Meet Akhona Beja, or, as he’s better known by his stage name, iamSlolo, a 26-year-old self-made muso from Cape Town. He’s been dabbling in the art of music making for over 10 years now, however he’s never really taken it as seriously as he is now, releasing his first official single and music video “2K21 Freestyle”.
Talking on the struggles of township living and finding ways to survive in such a tough environment, the track is unsettlingly raw. Clocking only a minute and thirty seconds, with a trap beat and synth backing track, there’s plenty space for Slolo’s brut vocals to shine, and they do.
However the hard sound he achieves feels short-lived, under-developed, and it’s down to the simplicity of everything. The music video is also underwhelming, picturing Slolo sat on an old couch for most of the song, the visual’s only saving grace is an experimental overlay of film slides that appear vividly original.
All in all, I think a little more emphasis on song writing and a little less emphasis on image will do a lot for Slolo, and will surely give his vocal talent the wings it needs to fly.
