RAPPER Ntokozo "Zakwe" Zakwe will fly Mzansi's flag higher in the USA while he hoping to learn more about hip-hop music.
The 36-year-old from KwaMashu, north of Durban, flew to America on Friday, 12 April.
The Thixo Wami hitmaker said he was invited to participate in the USA hip-hop engagement in Washington DC, New York and Raleigh from Saturday, 13 April to Friday, 26 April.
He said 25 countries will be discussing matters related to hip-hop.
Zakwe told Daily Sun that he feels honoured that the Mzansi Embassy chose him to represent South Africa during the hip-hop engagement.
“I think the reason they chose me is because I normally host hip-hop competitions for up-and-coming musicians called Hood vs Hood, where I bring musicians from different kasi to compete. I started it in January 2023.
“I'll teach other countries about our Mzansi hip-hop. I'll tell them why our hip-hop is different from other hip-hop because it originated in poetry,” he said.
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Zakwe said he wants to learn more about USA hip-hop so he could share what he learnt with Mzansi rappers when he returns.
“In the USA, hip-hop is always on high rotation and it's their number one genre. So, I want to know how they made it big, how they keep it on the top and where their hip-hop comes from,” he said.
Zakwe said from 13 to 18 April, he'll be in Washington DC.
From 18 to 23 April, he will be in New York and from 23 to 26 April, he will be in Raleigh and return to Mzansi on 27 April.
Zakwe, who started his music career in 2011, won many awards including Best Lyricist Award at the South African Hip Hop Awards in 2012.
He won Best Hip Hop Artist at the Metro FM Music Awards in 2013, Best Vernacular Hip Hop at the South African Traditional Music Awards (Satmas), and Best Remix of the Year at the South African Music Awards (Samas).
