Latest news with #NastyC
News24
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
‘If it doesn't feel authentic, I don't do it,' Lawrence Maleka on his career journey
We caught up with actor Lawrence Maleka. His role in The River won the hearts of many South Africans. He has since hosted shows like Big Brother and many high profile events. He is now set to host Friends of Amstel: The Challenge. ____________________________________________________ He captivated fans in The River, then light up Netflix in Lobola Man, a refreshing and humorous take that reimages the traditions of lobola in a modern world. Now, as Friends of Amstel returns for its highly anticipated second season, we catch up with Lawrence Maleka to dive into everything he's been up to since we last spoke, from career highlights to creative evolution. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lawrence Maleka (@sirlawrencemaleka) Stepping into the world of Friends of Amstel: The Challenge 'I think the biggest thing about is that it's more about community than anything else. Everything else is just an excuse for everyone to hang out with one another. Once you start watching the show and get engulfed in it, you're there for the personalities,' he shares excitedly. Lawrence returns to host the second season of Friends of Amstel: The Challenge, premiering 14 June 2025, on eTV. The show features prominent South African music stars like DJ Tira, Makhadzi and Nasty C, alongside DJs LKG and Lamiez Holworthy. This South African reality competition where musicians and fans battle with their friends in music and friendship challenges. It's an opportunity for viewers to get to see a different side of the celebrities they look up to. 'I think Friends of Amstel brings South Africans into a world where everybody is having fun and we're just competing against each other. This format of the show is definitely one that South Africans resonate with, seeing that it's back by popular demand.' Lawrence notes that it will be an energetic celebration of South African music culture, friendship bonds and entertainment with unpredictable twists and exciting personalities. Reflections on previous projects The actor is no stranger to delivering powerful performances, and his portrayal of Ace Ngubeni in Lobola Man stands out as one of the highlights of his career. 'As people, as Africans, as South Africans, we have a rich culture and history that sets us apart from the rest of the world. This is one of those customs and traditions that we engage in – the bringing of two families together, breaking bread, and celebration of ancestry,' he shares. When he was first called for the show, he thought he could do it and it was a no brainer for him. READ MORE | Colleagues bid Lawrence Maleka farewell as he closes his chapter on The River - 'Thank you for giving us Zolani' With the director Tamang Mulea and Kat Reti from Burnt Onion Productions, their reunion as people who worked together when they were much younger was something he enjoyed. The actor says he has been blessed to work with industry peers and people he considers friends. Even as he only agrees to scripts he feels a particular connection to, he's had moments where he was able to feed off other actors in the their acting spaces. A message he sends to the younger version of himself 'Well done. It's going to be a very rough road. It's going to be a very challenging road. You've done well in picking the individuals you want around you. You've done well in making the hard choices early. And everything you're going through right now is temporary.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lawrence Maleka (@sirlawrencemaleka)
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Bravo Le Roux opens up about his struggle with depression and near-exit from the music scene
Bravo Le Roux has opened up about his turbulent journey through depression, a struggle that brought him perilously close to abandoning the music industry altogether. Image: Shoot Your Shot South African hip hop artist Bravo Le Roux, whose real name is Sinesipho Peter, has opened up about his turbulent journey through depression, a struggle that brought him perilously close to abandoning the music industry altogether. Speaking candidly on Okay Swisher's 'Swisher Show' podcast, Le Roux shared how he confronted profound challenges that nearly extinguished his passion for music. Le Roux, a musical star from Khayelitsha, Cape Town, described a crucial moment in his career - the opportunity to open for acclaimed rapper Nasty C's Ivyson Tour in Cape Town. This chance should have filled him with excitement and joy. Instead, he faced a grim reality behind the scenes. 