This is your portal into the world of big, yet unearthed talents; the shining lights just beyond the horizon. We’ve searched all corners of the continent, and hand-picked those who are changing the urban culture landscape through music, fashion, sports, and entertainment, and we can’t wait to share their stories with you. The first of our artists #ONTHERADAR we’d like to introduce is A-Reece. Words: Tshiamo Seape.

 

It’s not every day that small town dreams become real world successes, but that’s exactly what happened along the career trajectory of Pretoria rapper, A-Reece. Before he was A-Reece (A creative recreation of his star sign, Aries), Lehlogonolo Ronald Mataboge, was just another aspiring artist with a dream and a set of idols to emulate. One of those idols being fellow rapper Cassper Nyovest. So enamored was the young A-Reece of Cassper’s success that he penned the song “Casper Picture”, inspired by a social media post made by the rapper following his historic victories at the South African Hip Hop awards.

This song, which caught the eye of local producers, would be the launch pad that catapulted A-Reece from up and comer to SA rap’s new golden boy.

A-Reece is young – very young – the kid is just 20 years old and yet he stands comfortability alongside newcomers and veterans alike. With that being said, he is still fiercely independent – “I’m not here to be categorized and put in a box” he told The Plug . He recognises the role that his peers have played in shaping the sound of the genre (and by extension his sound), however, he doesn’t want to be defined by what his peers are doing.

His lack of experience is only a fact on paper; his credibility comes through loud and clear, the lush production and seemingly endless flows in his music come together to encapsulate everything positive about SA Hip Hop right now, and his Lyricist of the Year award at this Year’s SA Hip Hop awards is but only affirmation of this.

With such praise from critics and peers alike it was no wonder that his album Paradise rose to the number spot on SA iTunes after just 24 hours of release.

An intuitive talent with a bright future, A-Reece will be on our Radar for years to come.

 

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