Bigstar Johnson: Taking the rap and getting closer to God

The big and bold, born-and-bred Kempton Park rapper, Bigstar Johnson, opens up about his lockdown blues, sucking at life and “the things we don’t talk about enough”.

Tumelo Rakumako, 29, better known as Bigstar Johnson in the South African hip-hop industry, boasts an impressive 66 000 followers on Facebook and nearly 40 000 followers on Instagram.

“In the eyes of the world I was great, but I was sucking in real life,” he said. “But now I am back, stronger and fresher than ever.”

Rakumako said he had to gain back his confidence because he felt he wasn’t being a good son or father. For the past two years, he has been focusing on raising his baby girl, Aaliyah.

“A lot of men, especially African men, have no idea how to show affection and I had to learn it. Men run away, but I took the path to stay.”

He said after he split with his “baby mama” they had to figure out how to coparent. “People don’t talk about this stuff.”

The name Bigstar Johnson came about in high school, when he was already known as Bigstar, but he made a rap about Selena Johnson and the nickname stuck.

“For me, music started a long time ago, in primary school.”

He rapped in the school’s talent show and won, remembering: “When I won, I knew I was hot.”

Rakumako refuses to perform the winning rap and gets shy when he explains it was inspired by the song Greased Lightning.

In primary school, he learned to play the drums and in high school, pretended to play the guitar.

Rakumako was always the ladies’ man, the big cuddly guy who every girl wanted to hug, but also friend-zone.

“The chick’s dug that I walked around with a guitar the whole time.”

Today, he also plays the bass guitar and the piano, but “I love playing the drums, it’s a process where you disconnect your left foot from your left arm”.

He said he did try his hand – or rather his foot – at sport in school but quickly realised it was not for him. He is, however, a die-hard Manchester United fan, even when they are having a tough time.

After school, Rakumako obtained a degree in media and communication in 2015 at Monash.

Bigstar Johnson speaks to The Citizen at Cappelo in Kempton Park, 16 December 2020. Picture: Neil McCartney

He has always been passionate about writing and loves languages. “I can talk English and Setswana and a little bit of Zulu and Afrikaans.”

He also worked at the Kempton Community Theatre for three years and even played in Hamlet.

It was only at university, when he played drums in a band for Lilly Million, that he realised his dream of performing.

“I remember thinking, I am now the guy at the back, but I could be the one in front.”

He first had to get through the insecurities about his weight, to accept himself and love himself.

“That’s a real thing and people don’t talk about that enough, loving and taking care of yourself.”

He broke into the entertainment industry in 2016 when he won the competition The Hustle on Vuzu.

Rakumako also has a music school, Blue Note Academy, and an exclusive clothing range, Cheese Burger.

“People keep asking me, why Cheese Burger – why not?”

Before he is an artist, designer or entrepreneur, he is a father, though: “They can keep the fame and all, I live for her. When I became a father, I became more conscious of my choices and the impact of my choices.”

During the lockdown he fasted, sometimes for five days in a row and “each time I felt closer to God and I got closure on a lot of past traumas”.

Focusing on his music has helped because “my music is truth-based, mixed with good times and struggles, it’s real life”.

Rakumako is currently working on his third project, which is due for release next year.

“I remember a time when I only had something like 100 followers on Twitter.

“Today I see myself having a million followers.”

– news@citzen.co.za

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