He'd seen it all and left many things behind him when he decided to take a step back from the music scene.
In the past year, many things have changed for Lesley "Da L.E.S" Mampe, from dealing with the passing of his dad, becoming a father of two, and trying to revamp his all-white parties that will soon be back in full swing following the restrictions that the Covid-19 pandemic imposed on the entertainment industry.
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The rapper tells Drum all about his break from music, the upcoming Amakipkip collection that he is currently working on, and his personal growth.
His comeback is something he's been planning on the downlow for the past year, Da L.E.S says, adding that's about to change as he gears himself for a "big comeback".
"I took some time out from the industry to regroup. I have grown as a man, I am a father of two kids and that has shaped and beautifully changed my life," the former Jozi group member says. "My perception of life is different now.”
With many rappers have tried their hand at amapiano to show how versatile they are, the Lifestyle hitmaker says he's still pondering over whether to flex his music talent in a new genre since hip-hop artists' skills do not conform to any particular music style – even though they rap on a different beat.
"I'm still mulling over which genre to tap on, it could be amapiano, hip hop, or both," he says.
As a person who has made the Amakipkip brand popular when he first made it in the music business Da L.E.S is currently working on reviving the brand, revealing the team is working on a range to honour pioneers of the entertainment industry.
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“We have a wide range of the brand from long sleeves, round necks, and exclusive range of tribute to the fallen entertainers and the legends, which are still alive," he adds.
When asked about his relationship with fellow rapper AKA, Da L.E.S says, “People do grow apart. You never know what could happen in the future."
With the lockdown restrictions allowing people to host events, Da L.E.S says his popular All White Party event will resume and he is excited that he gets to host them again. "The parties going to be bigger and better this time," he says.
"I'm happy to announce that my all-white parties are back. We had one last month and it seems people still love the vibe. It was difficult to host when there were stringent lockdown rules.”
