Local hip-hop star keeps it ‘crazy’ on his way up
MIDRAND – Producer and hip-hop star AB Crazy is unapologetically blowing up the music scene and his latest performance at the DStv Delicious International Food and Music Festival, which was held at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in September, has moved his star status up a few notches.
His record label, Kalawa Jazmee, recently celebrated 25 years in the industry and AB Crazy was part of it. “It wasn’t just a gig but something more sentimental because we reached a milestone, 25 years is something big.” He said the festival was his biggest gig this year.
“I’m used to performing but performing at the festival kind of confirmed my position at the label. “I feel I know now where I stand with them, it’s amazing and I’m grateful that I was part of it as the only hip-hop artist on the main stage.”
Originally from Mpumalanga and now a Midrand resident, AB Crazy’s journey in the music industry was rather smooth sailing. “I did a radio jingle that my brother organised when I was only eight years old. The song was called It’s crazy, it’s crazy, it’s crazy. It became popular in the small neighbourhood where I was from.
“Back in the day, it wasn’t that normal for a young kid to be rapping and the kids started calling me crazy at school. I added the AB and stuck with ‘crazy’ and what do you know, here I am today.” (He shared that his real name, Tumelo Dibakwane, is reserved for his family and friends.) AB added that he had been hard at work and his EP, called Gossip Folks, is set to be released soon.
“The EP features a Zimbabwean artist and a few others. I’ve already dropped an album, so an EP is much-needed now.” Because everything is moving towards digital, he feels that a hard copy won’t do as well. “I’m thinking of just dropping EPs online for a while, it’s still hip-hop and it will always be hip-hop.” A household name on the South African music scene, AB sticks to what he knows and advocates self-love.
“On my journey in this crazy space, the biggest lesson life has taught me is to just be myself and do what I want to do.” He laughed, “It doesn’t really matter, you know, like nobody cares, so just do what you gotta do.” On the international front, he hinted that there may be a single with him and Chance the Rapper on the cards.
“I’ve just started communication with an overseas artist over Twitter, he works with Chance. “Right now, I’m just trying to see how that will go because he still makes the kind of music I like. So yeah, there is a possible collaboration with Chance himself.” When he is not making music, AB loves to sit back, relax and play FIFA, his favourite soccer video game.
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