is counting down the days until Up In The North returns to Alexandra.
The hip-hop event he co-founded with Shaun Blaque is set to land at 172 On Lenin Drive in Tsutsumani, Alexandra, on September 26, and this time entry is free.

The name itself tells the story of where it all began. “The name Up In The North was born when Shaun Blaque and I were thinking of hosting a hip-hop event, and we threw names around. I suggested ‘Up In The North’ since we are in the north of Johannesburg, and it made sense, so we went for it,” said Ntuli.

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Ntuli and Blaque’s partnership grew naturally from shared roots in the Alexandra hip-hop scene. “I met Shaun via a mutual friend, and we became friends and brothers. We clicked because Shaun is a well-known hip-hop artist in the Alex scene and I’m a hip-hop fan and manage artists, so we vibed over that and decided to work together. Shaun brings the artist energy, and I bring the MC energy,” Ntuli said.

While the full line-up remains under wraps, the intention is clear. “We are not revealing too much about who will be on stage, but the plan is to bring artists who have been with us since day one, artists who joined the movement later, and new artists on the block. 172 On Lenin is our new home, so we also want to impress the owners of the establishment so that we can host more shows in the future,” he said.

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“We have not been hosting for more than a year, so free entry was a no-brainer because people have been asking in the streets when the event is coming back. This was a way to say we are back, so come vibe at our new home. The most important thing is we want people to be familiar with the venue as well, because it’s dope and spacious, with safe parking,” Ntuli said.

As an MC, Ntuli’s approach goes beyond the stage. “It’s always important to vibe with the crowd, not only on stage. It’s vital you mix with the crowd, greet them, and hang out with them because that is intimate,” he said.

Looking ahead, the vision is bigger than one night. “We want to use this platform to make superstars. We want to keep the hip-hop spirit alive. We want these artists to be exposed to bigger stages, if not make our stage even bigger. We want young kids to be inspired by what we bring to the hood. Up In The North presents the hip-hop culture,” Ntuli said.

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