TWO WORLDS collided, making waves in the local music scene as Illovo Township poet, combined spoken word with hip-hop in a seamless and thoughtful collaboration with hip-hop artist, K-Bless. Ukuba Yimi was released on October 30.

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Khululekani “K-Bless” Ngcobo was born and raised in Illovo Township. He developed a passion for making music when he was 16 and was inspired by his brother, Nasty C, whose breakout hit in 2015, Juice Back, propelled him to stardom and international recognition.

“One of my biggest inspirations is my brother, whose journey was a blessing to witness as he started from nothing and worked hard to become a success. Growing up, I listened to a lot of international artists, but I also draw inspiration from local artists like Cassper Nyovest, AKA and Ricky Rick, who among others paved the way for artists like me,” said K-Bless.

Ukuba Yimi straddles the line between poetry and hip-hop, but also combines isiZulu and English. It speaks about self-identity, independence and focusing on personal goals and ambitions, all the while carefully curating relationships to protect personal goals and stay true to one’s self.

The musician has a unique process in creating his art. He explained that he steps into the studio not knowing what he is going to make, but creates through a process called “punching in,” where he records bar for bar, and freestyles his lyrics.

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“When we created Ukuba Yimi, we had just come from one of my brother’s shows, got into the studio and he started playing with chords and drums. The next morning, I pulled the beat out and recorded and that is how we created the song,” said K-Bless.

It was Chris Fallen’s first feature on a song and he said that being a part of the project marks a huge milestone for him.

“The fact that it was produced by Nasty C means the world to me,” said Chris.

Fallen, who shares his literary works on Gagasi FM, said that poetry should not be limited to stages or books, but can live and breathe through music as well. He added that his style is more of a new-age sound and blends naturally with rhythm and melodies.

“I actually approached K-Bless for the collaboration. When I heard his sound, I felt it was the perfect space to merge spoken word and music in a way that connects with this generation. I really connected with Ukuba Yimi, because my poetry is all about encouragement and hope. The poetry in the song speaks about self-belief, purpose and staying grounded no matter where life takes you. I wanted to remind people that their story matters and every struggle and small win is part of becoming who you are meant to be,” said Fallen.

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