“BoomBaptism : In the name of the Rhythm, the Raps, the Beats” is a collaborative joint album by DeeJay-Phlo and Kulax Nthoethata. The 12-track album is produced by DeeJay-Phlo, Kulax Nthoethata, ProPound Beatz and Cymtom. Hard, street-styled beats that capture the spirit of the ‘golden era’ of Hip-Hop, characterizes this timeless masterpiece. Socially conscious, relevant lyrics and smooth sample-based melodies are a common trait in this album.
This body of work encapsulates the nostalgia of the mid 90’s to mid- 2000’s ambience and spirit of Hip Hop globally and more specifically in South Africa. ‘Kulax Nthoethata’ (Sipho Khaile), who is by no means a new-comer to the industry, spearheaded the lyrical content direction while ‘DeeJay_Phlo’ (Tshepo Nthebe) handled the bulk of the production and beat selection. Together, the rapper and the DJ crafted a well-constructed album that is positioned as a “boutique”, “gourmet” offering that is targeted to the refined Hip Hop consumer. ‘BoomBapTism’ will most definitely appeal to the older hip hop generation. With a collective of over 25 years industry experience, both Kulax and DeeJay_Phlo have gained a sizeable targeted niche audience and have accumulated views, likes, followers and streams globally.
This offering is unique in the sense that the subject matter it contains covers a wide range of social issues that are mostly shelved and/or ignored by mainstream media in order to gain circular traction. “Not having to depend on the music for my livelihood has enabled me to make the kind of music that has real meaning, addresses real issues and has longevity, without the constrains and pressures of commercialization. I talk about politics, socio-economic issues, gender relations, parenting and everything in between that the ordinary person goes through. These issues are not trendy; hence this kind of content is mostly overlooked. We are changing that notion and are hard at work in order to make socially conscious and responsible hip hop trendy again”, explained Kulax. ‘DeeJay_Phlo’ further added “…making timeless music for the soul is relevant in any era, we just need to listen.” “We really had serious and robust discussions around the best ways to rollout the project in a manner that will maximize reach and exposure within our targeted and segmented audience, which are mainly people over the age of 30” – added Bianca Booysens, who contributed in the overall project rollout strategy and creative direction.
The “BoomBapTism” album is primarily created to inspire, educate and entertain while addressing real social issues. It pays homage to the ‘OGs’ who laid the foundation for many to be heard and appreciated by millions. It is social commentary and centred on real life issues but does not have any circular “trendy” content whatsoever. This is unique in the current commercialized Mzansi Hip Hop landscape and is sure to set the tone for the re-emergence of this particular sub-genre of Hip Hop. The duo have announced the official release date of 29 February 2024, with the first single, “Lenna” already topping regional charts across Free State, Vaal, Gauteng, North West, Botswana and Lesotho radio stations and podcasts.
The second official single from their collaborative album is titled “Ntho’ena”, which means ‘this thing’ in colloquial SeSotho. This single will be released on the same day as the album coinciding with the leap-year day (29 February) only occurring once every 4 years. The album as well as the music videos will be available across all major digital streaming platforms. The duo have also announced that a limited number of special edition physical CD’s and USB’s will also be packaged and released for the purists accompanied by “BoomBapTism” branded merchandise exclusively available on order and via selected e-commerce stores.
