'Melodies Unveiled'
Who is ‘ Risky C'mjo’ and where he is based?
"Risky C'MJO is a creative entrepreneur and fabric painter from East London, with a unique style of rap that he's become known for."
Can you share with us your journey as musician in the Hip Hop industry?
"Okay basically to share my journey with you uhm most of the time I have been moving intending to chase different sounds when it comes to hip-hop like I am trying more to be able to tap in different sounds even if it is HIPHOP, RNB even Rock music like any sound because as time goes by the are sounds being introduced so in all my projects I try to introduce a new sound as I have introduced DARKIE TRAP so I feel like my journey consent the evolution of new sounds so that is what my journey consent and I am willing to take it far like changing my sound more so that every year or every season I drop music that will relate to the public I think that's what consent my journey as a music artist"
How has Hip Hop influenced your music style and artistic expression?
"Hip hop has influenced me to have confidence in myself and in life in general. Even my dressing style is inspired by hip hop. I feel like if I wasn't doing hip hop, I would be wearing basic clothes. Although I don't wear expensive clothes, every day I wake up and wear clothes that make people see me as an artist. What I'm trying to say is that hip hop has also influenced my talking style by the lingo I use. It makes it easier for people to know that I am an artist, even if I'm not doing anything else but talking. It has given me a way to express myself easily. As you can see, I am honest and only speak the truth, and hip hop has made me this way."
Are there any particular hip hop artist or albums that have had a significant impact on your musical career?
"To answer this question, I would say that Ricky Riky is the most relatable to me. We were both born on July 20, which makes us Leos according to the zodiac signs. However, our actual zodiac sign is Cancer. I believe in astrology and share similar thoughts with Ricky Riky. Kendrick has also been a big influence on me."
What role does culture and heritage play in your music, especially considering your South African roots?
"When I think about my culture and heritage as an Xhosa man, I feel that it has influenced my music. Because I have undergone circumcision, I feel that it has had a significant impact on the type of music I create. The things I used to rap about before being circumcised are not the same as the ones I create now as a man. Being circumcised has taught me to have dignity and be mindful of what I say and think. This has helped me create more mature lyrics and think about the impact they will have on others. My culture and heritage have played a vital role in my music because I want to showcase my upbringing and where I come from."
Can you share any experiences or stories that have you shaped your perspective as an artist?
"The experiences that have shaped my perspective are many, so I won't be able to share all of them, but there is one that stands out to me as an artist. I've faced a lot of setbacks because I've always boxed myself in as just a rapper. Being a rapper comes with certain expectations and consequences, like beefing with people over small or unnecessary things, fighting in the streets, and other things that I even mention in my music. These experiences have shaped my perspective as an artist and made me realize that even though I am a hip-hop artist, I shouldn't define myself solely based on that. I had to learn to accept my mistakes and, most importantly, accept myself without music. Being in the streets made me realize that I am human after all, and I will make mistakes. In the hip-hop scene, everyone thinks they're the best, but I had to understand that I need to be more vulnerable and be myself without hip-hop or any of the other things that come with it. The most important lesson I learned was the realization that I need to be true to myself, and that has shaped my perspective as an artist."
How does your music address social and political issues in South Africa? & how would you describe your sound?
"I feel like a renegade. Starting from 2015, I have been rapping about social issues, such as how black people are treated in South Africa, racism, and other sensitive topics. I don't shy away from addressing sensitive issues, and I always prioritize addressing issues that concern where I am based. Most of the political issues I address in my music are based on my personal experiences, such as the issue of the unhealthy water we drink, the bad treatment of black people in townships, and the poor service in our local clinics. Even when I do trap music, I try to squeeze in these issues. To describe my sound, I am the voice of the black people from townships, and I represent people from every Kasihood."
What are your thoughts on EAST SIDE music scene?
"I believe that artists should collaborate and support each other. Even if you can't perform, just showing up to another artist's show is important for the culture of hip hop. It may be difficult for some, but I've tried to collaborate as much as possible. As an example, 21stLondon has brought together different artists on one project. This means that as a collective, we can achieve our goals more easily rather than pushing alone. It's our aim as 21st to encourage more collaboration between artists. I've worked with different producers such as Section Flash, Kumkani's producer, Codey, and Songezo, who is the videographer behind oMaya and I have also worked with the Dynasties. I've even worked with the manager of the Dynasties and some of Bhut's legendary friends. Artists from Mthatha and around the Eastern Cape love our music, but we haven't been collaborative and supportive enough to each other. To improve the East Side music scene, we need to support each other more and attend each other's events."
Are there any specific messages or that you aim to convey through your music?
"Just like I talked about during this interview, I want to shed more light on the struggles that black people face. We struggle to get an education, resist the temptation of smoking, deal with peer pressure from the streets, and cope with life in general because many of us lack father figures. We also struggle with daddy issues and often turn to substances like lean (codeine) to numb our pain. Despite all these challenges, I am determined to create something meaningful because the message I want to convey is about building something out of nothing, as we come from humble beginnings."
What's the story behind your latest EP ‘ A SCENT OF A PETTY DUDE’?
"The message behind 'A Scent of a Petty Dude' is related to my upcoming project, which I am uncertain whether it will be an album or a mixtape. The name of the project is 'Inqala the Petty Dude'. In 2020, I released an EP named 'Inqala Ayikho Healthy'. Some people misunderstood the message behind it and thought that I was talking to them, but I was actually talking to myself. I grew up being petty, and I believe that most people are petty as well. However, it's important to use your pettiness and jealousy in a positive way. For example, I use my jealousy to be better at what I do. I am competitive and if I see that someone's style is good, I try to take inspiration from it and do it even better. I have struggled with pettiness in the past, but I have learned that doing things the right way is easier than being petty for no reason. I have used my pettiness and jealousy to motivate myself to push through, regardless of how jealous or petty I may feel."
What are your future plans for your music?
"I aspire to elevate my music career by introducing Darkie trap to the global audience. Moreover, I aim to share my personal story with the world as many people are unaware of the reality in East London. Despite being perceived as a lavish location, the town has remained unchanged since the 80s. The buildings are merely repainted, and I intend to utilize my music to initiate change in my hometown. Camangu. Enkosi!"
That was RISKY C'MJO sharing his music journey from the begin, to his future plans and his current plan, we thank you TA STREETS for sharing your story with us we hope to feature you some time in the future siyabulela!, we hope you enjoyed our 2nd official blog post on our weekly blog feature called 'MELODIES UNVIELED' as we will be sharing stories of our local artists every Fridays, if you are an artist and you feel like your story deserves to be featured on our blog post please contact our Facebook page EAST SIDE RAPS & join our Facebook group EAST SIDE INSIDER GROUP We would like to hear from you soon. Thank you for reading !
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CREATED BY: EAST SIDE INSIDER
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