Leshabe Mpho
Rampedi, also known as, ShabZi Madallion is a man of many wise words, a
spiritualist, a god, an artist, rapper, founder and ambassador of VENT Entertainment. He was born in KZN but his
roots are in Limpopo. He has moved around quite a number of times in his life
and now he resides in both Johannesburg and Pretoria. We linked up with him to
have a brief conversation about who he is, what he does and where he plans to
be. Here’s what went down…
Angela Nimah: Tell us about ShabZi Madallion - Who is he?
ShabZi Madallion: ShabZi Madallion is an emotional, passionate and hyper
Rap Artist. The name comprises of two different characters; one known to be
emotional and conscious and the other known to be subliminal and hyper.
ShabZi Madallion
is also a performer, a creative who expresses himself through this phenomenon
called ART.
Angela Nimah: When did your career in music start?
ShabZi Madallion: Wow. Uhm… I started writing when I was 12 years old
and for me, I take pride in the amount of years I’ve been doing this because
the reason I started is still the main reason why I write today.
I write to
express how I really feel inside in order to be free from my thoughts and my
feelings.
Angela Nimah: How would you describe your relationship with hip hop?
ShabZi Madallion: Hmmm… I think I have a very emotional relationship
with it. I say that because for me, Hip
Hop is a way to express exactly how and what you feel without worrying about
who is going to judge you.
It’s funny though
because people relate to those feelings and thoughts. But that’s the beauty of
Hip Hop (I can go as far as saying music in general), depending on your growth
as an artist you can begin sharing what is in your heart based on the fact that
you will be free from that emotion, feeling or thought (as I said above).
So the reason
why I say my relationship with Hip Hop is an emotional one is because of how
the music of different artists in this genre makes me feel. Hip Hop isn’t Hip Hop if you are not transparent, if you are not real
with yourself and your feelings and if you are not free to express.
So in one word,
my relationship with Hip Hop is emotional.
Angela Nimah: LOL. I see. - As
far as your journey in hip hop and music in general is concerned, where does
the producer element come in?
ShabZi Madallion: Ever since I started writing I realised that someday
I’d want to recite these pieces called poems. I’m a lover of music, so reciting
my lyrics acapella was never really an option for me (though I know the
effectiveness of it).
Fast forward… My
Mom got me a beat - making software, I started making beats for all the poems I
wrote. The more beats I made the better I
got at making them.
In the past few
years though, I haven’t been making as much beats as I would have liked to but
I continued writing and by then I had made a few acquaintances that were and
still are making beats for me. My focus at the moment on the producing side of
things is arrangement producing; working a lot on the placement of instruments
within a song as well as vocal arrangement.
Angela Nimah: Nice! - You seem to have done a lot of moving in
your life, from KZN, to Limpopo, to PTA, to Johannesburg. How has the shift
affected your life musically and personally?
ShabZi Madallion: I think it has had a great effect on me because it
allows me to breed more stories than I could ask for.
Personally I
think the shifts I made while growing up all came at the right time. And by
that I mean there comes a time in life
where you need to explore the next adventure in order to grow.
Angela Nimah: How are you finding the crowd or rather the people
here different from the crowd/people in your other home towns?
ShabZi Madallion: I don’t think there is a significant difference,
people who go out to live music performances are always looking for a good time
(at least most of them) so it isn’t really that hard to entertain when the
music is actually good and the people come with an open mind.
Angela Nimah: Do you ever feel the need to perform at a peak to try
to impress your crowd, your fans, and the people who love your music?
ShabZi Madallion: Nah, not at all. I remember a friend asking me “Why
don’t you have similar struggles that us artists have on stage?” and my answer
is, when I perform, a good part of me forgets that I am even performing in
front of people. That’s because most of my music requires me to be in
character, therefore, it will be hard to execute an emotion that comes from any
of my songs if I’m too focused on the people I’m performing to.
Angela Nimah: Interesting point. - How important is spirituality
when you're an artist?
ShabZi Madallion: I think it’s really important.
This journey has
been a tough one and it continues to be, but ever since I took having an
individual relationship with God seriously, it has changed most of my life, if
not all of it.
I won’t go into
too much detail but some of the struggles I’ve faced in my life as an artist
are; waiting for people to validate my talents, being insecure about my purpose
because of how it is viewed by society, living from a fearful place just
because you never want to make a mistake etc. My relationship with God changed
all that.
I no longer seek for validation from people because
God himself has affirmed me.
I have this line on one of my songs “The Observer (Part II)” that goes “…I almost let what people thought of me
design me, then I remembered I had a designer…”
I no longer
worry about what society thinks about my purpose because what I think is heavy
enough.
