Tuks Senganga Interview

Tuks also known as Tuks Senganga by many continues to pave way for a lot of Setswana rap artists. The Motswako rapper has had successful hits since his career took off in 2005. His debut album Mafoko A Me earned him an award at the SAMA’s for Best Hip Hop Album in 2005. Amongst his many achievements Tuks won at the Metro’s and The Hype awards. His substance defines his success. Laid back, analytical and very expressive, Tuks is the type of guy you would most definitely want to have a conversation with. On our Q & A with Tuks he shares his sentiments on piracy, the challenges the youth of South Africa are facing, the extent of which unemployment is a major concern among the youth, his love for music, his zest for rich lyrical content, his marriage, cars, local favourite musicians, the extent of which fame has changed his life and his forthcoming album called Footprints.

YV: Who is Tuks Senganga?

TUKS: Tuks is an entertainer, an mc, a rapper, a vernacular hip hop artist from Mafikeng Northwest.

YV: How did your love for music come about?

TUKS: I grew up as a very quiet person and I found myself drawn to hip hop because it’s a safe way to express myself.

YV: What makes Tuks unique from other artists out there?

TUKS: I write from the heart. I am driven by how I feel, by topics that really touch my soul and experiences that have the possibilities of changing my life. I put my opinions as truthfully as I can on an album or song.

YV: Do your albums differ in a way?

TUKS: My albums are never the same, they differ tremendously. Mafoko A Me was an album I did explaining my life experience up to the point i started recording Mafoko A Me. MC Prayer was a celebration of what God had done for me and my appreciation of the love the community had given me and the general acceptance nationwide and soon to be the world. Monopoly was a political album. The album was a concept so every song on the album fitted well to the overall concept of the album. Now I’m about to release my 4th album called Footprints. As a human being you have travelled your path and this is me celebrating mine. I worked with a lot of people and I have a lady from Brooklyn on a track called Love Angel. I also featured HHP and other musicians. The album is very diverse.

TUKS: Bona Fela was a song I made to project my feelings towards the negativity I went through after my hiatus. After I released monopoly I went quiet people didn’t see much of Tuks on TV. I disappeared from radio, people were not hearing my songs because of the content that I had put out. The subject matter on Monopoly put me in a space where Iwas restricted from certain radio stations and shows. Bona Fela is basically me saying I must be doing something so right that in my absence people still speculate about my whereabouts and just letting people know that throughout this negative staff I have been able to keep my head up.

TUKS: I started rapping in Setswana and it is nice rapping in Setswana. Not that I cannot rap in English but I prefer rapping in Setswana. You get a more immediate reaction from the people you are rapping for. Besides there are so many things said and done in English. It has colonized the world and Setswana is a dying language so someone needs to keep the language alive and us as artists its our responsibility to preserve the language.

YV: How has hip hop evolved over the past decade?

TUKS: Hip Hop has evolved. I think the level of acceptance is high and people tolerate Hip Hop even more.

YV: What are some of the challenges you face daily in the music industry?

TUKS: The challenges are the fans, the followers are so hard to please and now I think it’s because of social networks. The world has become smaller and you cannot be taken seriously if you cannot even speak to your fans. Back in the days a superstar was a superstar, Nowadays fans ask you to follow them. They send you messages on facebook if you don’t respond they demand responses. Back in the days a super star was a superstar, we always saw them from a distance.

YV: What other career would you have pursued if you weren’t a rap artist?

TUKS: I would have been in the arts still, but just fine arts. Graphic design, Multimedia because that’s what I studied.

YV: What are your sentiments with regards to Piracy?

TUKS: Piracy is necessary because for a while the recording fraternity was becoming too comfortable in the way they were marketing their music. With Piracy you create a demand, hype and buzz with your song or album. Most people who also sell pirated CDs are usually unemployed people so as much as Piracy is not right but I think it’s better someone try make a living by selling a CD than hijack me or steal my possessions.

YV: Which musician do you look up to for inspiration?

TUKS: I look up to personalities like Cyril Ramaphosa and Steve Biko.

YV: Who is your favourite artist, Locally and Internationally?

TUKS: Internationally I look up to Mos Def, KRS 1 and Nas. Locally, Hugh Masekela, Brenda Fassie and Zonke, she is amazing she puts out a proper song.

YV: Any artist you would like to collaborate with in the future?

TUKS: Zonke

YV: What is the biggest challenge you feel the youth is facing today?

TUKS: Ignorance mixed with arrogance, knowing it all. Drugs and Party life. The youth knows it all. Schools are also not good and teachers are not teaching well. Most young people tend to be very negative.

YV: What steps do you think can be taken in solving that challenge?

TUKS: Honestly speaking, If it was made cool to be a teacher again we would have more qualified teachers at school because education is all about teachers. Teachers play an important role. If government would make the teachers work easy, everything will be easy.

YV: Has fame changed your life? If so tell us how?

TUKS: Yes it did, it changed the people around me. Most importantly I have become more focused because fame can go away any time. Fame can change a person for the good or for the bad.

YV: Are you reading anything at the moment?

TUKS: No. I was reading a novel called Next last year. It’s a thriller and fiction. I am most likely to read something politically later on.

YV: What does Tuks do for fun?

TUKS: Nothing. I like quiet places like farms. When I have time I go to a farm in Mafikeng and just relax.

YV: We heard you are married. Is it true?

TUKS: Yes (laughs)

YV: Which car are you driving? Do you have a dream car?

TUKS: I drive a BMW, Renault and an Audi. I am not a dream car person, a car is a car. A car should just have a function. I dont see a reason why we need to have expensive cars in South Africa. The function of a car should not be to show it off.

YV: What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

TUKS: There’s a lot. Winning the Metro’s, the SAMA’s, The Hype awards, and going to London late last year, going to Malaysia  and submitting my latest single to Highveld Stereo.

YV: What advice do you have for young people out there and upcoming rap artists?

TUKS: Stay focused. Be real, know your dreams and goals. Choose your friends and associates carefull