You’ve heard about them or seen them on stage… They've been shown love and brought out by the likes of A-Reece and Sjava in their own shows. 

By now, you’ve heard at least one song and most likely got blown away. If not their music, then the Qwellers name has at least made it under the rock you could be living under. 

The Qwellers, one of the most exciting South African Hip-Hop crews out now, consists of 10 members who are all solo artists in their own rights. All but one of them hail from Kwazulu-Natal and they merge that wordplay-driven style of rapping synonymous to quintessential KZN rap with that trap swagger and other styles of music. 

The Qwellers dropped their first group EP, SUPA BHEXEZA, in December 2023 and had been standing on business before that and still continue to do so, consistently dropping projects, singles and music videos at such a high rate, it’s hard to keep up. 

Two weeks ago, the Qwellers had just moved into their new place in Newtown in Joburg, and we got the opportunity to put names and stories to the faces and got to know what makes them tick individually and as a crew. 

Meet the 10 men who are making a lot of noise in the streets right now, meet the Qwellers:

Yungboyvegeta 

(Artist, producer)

Hometown: Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal

When did you become a Qweller?

It was late last year, early August. 

How would you describe The Qwellers?

I’d describe The Qwellers as a Hip-Hop movement that’s making Hip-Hop music in a more native manner. Like, we’re tryna put our culture, South African culture into the music.

What does being a Qweller mean to you? 

Being a Qweller means representing the youth, doing it for the youth and SA Hip-Hop culture. 

IG: @yungboyvegeta

Blue Pappi

(Rapper, singer, songwriter, plays keys)

Hometown: Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal

When did you become a Qweller? 

I was actually one of the first Qwellers I think by June last year.

How would you describe The Qwellers?  

We’re just a group of, I don’t know if I’d say rebels, but we just move the way we want to. We’re a group of 10 artists. We make fire music. We pioneer a lot of styles also, we’re just tryna find our own style. We pioneering a lot of things and we’re different creatives. I’m more soulful, most of the guys are more hard. We’re just a group of boys from KZN, dawg, that are making fire music.

What does being a Qweller mean to you? 

We were never like, ‘yo dawg, let’s become The Qwellers and move like this’… It’s something that we just picked up. Everybody just started calling us The Qwellers… and we were like, fuck it, let’s just be The Qwellers. 

Then we just kind of decided who The Qwellers are based off people who have been here the longest, people who have invested for the longest, and it turned out to be 10 of us, and obviously we have management. So, yeah, it means so much to be a Qweller, dawg, it means the world. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

IG: @blue_pappi 

Skatle 

(Producer)

Hometown: Bloemfontein, Free State

When did you become a Qweller? 

I became a Qweller I think 2021 when I produced my first placement.

How would you describe  The Qwellers?

The Qwellers is a group of talent that has never been seen before. Even me, every time the bros hop on the mic, I get amazed ’cause I’ve never seen this; I’ve never heard it. So it’s the freshest sound, everything is fresh.

What does being a Qweller mean to you? 

It means everything because I sacrificed my whole life to be a Qweller. 

IG: @skatle____ 

 

Fanaticalb3ing

(Artist and producer)

Hometown:  Empangeni, Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal

When did you become a Qweller?

Maybe six months ago, because we just linked up last year most of us, and we got to know each other.

How would you describe The Qwellers? 

Very humble niggas. They’re just about being real and honest. Tryna move forward and be progressive and stuff.

What does being a Qweller mean to you? 

Chase your dreams, man. Don’t mind anything else ’cause that’s how I felt when I was introduced to the group. Just chase your dreams and focus on that, regardless of anything that might happen, you just focus on your goals.

IG: @fanaticalb3ing 

GVNT

(producer, engineer)

Hometown: Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal

How long have you been a Qweller? 

I could say maybe it’s two years back ’cause I’ve been doing it with my brothers LaCabra and Lowfeye, so when they got co-signed by Dr Peppa, I was also there.

How would you describe The Qwellers? 

It’s a movement of everything involving the creative culture like photography, videography, music, production… all of that. Even though we say we’re The Qwellers as musical broers, we also have people that do other things. 

What does being a Qweller mean to you? 

Being a Qweller just means bhexeza, mfethu. Bhexeza hard. Bayazi abaziyo (laughs).

IG: @gvnt__ 

 

LaCabra aka LaQhaSha

(Artist)

Hometown: Durban and Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal

When did you become a Qweller? 

Early 2020. 

How would you describe The Qwellers? 

I would describe The Qwellers as a crew based on energy, uyabona? We’re just people who spaan based on energy. It wasn’t planned [to become] The Qwellers, it’s just something that happened out of energy.

What does being a Qweller mean to you? 

It means the world, it saved my life, uyang’thola? I appreciate these niggas so much, uyang’thola? Came through at the right time. 

IG: @_lacabra.ww 

Lowfeye

(Artist) 

Hometown: Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal

When did you become a Qweller? 

The Qwellers movement started last year. Iqale by me and LaCabra. So, since the beginning of The Qwellers, I’ve been a Qweller. I think in 2022.

How would you describe The Qwellers? 

The Qwellers, mfethu, is a movement of dope musicians, artists, creatives nje ngingasho kanjalo. We all somehow from KZN, only one guy is from eFree State. Sihlanganiswe by dope music, uyabo.

What does being a Qweller mean to you? 

I feel like [it means] “misunderstood” in a way, “misfit” in a way. Umuntu onganeli nje in society. Creativity or any skill that you have enga understandwa in society. For all nje ama-misfit, if you need a place where you can belong, definitely uyiQweller, yabo. That’s why we started the whole thing.

IG: @lowfeye__ 

Sastii

(Rapper)

Hometown: Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal 

When did you become a Qweller? 

I think officially I became a Qweller last year, but I’ve always been a Qweller.

How would you describe The Qwellers?

The Qwellers are dope, saucy. They have a big vision and they’re all about inspiring the youth.

What does being a Qweller mean to you? 

It means being true to myself. Like, just going out there and just doing what I love and just showing people ukuthi I’m a Qweller and qwelling it, uyabona.

 

C-Side Boyz (Da Hood Hope & Jepedoh)

IG: @cside_boy

Da Hood Hope

(Artist and producer)

Hometown: Clermont, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal 

When did you become a Qweller?

We officially became Qwellers last year.

How would you describe The Qwellers?

I would describe Qwellers as a movement first of all. We are young, innovative visionaries. And, we’re about to make history.

What does being a Qweller mean to you? 

Being a Qweller to me means that we’re given the privilege to become the leaders of the new wave. It means the world to me, being part of such a family. It’s more than just a bunch of people rapping, it’s more like a family. It feels like a brotherhood, it feels natural, it feels right.

IG: @dahoodhope 

Jepedoh

(Artist)

 

Hometown: Clermont, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

How would you describe The Qwellers? 

I feel like we’re the Zulu nation of Wu-Tang Clan (laughs). Ithina iWu Tang entsha, bafethu. We’re the hottest out here. It’s more than just a rap group, there’s brotherhood in this movement. We see a lot of people, a lot of young kids out there, they wanna be heard. So, we’re giving each other that platform ukuthi, yo let’s get out there, let’s let them know what we’re about.

What does being a Qweller mean to you? 

It’s a brotherhood, I found a family… Qwel it… Qwellers family.

IG: @iqhawe_le_lokishi