Rapper on his way to stardom
It all started when he was introduced to poetry and creative writing at a young age.
He’s more than just a rapper and he’s more than just a name. This local artist does what he loves and it’s not just for the fame.
It’s none other than the charismatic Thanyani Richard Manoto – better known as Richie the Rapper – who is taking the rap scene by storm. It all started when he was introduced to poetry and creative writing at a young age, and then to the world of rap and hip hop not long thereafter.
“I started writing my own poems and soon my poetry turned into rap. My passion for the craft grew throughout my school career. I found myself going to studio every single day after school to record. In matric I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in music. The calling was so strong, it became hard to actually focus on my school work,” Richie said.
Even though he wanted to pursue music, he never disregarded the importance of having a plan B to fall back on. That’s why he first completed courses in Electrical Engineering, Sound Engineering and Telecommunications.
“It’s important to remember that there is more to artists than just music, like in my case. I quite enjoy learning new things as well as sports, bodybuilding, mixed martial arts and living a healthy lifestyle. Someone should never be looked down on just because they love music and want to make a career out of it. Artists are more versatile than people think,” he explained.
Since the beginning of his career, Richie the Rapper has released numerous singles online as well as two EP (extended play) records. The first EP was released in January last year with the title song More than just a rapper. His second EP, Political Warfare, was released in February with his lead single Billionhair.
Richie, who currently records from his home studio, loves writing and rapping about his personal experiences, politics, and social and economic issues.
“I want my music to do two things – educate my listeners and make them feel good about themselves. If someone can take something from my music, then I’ve reached my goal. I want to continue writing my own music and continue writing about relatable stuff,” he said.
This innovative rapper dreams of establishing his own record label and guiding upcoming artists such as himself.
“But before I do that I want to build a bigger fan base and release debut albums. I want to perform and I want to tour the world. I love what I do and I aim to keep on doing it until I no longer can,” Richie said.
His music is currently available on various platforms, including YouTube, iTunes and SoundCloud. Listeners can also look forward to a brand-new music video on his YouTube channel, Richie the Rapper, to be released in the first week of August.
