Slabsta on building his brand and the making of Mohlakanyo Homecoming 23
An artist turned entrepreneur, Slabsta is carving his niche in the entertainment industry.
30-year-old Percy Koketso Napo is a Kwaito and a hip-hop artist born in Johannesburg and raised in Limpopo. His late grandmother worked as a domestic worker in the city while his parents were studying at the time. Slabsta lived with his grandmother until the age of three.
Thereafter he moved to Limpopo to stay with his parents, “My dad loved music, and that influenced me to be the Kwaito and Hip Hop artist that I am today,” he reminisces.
With a deep-rooted connection to music from a young age, Slabsta credits his father for sparking his passion. “From following the artists I listened to and watching them on TV as they topped charts, that changed my life. I knew I had a purpose in the industry,” he reflects.
Role model wise he is inspired by the likes of Khuli Chana and the late AKA. “Their distinctive style and sound gave me a gateway for making my authentic music which I now call Mohlakanyo meaning a mixture of different genres into one and educating people through the music. Khuli Chana and AKA’s power to collaborate as big as they are has impacted the way I move my brand. Internationally Jay-Z has taught me a lot about being my boss in the music industry and accumulating generational wealth.”
2013 was the year that marked the beginning of his music career with his debut single, Get Tipsy. “I was down and out that year. Varsity didn’t work out and I had to come back home. As depressed as I was I knew at that point all I could do was art and music. My brother Numero hit me up one day and we made Get Tipsy, the rest is history.”
“Performing my first song for the first time in my hometown was one of the biggest highlights in my career because people received it well. In 2019 I had the opportunity to be one of the hip-hop acts to open for Cassper Nyovest at the Tshwane Summer Festival. That made me feel like there was progress in my music career. That same year I made it onto the Back to the City Festival Jump On Competition as a top 10 finalist, this pushed me to make more music as I believed that I had so much potential.”
As the owner of Mohlakanyo, emphasizes the impact of hosting events like Mohlakanyo Jozi and Mohlakanyo Homecoming. “We get to understand the industry a bit better, and this has helped us to execute our mission effectively,” he says. The next Mohlakanyo event will be held on December 23 at Praktiser, Burgersfort in Limpopo.
From co-founding Artizens ZA to collaborating with Hip-Hoper Nation, he has been actively involved in various facets of the music and art industry. His roles in administration, marketing, creative directing, and content creation have contributed to his growth as a multifaceted artist.
Early this year he released a new single Boss’d Up a tribute to friendship and ambition. “The single is inspired by my homies whom I name in the song, thanking them for sticking by me through this thick and thin. The message behind the song is to uplift my peers and the next generation, motivate them to strive for success even in the worst conditions of life,” he shares.
As he teases future projects, he hints at collaborations and ongoing work with his team at Mohlakanyo, promising fans more compelling music. In parting, Slabsta offers valuable advice to aspiring artists: “Nothing great comes easy. Acquire as much knowledge as you can, put in the work, and be consistent. The little money you make can grow your brand, so it’s best to invest in yourself.”
