Latest news with #SweeterSuccess
IOL News
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
ZULO's new EP 'Z' - a heartfelt love letter to South Africa's enduring spirit
South African rapper ZULO makes a bold comeback with 'Z', a punchy three-track EP that delivers beyond its brief runtime. Image: Supplied South African rapper and cultural commentator ZULO has made a striking return to the music scene with the release of 'Z', a tightly constructed three-track EP that packs far more than its brief runtime suggests. Blending elements of faith, cultural homage and hard-earned resilience, 'Z' is a deeply personal and political work - an introspective yet explosive project that sees ZULO claiming his place as a fully formed, unapologetic voice in South African hip hop. At first glance, the EP might seem minimal in scale, but its emotional and sonic impact is anything but. Each track is a meticulously crafted chapter in a larger story of identity, legacy, and survival. With this project, ZULO distils his years of growth - both personal and artistic - into a clear and commanding sound that is equal parts bold, vulnerable and proudly rooted in his South African upbringing. Anchoring the project is the lead single, 'Sweeter Success', a rhythmically rich, Afrobeats-inspired anthem that carries the warm glow of nostalgia. Built around a shimmering sample of UPZ's timeless 'Pure Surprise', the song captures a feeling many South Africans know well - that moment when a familiar tune cuts through the noise and anchors you to a place, a memory, a people. 'The fact that you can go to every event in the country and the DJ always drops 'Pure Surprise', that's culture,' says ZULO. 'I needed that feeling. I needed them to feel a memory when listening to this song. It's a cheat code.' At first glance, "Z" might seem minimal in scale, but its emotional and sonic impact is anything but. Image: Supplied But beneath the track's soulful bounce and catchy melodies lies something more complex. 'Sweeter Success' confronts the often-unseen emotional cost of ambition - the burnout, the sacrifice, the endless grind. Produced by ZULO himself, with contributions from Miglow and SpiceDrums, the song balances light and darkness, triumph and tension. It's both a celebration and a cry for help. The EP opens with 'God's Armour', a commanding track that blends gospel undertones with the grit of trap drums and brass instrumentation. It's a protest song - raw, righteous and rooted in spiritual resistance. ZULO isn't just rapping here; he's bearing witness, channelling divine protection while standing firmly in defiance of societal pressures and inner demons. The closing track, 'Spaan', brings the project full circle, diving into SA's unhealed wounds. Sampling Kamazu and laced with a gritty sonic palette, the song touches on the realities of addiction, generational poverty and post-apartheid disillusionment - all through the lens of Coloured South African identity. It's a fearless reckoning with the past and present, told from the perspective of someone who's lived both. 'These songs are battle cries and war journals,' ZULO explains. ''Z' is everything I've fought through to stand where I am. It's my truth. It's my fingerprint.' ZULO's musical journey began early. Born and raised in Johannesburg, he first gained attention in high school under the moniker Lil Trix, releasing no fewer than eight mixtapes before matriculating. His early work earned him radio airplay on YFM and 5FM, as well as a finalist spot on Channel O's 'ShizNiz: King of the Mixtape' - a rite of passage for many rising local hip hop stars. But as he matured, so did his artistry. Shedding the Lil Trix name, ZULO emerged with a more refined vision - one that prioritises substance over flash, and legacy over virality. His rebrand marked not only a change in name but a full creative rebirth. With this new identity, he has consistently delivered music that fuses personal narrative with cultural commentary, earning him respect as both a lyricist and a visionary. Recent singles like 'Adawise', 'JOL', 'Garden', and 'Smaak To Love (Lamza)' laid the foundation for 'Z', offering glimpses of his sonic versatility.
TimesLIVE
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
Rapper Zulo samples UPZ's nostalgic hit 'Pure Surprise' as he makes a musical comeback
Three years after releasing his debut EPO rapper Zulo has made a comeback, releasing a three-track EP which fuses faith, fire and cultural pride. Compact but powerful, the project distils his evolution into a refined sound that's bold, emotional and distinctly South African. The lead single, Sweeter Success, samples UPZ's iconic Pure Surprise where he explores the emotional cost of ambition, the toll of always pushing for more. 'It's more of a single pack than an EP, it's three songs. I go deeper into identity and cultural pride, which is a big part of my music. I think I'm just telling my story. A South African story. A story the world doesn't quite understand yet, so we need to correct the discourse of what it means to be South African. These three songs are battle cries and war journals. They're declarations of power. 'I'm always gonna make the best music. It's just about making everybody happy. Every release feels like a huge shift for me and it's always a level up. You're only as good as your last release so I never want to drop the ball, you know. I want this one to be huge jump up.'