'At the time, I told myself I'm not doing music anymore. Like I'm done with this thing,' Le Roux confessed. His battle was not just with performance anxiety; it stemmed from deep-seated emotional turmoil linked to his health struggles and an overwhelming sense of disappointment about not living up to familial expectations. Just before this opportunity, Le Roux had been recovering from severe health issues, including depression and meningitis, specifically brain TB. Witnessing his peers embrace conventional life paths while navigating the demanding pursuit of a music career left Le Roux feeling despondent due to relentless pressure. 'I believed not listening to my parents was one of the reasons I was depressed,' he revealed. 'I wanted this art thing to work so badly… and I can see at home that it hurts them. So it just messed with me heavily.' In a moment of despair, he started to inform friends of his decision to quit music, feeling as though he had hit a wall with nothing left to give. However, fate took a different turn when he received an unexpected call inviting him to perform at Nasty C's event. The irony was not lost on him: 'I said, 'I'm just gonna do that and I'm out.'' Following the show, emotions surged as he anticipated a further chance to connect with Nasty C during a session at Red Bull Studios. But after faltering attempts to reach out to the organising team, the weight of lost opportunities led to a realisation. 'By the end of the night, I was like, 'Yo, I've burnt all the bridges, and this is the only thing I have - so I might just as well make it work.'' While he has yet to meet Nasty C in person, this chaotic episode became a blessing in disguise, serving as a defining turning point that steered him back on track. Laughing about it now, he said, 'I still haven't met Nasty C yet, but I'm winning, at least.' Le Roux has carved out a niche in the competitive music landscape, collaborating with several local artists, including Phantom Steeze and YoungstaCPT. His partnership with YoungstaCPT on the track 'Yabo?!' has not only enriched his artistic depth but has also fostered mutual respect grounded in their shared dedication to craft.
IOL News
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Nasty C's 'Psychic': a bold leap into musical independence
Rapper Nasty C kicks off a bold new chapter in his career with the release of 'Psychic', his first official single under his independent label, Tall Racks Records. Image: Instagram South African rapper Nasty C has marked a pivotal moment in his career. The rapper has launched his new song, 'Psychic', the first single under his independent label, Tall Racks Records. For Nasty C, the track is not just a musical offering but represents an evolution for him as he transitions from chart-topping sensation to a fully-fledged music executive, stepping into creative control and claiming ownership of his artistry. Following the excitement generated by his 2024 collaborative EP "Confuse The Enemy" with Lekaa Beats, Nasty C enters this new chapter with a clear and confident voice. "Psychic" opens with an evocative, gritty bassline, infusing captivating trumpet elements that seamlessly lead into an infectious hook, showcasing Nasty C's signature vocals. The track immediately sets a bold tone, signalling the artist's relentless passion and creativity. According to a statement, the core of the song is laden with reflective lyrics that address the many hardships, hate and challenges Nasty C has faced throughout his journey. It articulates how these struggles have fuelled his drive and commitment, transforming adversities into potent sources of inspiration. The core message? "Life won't hand you anything on a silver platter. You've got to put yourself out there, trust your vision, and build the right support system to weather the tough times. Success, after all, is rooted in knowing who you are and refusing to lose yourself to fleeting challenges," read the statement. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ More than just a track, "Psychic" is a message to his younger self, and to anyone bold enough to bet on their dreams. "It's a reminder that we each have an inner vision; we're all 'psychics' of our own destinies." Taking to Instagram, Nasty C shared a video on how he went about putting together the beats and vocals. In the second part of the video, he said: "I asked my boy Tellaman to replay some of the horns for me. Shout out to Tellaman. He replayed some stuff for me and added a couple of notes in there and made it a bit more interesting ... "He definitely has better plugins than me ... I hope you listen to it, I hope you checked it out ... I can't wait to perform it again, man. I recently performed it for the very first time in Zimbabwe." Earlier this year, Nasty C made history by becoming the first South African hip hop solo artist to surpass 100 million streams on Spotify, a milestone that highlights the growing influence of SA hip hop. Nasty C led with over 1.5 million monthly listeners. With hits like "Zulu Man" and the recent "Prosper in Peace", he's not only dominating locally but making his mark internationally, proving SA hip-hop has global appeal.
