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A Khayelitsha born hip hop artist has recorded a single with well-known hip hop artist Kid X after winning a national competition.
Onke Nomangola (24), also known as Nankoo, won the Russian Bear #IamNext hip hop competition last year.
During a nation-wide search for the next big thing in hip hop Nankoo came up tops after being voted for by hip hop fans.
The contest was organised by a mobile recording studio.
In an interview with City Vision, Nankoo said his love for music started as a primary school learner when he used to listen to Kwaito legend Zola.
“I used to listen to Zola when I was growing up and I fell in love with music but my biggest inspiration came from Spaza which is a sound from the Cape,” he said.
Nankoo said he started writing music in 2004 while he was in primary school, but he did not fully understand hip hop at the time.
He said after joining a group called Sound Masters in 2009 he then decided to go solo in 2012.
He said he heard about the competition from a friend but did not pay attention to it until his manager approached him and ordered him to enter. He made it into the top 50 and into the top 20 after voting by the fans “and finally into the top three which was judged by among others Kid X.”
Nankoo said he was voted as the best artist and got a chance to record a song called Sosha with his idol Kid X. The pair also shot a video together.
He hopes the single will open doors for him. He added that he never thought that he will ever meet and work with Kid X, and he hopes to inspire other youngsters.
Nankoo said his single has been getting a lot of recognition from fans and that he was even trending in one of the social media networks.
“The music video has been getting a lot of airplay on TV and it is available on all digital platforms for those interested in hearing it,” he said.
