Flex Boogie Maftown Heights Interview
Most rappers stumble upon their penchant for words as early teens rhyming along to their favourite MC. But for Hakeem “Flexboogie” Lesolang it was something he inherited. With drummer for a father and an uncle who told stories that kept the whole family awake till early morning hours, he almost had no choice.
Growing up in Madidi, a remote village in the North West province of South Africa, he keenly listened to the fascinating stories his uncle orated in his home language of Setswana. The same uncle introduced him to his hip-hop cassettes at age 9 and Flex hasn’t dropped his pen and pad since. Flex Boogie is now known as one of South Africa’s most engaging Hip Hop artists on stage and on one wax delivering stellar Motswako lyrics coupled with a beautiful insight into a mind of a growing black creative on the cusp of realising all of his dreams.
With a wonderful background in the South African arts and boasting a great collaborations roster with the cream of the country’s crop, FlexBoogie is poised in prime position to rival any artist when it comes to presentation, energetic live performance and his amazing knack to entertain and capture the attention of any listener at ear’s distance.
What do you think is the relevance of indigenous language in giving African Hip Hop a unique, exportable identity?
Indigenous language for me adds flavor to Hip Hop, some might argue that it limits the rapper in terms of reach but I’ve seen perfectly executed music transcend language barriers and I feel like the mix of languages makes an artist that much more interesting to his growing fan base.
What are you looking forward to the most about performing at Maftown Heights this year?
I just honestly want to entertain people. That’s my life’s calling and Maftown Heights is one of those stages one looks forward to give a statement performance. We’ll see how it gets received but I’ve gotten much better since last year.
Why should people come see you at Maftown Heights this year and what can they expect?
A sartorial gent in a crown fedora. Hahaha. Well, if my set is extended like I hope it is, then, I’ll give people one of the liveliest shows I’ve ever given. People can expect greatness from The Lord Boogie. Plain & Simple. We are on the Up &uP.
Connect With Flex Boogie
Facebook: http://facebook.com/flexboogieSA
Twitter: @FlexBoogieSA
Tumblr: http://everythingboogie.tumblr.com
