Atlasville rapper Zak Volschenk, who goes by the stage name Zaktly, will release a new single called ‘Expensive’ on January 20.
The new single with a track produced by DJ Darkness, features the legendary South African rap artist Da L.E.S.
The 31-year-old singer/songwriter has been in the music industry for years and became a force to be reckoned with.
His love affair with hip-hop music began while he was in primary school.
Zaktly’s powerful voice has taken him to a number of places across Gauteng, where he has performed alongside big names.
He has, in the past, released a number of singles which he said were played on several radio stations.
Along with his former DJ, Calvin Botha (DJ Darkness)‚ who is blind‚ they showed off their talents to the whole country when they were featured on the eighth season of SA’s Got Talent.
Following on the success of his singles, Zaktly then collaborated with DJ Darkness, and they recorded a nine-track album last year.
They have pre-released two of the songs, Rolemodel and Destruct, which form part of the new album. According to Zaktly, the songs have received a great response from fans.
The album was, according to Zaktly, previously scheduled for release late last year, but things just didn’t go as planned. He said due to unforeseen circumstances he decided to cancel the release of the EP.
He mentioned that the album they were planning to release absolutely paints a picture of his life.
“It revolves around my story and my life, so it was very difficult for me to feature other artists and have them paint a picture of my life.”
At school I was a very shy boy who only had one friend. I always used singing as a way of expressing myself. I felt more confident and comfortable to express myself through singing than speaking and that helped me to come out of my shell
He described his music as unique, uplifting and telling a story about real life.
“I sing about me, what I’m going through and how I feel about certain issues. My songs are relatable,” he said.
Born on a farm in KwaZulu-Natal, Zaktly later moved to Boksburg with his parents and siblings. He attended Farrarmere Primary School and matriculated from Wordsworth High School.
