After experiencing what it was like to be an imitator of others, Yanga Chief says he is finally content with being his authentic self.
Earlier this year, the rapper went viral after his song, What If, became one of the most played musical anthems, reaching more than 1 million streams on Spotify in a span of 19 days.
Speaking to TshisaLive earlier this year, the 37-year-old explained that after completing his contract, the goal was to learn more about the business in a way that would be beneficial to him as an independent artist.
For him, it was all about having fun with the tracks and allowing fans to resonate with what they felt was the main single – fortunately for him, What If, was exactly that.
In a recent interview with Sunday World, Yanga Chief, whose real name is Yanga Ntshakaza, once again reflected on the journey which led him to this point.
In his reflection of all that he experienced over the last few years, he summarised it into one word – unpredictable.
Yanga shared that for most of his career, he continuously felt unseen and unappreciated, so to experience what he does now, is truly unbelievable.
“To be sitting here today, feeling the kind of love I have received, it is different. Compared to other years, when I felt unappreciated or misunderstood, this moment feels special,” he explained.
He shared that rubbing shoulders and working alongside several big names in the music space has given him a chance to reflect and introspect on the kind of musician he wants to be.
“For me, I realised that spending more time with myself and my culture is where I need to be as a musician right now.”
He added:
“I have worked with everyone, I have been in Joburg, I’ve done all that. But now, I just want to be authentic. Maybe it is finally my turn. Maybe it is just the season, but I can’t pretend to be something I’m not.”
He shares that music has been the biggest motivator, helping him to keep going.
Also see: Yanga Chief tears up while talking about AKA