{"id":39255,"date":"2026-10-08T10:53:36","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T10:53:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wedodis.co.za\/news\/?p=39255"},"modified":"2026-10-08T10:53:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T10:53:44","slug":"hype-retro-k-o-the-hustlers-resurrection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wedodis.co.za\/news\/hype-retro-k-o-the-hustlers-resurrection\/","title":{"rendered":"HYPE Retro: K.O \u2013 The Hustler’s Resurrection"},"content":{"rendered":"
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That’s a pretty crazy experience to have gone through after already enjoying so much success for so long …<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

And that’s why you see me playing the game the way I play it. If it was another n*gga in my position – a million YouTube views, gold album, record of the year – they would probably be handling it differently. All these things that are happening, the whole skhanda sound, I gave birth to the whole South African hip hop identity. I should<\/span><\/p>\n

be sitting on top of the mountain looking down on other people. But you don’t see me doing any of that sh*t because I realise that tomorrow there will be another n*gga and all this sh*t could be gone. So when I see all these n*ggas doing all that sh*t right now I’m like “Okay, homie you got a loud mouth on you. Let’s see what happens once<\/span><\/p>\n

another n*gga enters and you’re not the topic of conversation anymore.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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So basically you’re not with the flexing, as far as accomplishments?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Some people tell me I need to up my hype game because with everything that I’m achieving, I’m still not top of the conversation. First of all, that’s not what I’m chasing. My music is doing all that sh*t for me because that is what I’m here to do.<\/span>I don’t give a f*ck about no damn shenanigans. That’s not going to get me to win an award out there and that’s not gonna get me bookings. That’s not what I’m here for. I’m one of the busiest artists in the country right now. At times I’m even busier than n*ggas who are winning more awards than I am. An award doesn’t bring me any extra money.<\/span><\/p>\n

The fact that I have the biggest song in the country doesn’t mean that’s what’s paying my bills. As long as my family is fed I have nothing to worry about. So if I’m going to invest so much emotion in the fact that I didn’t get an award and I end up saying the wrong things, my business will start to suffer. Brands won’t wanna f*ck with me. I can’t jeopardise that over a stupid accolade that doesn’t even come with a cent.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Surely, it depends what you do with the hype, right? I think with a lot of younger guys who are coming up right now, they’re using the noise that they make to try leverage it against something that does make them money. Being present in people’s minds gives the perception of being the biggest, whether it\u2019s true or not, and they can maybe approach a brand or endorser. Music and especially rap is big on perception and the truth is less important sometimes.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

With all the things that you’re mentioning and all these achievements, these are things that are raising the bar in the game. But how you play those achievements is what I’m questioning. Some people will turn it into a condescending conversation. They will put other people down and make them feel insignificant. My thing is, I want to get a million views and use that to say: “Hey you, you can do this sh*t too. You can do<\/span><\/p>\n

double my sh*t if you work hard enough,” instead of it being something I use to make the next guy feel small. I won record of the year, but next year it could be the kid who was watching me accept the award from home. So when n*ggas sell 20,000 and are certified gold and start talking sh*t to guys who haven’t done the same, it takes away from the craft. Use that sh*t to inspire. I tell X all the time that he could be in my position in<\/span><\/p>\n

no time.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Can’t argue with that. But even so, you must have those moments when you get close to saying or doing something to make these guys realise that they have not achieved as much as you have, especially with your experience. I think back<\/b><\/span>to the comment Cassper made about you in the beef about having more money than you after MTV revealed you as their number one emcee of 2014. It didn’t cross your mind to put him in his place?<\/b><\/p>\n

Dawg, I get those thoughts all the time. But the reason I didn’t respond in that situation lyrically is because I just felt like it was some weak a*s sh*t. He was looking for attention and it worked for him at the time. If you’re going to come at me, make me feel like you are saying something factual. He doesn’t know my situation. A lot of these guys exaggerate things. We see the truth but I’m not going to pull your card on some “Yo!<\/span>I know you ain’t got no f*cking place to stay and I know your car ain’t paid up.” Eventually Cassper did the respectable thing and put out an apology, and life goes on. There are no hard feelings from my side.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n