Q&A With South African Underground Hip Hop Artist Cryptkeeper

Please tell us what got you into Hip Hop?

Growing up, music was always playing at home. My Father was a huge Soul music & Blues fan.
He had a collection of with a ton of records and my mother loved gospel, she’d sing all the time.
I was basically pushed towards music at an early age, as a teenager rap became my outlet to vent.

What inspired you to become a true Hip Hop artist?

My personal struggles, life and the state of society made me choose Hip Hop because it was the only genre of music
that spoke directly.

What area of S. Africa to you rep!?

I rep the small village of Kgabalatsane, in the North West Province but also the City of Tshwane Pretoria.

How do you describe your sound?

Conscious Hip Hop mixed with bit of Alternative music.

How important is ORIGINALITY to you?

I never truely consider originality as a factor in music, I just like I have always do my best to represent me on a song and make the best music I make at that moment.

How many times have you performed outside of S. Africa?

Unfortunately I have not gotten the opportunity to perform outside but I can’t wait to do it.

South Africa!!! Please tell us how the underground Hip Hop scene is doing out there!? The US seems like its so consumed with the mainstream garbage.  Is it the same out there? Or does the South African Hip Hop fans appreciate the underground scene?

South Africa is diverse in terms of Hip Hop, from vernacular (Tswana, Zulu or others) to English rappers to purist and Trappers but ultimately there are only 3 types of Hip Hop artists (Commercial (which is a few signed guys who make pop) the Middle guys (a few semi famous guys who get respect and have ideals but still kinda act stuck up and do the occasional pop song) and everyone else is underground as in starving artists still trying to make an impact, (that’s how we they define underground here).

There are a ton of people who appreciate pure underground hip hop but the pure artist can’t depend on that as his only means of living, because the media here hasn’t grown enough to cater to those type of artists. We do get the occasional US underground who comes to do a show and they get a lot of love even Mos Def bought a home here.

Give us some background on your latest album “Bete Noire”. Any special features? Who designed the album cover?

“Bete Noire” to close to a year and half to complete, I had a ton of delays to overcome. The content was designed to be diverse. It features a couple of South Africa’s Hip Hop legends: Morale, Blaklez and Mista Maliq (of Ba4za)
also features Azurdee of the country band (Azurdee and the Blue River Band) plus some of my label mates (Rapu, Sev7n Dayz and Mollar. The Album Art was designed by Richy Blacktower of “Made You Look Good”.

How do you feel about the rise of social media and the downfall of LABELS. Seems like artists today are considering staying independent rather then getting signed? Give us your perspective on that? Any major labels located in S. Africa?

We have all the major labels minus Interscope. In South Africa the media is tilted towards labels so if you’re not signed to some degree you’ll probaly not make it for long. The in thing right now is mini majors, pure artists get to survive in those.

Any new projects your working on today, videos, projects etc.

I’m working on a follow-up project titled “The Pheanominal Angst” a more raw less catering project.
It sound more focused and if everything goes to plan it should be out early next year.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years (2022)?

The Idea was to always build my label up and music though is my 1st love, I’ve always planned to focus on giving others a break and be more on the business side of things because these new artists don’t know a publishing deal from a recording deal.

What is your definition of “underground hip hop”?

My definition has evolved through the years, I define it now as any Rap music that is not Hip Pop or Pop
just pure to its core, does not compromise for anyone. You either love it or you don’t.

Drop all your vital music links. Where can fan find you?

www.cryptkeeperza.com
twitter: @cryptonite101
facebook: www.facebook.com/cryptkeeperza or just @cryptkeeperza
instagram: @cryptkeeperza

Any Shout outs?

Shout out to @WonderNtene and @Mahmud_Mkelo my business partners and to my family!!
I could not have done this without them!!