Local rapper Karabo Manyabiyane (26), popularly known as X-xposer, from Payneville in Springs is preparing to share a more personal side of his life through his upcoming Size Nenye EP, a project inspired by the struggles, emotions and everyday experiences of people from his hometown.

The EP includes features from Ucle B and other artists. He plans to release the project in November and hopes its honest storytelling will connect with listeners beyond Springs.

He told the Springs Advertiser that music has become a way to turn difficult experiences into something meaningful.

His interest in hip-hop began in 2019, during his matric year, after a friend introduced him to the genre. Before that, he mainly listened to gqom and was better known in his neighbourhood for his soccer skills.

He soon became fascinated by hip-hop’s ability to communicate powerful messages through poetry and storytelling.

“I loved how hip-hop artists would accurately and poetically spread mind-blowing messages through the melodies, creatively using figures of speech,” he said.

Although he passed matric, he shared that personal circumstances at home prevented him from immediately pursuing further studies.

During this difficult period, he began writing down his emotions; Manyabiyane said that what started as a way to cope gradually became his introduction to music as a serious pursuit.

Inspired by a line from the late rapper Riky Rick, he decided to record his first song, hoping to express feelings he could not easily share with others.

He explained that the response encouraged him to keep going, and music became a source of purpose during a difficult chapter of his life.

“Music became my therapy and my life-changing climax,” he said.

He shared that his experiences in Payneville continue to influence his lyrics. He describes growing up in the area as a daily struggle, with poverty, crime, drugs and teenage pregnancy among the challenges facing the community.

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“I want people to know and understand that having a poor background does not define your future. The world will not just know Springs; they will respect it,” said Manyabiyane.

His decision to pursue music professionally took shape while he was working as a money market clerk. Many of his customers knew him as an artist and encouraged him to take his talent seriously.

He indicated that building a career independently has not been easy. He handles his own promotions, video editing and communication with event organisers and media platforms, while paying his own travel and accommodation expenses.

Throughout his journey, he credits his mother and younger brothers, Junior and Gordon, for standing by him, especially when progress has been slow.

As he prepares to release his EP, Manyabiyane hopes his story will encourage other aspiring artists to take their talents seriously, even when the people around them doubt their dreams.

“Remember, no one will believe in you if you do not believe in yourself,” he said, encouraging young people to trust their abilities and create opportunities for themselves.

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