Langa Sbhekewena Masina is known best on beats and microphones as Steero God.
The 20-year-old rapper represents the city of Johannesburg and is probably best described as an underground rapper – a term most avoid.
In its 50th year globally, we have seen hip hop go from a niche culture born at a block party in the Bronx, New York City circa 1973, to become a very lucrative business both abroad and locally.
A culture that once went against the grain and was projected to fail is now firmly the face of global pop culture. This may sound like a dream for a black movement, but we have veered away from individuality and adopted an approach in which everything sounds the same.
Steero God, as he would prefer you call him, inhabits the middle ground in this ecosystem of creative expression as he may be relatively unknown, but an opportunity afforded to him by the sneaker company Converse has seen him chosen as one of two South Africans to be featured on the All Star Anthem along with local DJ Ginelio in an attempt to unite the diaspora through music.
The track also boasts a myriad of talents from 20 countries curated carefully by Brazilian hip hop artist Marcel D2 and Latin Grammy winner Nave Beatz who helmed the production.
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Steero God first encountered hip hop in 2014 on his TV screen and fell in love instantly.
He hasn't stopped rhyming since. And, as for his stage persona and how this came to be, he says, "The name was given to me by my aunt back in the day when I used to dance.
"My aunt used to call me Langs-Steero. Steero comes from two words, steez meaning swag, and stereo meaning sound. I removed the Langs and kept it as Steero.
"As for Langs, Langa means sun and in the book Indaba: My Children by Credo Mutwa, it says that the sun is the God of day, so Langa stands for God of day. That is how Steero God was born."
A rather long-winded and roundabout way of deciding on a stage name but you couldn't have possibly expected anything less of a rapper.
Shedding light on where he gets inspiration for his art from, he says: "The thing about me is I get influence from many artists; however, I never make songs from what I hear. I make songs based on what I feel and that comes from experiences as a person, and we all have different experiences and perceptions as individuals."
The spirit of individuality seems to live on in this young MC, despite the rap game moving in leaps and bounds in the opposite direction.
Once upon a time and not too long ago, requisites of rap involved a style that was hard to copy and searing insights on society artfully disseminated over carefully constructed soundscapes.
Now all you need do is project the appearance of wealth or criminality or maybe ensure you have more twerk routines than rhyme schemes. It has become exceedingly difficult for an independent or underground talent to flourish in a space that praises formulaic and predictable artistry.
The young rapper is of the impression that corporate investment much like the initiative he has been roped into can help bring new talents to the light. This may be all fair and well, but we do need to keep in mind that the bottom-line reigns supreme to a business and always will. This is almost in direct contradiction to the principles of peace, love, and unity that once governed the hip-hop movement.
He also finds himself in a time in which all recording artists may need to strongly consider straddling the worlds of their preferred sound and the monolithic rise of amapiano. "In SA it has become a bit about hip hop vs amapiano, with people thinking that hip hop is dying. If it wasn’t for hip hop, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to be part of this global anthem."
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It hasn't been all about momentous achievements and rhythmic witticisms as the music industry is renowned for being perilous.
"I think that the hardest thing is finding a team that I can work with in the long term. I work with people periodically but nothing permanent and I do think that longevity is important. Because I believe in what I do and love hip-hop, I’d like to think that that is how I will gain more commercial acclaim. I’m doing this for culture and will continue to represent it in the best way I can," he vows.
"I enjoy recording, for me, it’s the most fun. This is where I let my creativity run wild and I believe there are no set rules that one must follow when it comes to that. My process is simple, I hear a beat and I write to it."
Beyond this recent triumph, he has a few exciting things in store as every other rapper and devout follower of hip hop should have this year all focused on growing his star and celebrity within the culture.
"I’m planning on releasing another single on my birthday and planning something around hip hop’s 50th birthday as well.
"Post this amazing experience, I’m planning on commemorating it with a mini-documentary.”