I no longer make decisions from a fearful place. I
practice to respond in love.
Angela Nimah: Wow! That is both beautiful and humbling. Thank you
for that, bruv. - Who are some of your best local and international EMCEES,
tell us why?
ShabZi Madallion: Locally:
Tumi - I dig
Tumi’s choice of words whenever he tries to put a point forward. I love the way
he expresses his observations of life.
Khuli Chana –
Man, this guy always has great hooks and listening to him reminds me how proud
I am to be South African. I think his music is feel good music, it somehow
brings people together.
HHP – I love
Jabba because he knows how to have fun and still remind you that he’s an emcee
at the same time.
Internationally:
Busta Rhymes –
Man, this guy has major personality on the raps and his voice just seals the
deal. His been a great influence in my music, and the reason why I have a
character called “Madallion” is because guys like him have, in a way, given us
the confidence to explore our own voices.
Lupe Fiasco – I
love the way he plays with words and still makes sense, it’s amazing how he
does that. I think Lupe has also influenced my voice a bit and has indirectly
challenged me to pick my words intentionally.
Common – What
draws me to Common is his thought-provoking material. Somehow he finds a way to
relate with my inner self that is, sometimes, hard to show.
Tupac – I love
his honesty and how he can be so emotional in his music without worrying about
what people will think of him. He’s influenced my music in a big way as well. I
love telling my stories (especially the transparent, emotional ones) confidently
because of people like Tupac.
Angela Nimah: Who or what inspires your image?
ShabZi Madallion: My image is inspired by my father and my pursuit for
my individualised identity.
I think the
biggest thing I take from my Dad is the fact that he takes pride in looking
good, good being dressed in clothing that he perceives as nice.
Angela Nimah: LOL - What are you currently listening to; let us in
into your playlist?
ShabZi Madallion:
Immortal
Technique – Revolutionary Volume 2 and The Silenced Revolution
Kanye West –
College Dropout
Hans Zimmer –
Pearl Harbour Finale, Spectres in The Fog, Lion King
FlirTini –
Heartbreaks and Promises
Angela Nimah: Buck! - What do you feel you represent in your music
within the South African landscape?
ShabZi Madallion: I think the fact that I’m an African is evident in my
content though most of it is relatable universally.
I spent most of
my life in Pretoria so in terms of representing a city in this country it would
be Pretoria. Though I don’t make the references in my music as much (if not at
all) because most of my content appeals to any individual that may relate or
agree with what I’m saying.
Angela Nimah: What is the one thing that people don't know about
Shabzi?
ShabZi Madallion: People think just because I rap it means the first
genre of music I started listening to was Hip Hop when in actual fact it was
Rhythm & Blues (RnB).
Angela Nimah: In your understanding, what makes a great artist?
ShabZi Madallion: Wow, that’s a big question. I think ones
individuality; being able to find your identifiable unique voice, being able to
relay your music to the people from the stage (Performing), being able to
inform and entertain without having to compromise yourself too much, having and
telling your own true story and of course self-confidence.
Angela Nimah: Nice! - Tell us more about your EP The “Mad Lion” :)
The “MAD LION”
EP consists of 5 tracks;
1.
Unique
(Acapella)
2.
Mad
Lion
3.
My
Life
4.
Red
Sea
5.
Tongues
& Spiritual Things
I recently
released the first single to my EP “Mad Lion” which really describes the crazy
side of ShabZi Madallion, being Madallion. It also implies that I have
something unique to offer to the people.
I’d love to get
into the other songs but I’ll rather release the EP and let everyone gain their
own perspective of the songs.
Angela Nimah: :) okay - Who are you looking to work with and what are
your future plans?
ShabZi Madallion: I currently have a circle of individuals I work with
on a regular basis, being;
Matala “MaTayda”
Maranyane – Producer/Artist (Lesotho)
Nicholas “Big
Nic” Mills – Producer/Videographer (Johannesburg, RSA)
Wandile “ONE_ZA”
Mathe – Songwriter/Artist (Johannesburg, RSA)
Mogomotsi
“Z_lus” Ntsimane – Artist (Pretoria, RSA)
There are more
people I work with inconsistently but the list would be longer.
I look forward
to working with Producers and Songwriters from France, Poland and Cape Town. I
will not reveal their names as yet but I will as soon as the EP reaches the
goals I have set for it.
Angela Nimah: Nice. We love that! - Where can people find you?
ShabZi Madallion:
Twitter -
@ShabZiMadallion
Facebook –
ShabZi Madallion
SoundCloud – www.soundcloud.com/ShabZi-Madallion
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