Big Bar Raps
Mohalenyane Phakela
BIG Bar Raps, has plotted his comeback in the Hip Hop game, after a two-year hiatus, with the release of the single titled Wa Sala.
Born Maieane Nkhahle, Big Bar Raps shot to fame with the single Hosane from his debut 12-track album The Sermon. The song rocked the airwaves following its release, and was nominated for the Song of the Year category in the Ultimate Music Awards.
In an interview with the Weekender this week, the rapper, however, said the album did not do so well commercially, adding that he took a two-year break from music to review the mistakes he made.
“The biggest mistake I made with my first project, The Sermon, was relying too much on copy sales,” Big Bar Raps said.
“I also did not appreciate the fact that the market is now more digital with fans preferring downloads to hard copies. I took a break to watch the game from the side-lines so as to map a new strategy.”
This time around, Big Bar Raps said, he would not “waste time” selling hard copies of his music.
“There is certainly no money in that. My plan is to distribute the tracks freely and build the Big Bar Raps brand to maximise its exposure,” he said.
“I now believe that becoming widely known will land me bookings. I intent to market my brand in the form of apparel, which is a viable strategy.”
Turning to Wa Sala, which was produced by Nejah Beats and is already being played on local radio stations, the rapper said it was meant to reacquaint listeners to his music.
“If you don’t know Big Bar Raps, then Wa Sala (you are left behind). The track focuses on the hood life, the struggles we face and is also a celebration of life,” he said.
“I draw inspiration from the legendary Bob Marley because of his positive mind-set and advocating for the liberation of blacks. I am also a fan of local Afro Jazz group, Sankomota, as we share the goal of motivating and entertaining people simultaneously through song.”
He said in an industry full of people with “egos and bad attitudes”, it took patience and a good heart to survive.
“One should always expect hiccups but also learn not to hold grudges,” he said.
“I have realised that most musicians are based in Maseru, so I am on a mission to unearth raw talent from my neighbourhood of Hlotse, under his stable, Afrikaya Music. This will, hopefully, end the monotony of having music only from one region.”
