It seems to be the new big career move - from the music industry straight into podcasting.
This trend is sweeping the globe but only some people manage to find themselves longevity with an audience who keeps looking to certain podcasts to entertain and inform them.
Locally this sphere has been dominated by MacG and his podcast network and other personalities are following in their footsteps.
Rap veteran L-Tido is best known for his music and for at one time being at lyrical odds with the late rapper AKA. The two squashed their beef in though.
Since then, Tido has slowed down musically but has recently emerged as a formidable podcaster, spotlighting local hip hop talents on his platform, The L-Tido Podcast.
So far, he has had 10 episodes and the hunger for his content is growing with each release, with Nasty C being his most recent guest.
“When I saw podcasts come around, I just used to love watching interviews. I would watch interviews with a lot of other people like coming up. I knew podcasting was something that I would get into some way, somehow. Because yeah, I just love watching interviews of all my favorite people like Jay Z, Nipsey Hussle and all those people,” he says, explaining his transition from rap to podcasting.
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What a lot of people may not know about L-Tido is that he has a background in broadcasting as he started at Alex FM as a DJ. The bug bit him then and the podcasting wave was the perfect excuse to explore his talents in this realm further.
This involved more than relying on his star power and Tido prides himself on putting the necessary work in to prepare for his guests. He draws inspiration from the work of people like American rapper turned podcaster Joe Budden back before he rebooted and booted out his two cohorts at the time, Rory and Mal.
“Joe Budden really got me very passionate about podcasting, but he hasn’t looked to simply emulate Joe but build off that foundation and create something that can be considered a unique offering.
“My last three episodes, I've tried a different approach of just having a conversation without using keynotes and they've worked very well for me. Not to say that I'll work only like that from now on. I use different strategies, but I do my research on people.
“It's just been fruitful conversations. Like my approach to my podcast is never to pressurize or antagonize someone. So, it's just been mostly like great conversations.”
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He concedes to not finding anything about this move to podcasting to be challenging as it was simply always in his blood. Also, the level of conversation he looks to have on his show usually involves lively banter, but nobody has pushed him in terms of sparring intellectually or looking to disarm him as can be the case in an interview setting.
“I don’t think anyone pushed me to any other place. I think all the podcasts are different. Like the Nasty C one was more of a wholesome conversation. We spoke about family and the birth of his son and just had a really dope, wholesome conversation. The Emtee episode was more of a funny episode so there's just different types of things.
“The Cassper (Nyovest) one, I guess, was a bit of both. Very fun. It just becomes different types of conversations. I've had one that was very enlightening and very educating to me, but I can't say it was fun out of that episode.
This move and his approach to it is working out and he has found the reception to his efforts to be overwhelming.
“I only just recently shot my 10th episode, and the success of the podcast has been really something for me to see. A lot of brands are interested in the podcast or looking to work with me and the guests themselves.”
His pod has already attracted three sponsors, throwing their financial backing behind the product.
“I didn't think it would happen this quick, the transition, the success of the show. I didn't think it would come over this quickly.”
The podcast has thrust him back into the minds of his fans who are baying for him to release new music. Tido says that he is sitting on a complete album or just about, and that this will sound a lot more mature than his previous works.
“I will drop music. I still have a lot of unreleased music. I slowed down a little bit in recording now. I'm just in a process now of getting back to the music, just trying to wrap up and then yeah, I'll drop some things, but I can't give a time and date.”
He shuns notions of this album relying on the dominant sound of the decade, trap music and stands firmly in his stance around crafting grown folks’ music.
“The music is still there. It's still going to drop. I think the music is more introspective, just me speaking my sh**. It's small, conversational, introspective and just me talking. At this stage of my career, there are so many jewels I'm just dropping.
He is confident that his versatility as an artist will see his new album cater to a wide audience, but it will still be fitted with some expected tropes like a lead single that has mass appeal just to drum up some interest in the overall body of work.
L-Tido first began to shine in the local rap scene in 2009 and since then he has seen the game change in part for the
“I mean, yeah, South African hip hop has gone through different eras. We've seen obviously the progression, but we're making a name for ourselves from the music, you know, eating, becoming successful. Especially my era, we managed for rap to become something successful and be at the forefront of South African music.”
Things have taken on a different look with the dominance of amapiano which L-Tido can’t refute either, “But I just believe in everything. I mean, nothing's going to remain the same. Everything will always go through its ups and downs in terms of popularity, I guess. But in terms of the quality of the music, it’s still dope. I don't think we've lost that.”
He does think that South African hip hop is still in search of its voice, and this will need to be found before any real growth can manifest itself, “in terms of like the sound and the content, you know, to make it South African and authentic,” he adds.
As for podcasting he does have a few thoughts on the right reasons to get into it and what a person should avoid.
“If you do want to start a podcast of something that you're passionate about I'm there for it in terms of like you're going for it or whatever. But if you want to start a podcast because you just want to be popular then I think you're going to have a hard time.
"People figure, ‘I can talk so this must be an easy thing to do’ but you have to be passionate about it. Even when I got into it, I was very passionate about it and watching podcasts all day. Even now, I still do. I don't know the last time I watched a series on TV. I mostly just watch podcasts because I'm passionate and I still want to learn and become better at everything that I do.”
