The Truth unheard .....Introducing Thobe ......

 

So I have decided to do a series of interviews with some of Durbans coolest underground talent .I will be unveiling the talents that I have choosen to conduct the interviews with as the weeks progress.They will be aimed at understanding the vision and person behind the music that will be posted alongside these interviews.First up is one of those guys that once you meet you will never get over how genuine he is as rare as this maybe.This young brother seems to have found his truth and stride.His name is Thobe but after reading this you ought to know him a little better ...Introducing the man of Heart

 

 

 

 

 

Your first Mixtape was well received amongst the durban crowd ....will durban always be your home base ?

 

I love Durban as a whole. I grew up here vele, so the sentiment is understood. Problem with Durban is the mentality that people have with regard to art. Not just consumers but even the people who are "artists". Consumers are built on a culture of what's "in", in Durban more so because we are pushed by "igqomu". Don't get it twisted, I love me "igqomu" every once in a while but people end up thinking that's the end all be of "artistry" like there's nothing beyond "umlilo". Artists roll in "cliques", and there's no spirit of trying to explore music or art as a whole, people always just looking out for who is in their cliques and ish. Even when you approach people under the guise of just wanting to explore sounds with them they'll make themselves bigger than you. A rare few will believe in growing art, but there just needs to be a change in mentality, we need more Body Rocks where artistry is celebrated even though its a sliver of people.

 If an opportunity to broaden my music outside of Durban comes would I take it? Of course, but the road will always lead me back home, coz after my experiences I feel I owe it to other artists to give them the platform I never had/struggled for.

 

2)Since the release of Art OF Heart what have you been listening to that has been quiet influential in your new music ?

 I'm still a HUGE hip hop head, HUGE, but my listenership of the genre has gone down, I've found myself listening more intensely to beattapes, R&B (90's), soul from the 60's and jazz vocalists. Reason being I feel that there are certain features that all these genres channel that help in the making of good music. The beattapes help sharpen the songwriting skills if anything. Another common trait with the genres I mentioned is that they could be said to have come out in the "talent" era of music, where regardless of how you looked, or what ever else, if the music spoke, it spoke. So in a way I listen to them to catch that spirit and build foundation, some times amalgamate, with what I have to make dope music.

 

 

3) if there is a new project on the cards mind sharing what it entails and what has the journey been like with the new material?

Well, the Jazztape series vele is a cycle, 1st heartbreak (Jazztape Vol 1) then finding new love (Jazztape Vol 2) then maintaining new love (Jazztape Vol 3). Its a well known fact that heartbreak sometimes gets the best material out of you. So I gave myself enough time post the 1st Jazztape to get over whatever I was going through so as to write from a different perspective, perspective of trying to "jump back into love". But there's always going to be a a self made "block", talking about what if people don't like the new mentality but the idea is always to bring something people can relate to. So the Jazztape 2 just carries on the cycle that was ended on the 1st Jazztape. Its like life happening in "real time" so it was sort of natural. Even the beats are on some looking forward tip. Lol

4) I hear that but i do feel like south africa as a whole is slowly loosiing its ear to non-commercial artistic music ,You seem to be a part of a young crowd that seems to be bringing back the religion of listening to good music? why do you think is the reason behind this ?

 

Music should be a timeless thing, that's always been my view. I mean I still play Naughty By Natures "Feel Me Flow" and smile like crazy. Zhane, Chante Moore, Janet Jackson, the era of the 90's though it did make way for imagery to play a part, it was a lot of sincerity behind the stuff because the artist would have either produced or wrote the songs themselves so it wasn't just regurgitation. Nowadays artists are given "ready made" songs, written by 5 people sometimes and the authenticity in that is questioned. Yes the message can affect me but where is YOU in that? Apart from your voice? I'm just about exhuding what's authentic, and real, even if there is a slight glimpse of help it won't defer from what you hear and you knowing I went through it coz once grasped it'll be as natural as human nature, and make it timeless. I scheme.

 

5) In your music you come across as very sincere and honest....So much so I'd even say as honest as the likes of frank ocean,James Fauntleroy etc , how did you achieve this and will you always stick to it?

 

I don't got the best voice in this you know, lol, so I had to be realistic with myself in that sense. But what I lacked in octaves I could build up in emotion. Emotion is that slight crackle in the voice as if I've been crying and I had to sing it out the next moment, those things are audible in a song. Instead of halfheartedly placing yourself there you use your instrument as the expressor, even the beat of a song helps set the mood so that when you start stating your case its believable. I write about ish I done went through and sometimes channel fantasies of things I would want to experience and just work in unison with the beat and it comes out in its purest form.

Whether I will be able to maintain it remains to be seen. There's only so much that makes up a human and writers block also exists. Lol.

6) You seem to have found your stride,what plans do you have for the future creative and music wise ...is there a grand master plan ?

 

The grand master plan is helping people find what they love and actually work towards that "end" instead of chasing money,chase your own enlightenment. I'm trying to do my part by saying I want to help artistic individuals in my hometown, Durban, regardless of whether I make it or not, if I can give somebody the same happiness music has given me and help them find their purpose then I'll be fulfilled. Creatively there has been discussion with regard to the Jazztape Vol 3, whether it will be released or that there should just be an album. Time will tell for me. But theories.

done ..................

Thobekani M. Dhlamini

soundcloud.com/thobeofheart , reverbnation.com/thobe , twitmusic.co/thobe712 , yeahhh, think that's about it.