Nota Baloyi, a prominent figure in the music industry, has openly criticized rapper Blxckie for allegedly disrespecting fellow artist Focalistic. The remarks came after Blxckie mentioned Focalistic in a recent social media update meant to clarify his viewpoint in the ongoing arguments around a Pro Kid beat and the recent freestyle dispute involving K.Keed and DJ Speedsta.
In response to public criticism on a comment he made during an interview, Blxckie stated: “Personally, I’m not rapping on a ProKid beat in 2025.” This statement faced backlash from individuals who perceived it as being dismissive of the legacy left by South African hip-hop icon ProKid.
To clarify his perspective, Blxckie utilized his official X (previously Twitter) account, exemplifying Focalistic performing a freestyle over a beat that he claimed didn’t match Focalistic’s musical style. He stated, “Now if they just gave him a beat that suits what he was doing at the time, which is piano and/or afro vibes, he would’ve killed it better. That’s all I was saying and y’all just chose to think I’m disrespecting a legend. But that’s fine, I know what I said.”
Within the same discussion, Blxckie referred to Focalistic as “my guy,” which caught Nota Baloyi’s attention and criticism.
In a direct reply to Blxckie’s comments, Nota stated:
“FOCA is your OG… He earned his stripes in the streets & made his mark on our hearts. ‘Foca is my guy’ is disrespectful. Foca would never say NOTA is my guy, he was well raised to respect a grootman. Introspect & come back with a proper apology.”
Nota’s comments quickly spread across social media, with users debating whether Blxckie’s wording was disrespectful or simply informal. Nota stressed the importance of showing respect from new artists towards those who paved the way, highlighting that certain expressions, even if intended as friendly, could be perceived as undermining the accomplishments of veteran artists.
Shortly thereafter, Blxckie reacted by questioning the rationale behind Nota’s comments. In a subsequent post, he remarked: “How is that disrespectful? that’s my guy, and we had a conversation just yesterday…” This response seemed to reinforce his personal rapport with Focalistic while disputing the idea that calling someone “my guy” suggests a lack of respect.
While Focalistic has remained silent regarding this exchange, the conversation has reignited discussions within the industry about how emerging artists interact with established figures and the expectations surrounding respect and homage.
Blxckie’s intention was to use Focalistic’s freestyle as an illustration to argue that musical beats should resonate with an artist’s style to be impactful. However, Nota’s comments redirected part of the conversation towards the themes of mutual respect and perceived generational dynamics within South African hip-hop.
