[Q&A] ‘The Tswyza Show’ Partners With Telkom: “SA Hip-Hop Is On The Up And Up Again”

While the podcast scene is infamous for controversy as guests and hosts are always spilling the tea, ‘The Tswyza Show’ is known for its creativity and high entertainment value. No clickbait, no bullshit. 

And, it’s not just the people who are loving it. Recently, Telkom announced a partnership with ‘The Tswyza Show’. 

“‘The Tswyza Show’ is an exciting platform that combines music and conversation to highlight the stories and experiences of artists within the hip-hop community. We are proud to support a show that speaks directly to the youth, offering them both entertainment and insight into the world of Hip-Hop,” said Ms Gugu Mthembu, Chief Marketing Officer at Telkom. “At Telkom, we believe in supporting creators and innovators who are shaping the future, and ‘The Tswyza Show’ embodies that spirit.”

If you’ve been living under a rock, ‘The Tswyza Show’ is a new podcast created by actor, artist, and content creator, Tswyza. 

The show sees the host and his rapper guest — so far, Kane Keid, PDot O, Pitch Black Afro, N’Veigh, iFani. etc —go back and forth rapping in interview format; he calls it “conversational flow”. 

Read our interview with Tswyza about partnering with Telkom, brining “the real Hip-Hop” back, future plans, and more. 

Tell us about your partnership with Telkom. 

It’s interesting times, it’s exciting times. Telkom reached out to us because of the innovative way we host conversations because of this lyrical art form. They’ve never seen something like that, I’ve never seen something like that. The cool factor about it and because the demographics range from people who are Hip-Hop listeners and non-Hip-Hop listeners because it’s an interesting format. And yeah, I guess it’s just excitement and I can’t wait to see what else we can partner up with towards the future. We’re humbled, I’m very humbled because a credible brand like Telkom reached out to us. 

What does a partnership like this mean for SA Hip-Hop and media right now? 

It means Hip-Hop is on the up and up again. From being in a coma, it’s now resuscitated. And now it says to brands and to Hip-Hop that we can work in unison, we can come up with creative innovative ideas so brands can actually speak to their subscribers, speak to their customers on the customer’s level. As opposed to being preachy and traditional about their marketing and trying to reach out to their customers and clientele. Now they can use mediums like music, like podcasts… Innovative ways of reaching that clientele and creating fun again when it comes to marketing, when it comes to campaigns and advertising. The fun factor.

Your show is fun and exciting. Can you tell us about the work that goes into producing an episode? 

It’s really exciting and fun. It’s dope to see artists in their element. Everybody goes to an interview being asked the same question, you can’t run away from that but having their audience and them answering you in the best way they know how, which is their artistry is the best , fun aspect of it. As far as how it’s put together, it’s a production.

It feels like you are bringing back the fun element into Hip-Hop with your podcast. What inspired the idea of the show? 

Hip-Hop always has an evolution, always has growth but with where Hip-Hop was going, it felt like it lacked intellect, it lacked comedy, it lacked the conversational aspect, it lacked reflection and depth. I am an 80s’ baby and I prescribe  to things that have fun, that have puns, punchlines and meaning as opposed to this Trap style of nonsensical Hip-Hop, where mostly the beat is doper than the artist. We definitely bringing back that Hip-Hop. I’ve got a consortium of groups that do cyphers, I’ve got a consortium of underground rappers that also want to be seen. We definitely running a movement and it’s beautiful that people are actually subscribing to it, commenting to it, viewing it. So cheers to Hip-Hop coming back, the real Hip-Hop.

What’s in store for ‘The Tswyza Show’? 

Look out for the Tswyza Show Festival which is going to be a show where all the artists from season 1 and, hopefully, season 2 by the time we get there, will feature on stage. So, all the likeminded people who enjoy our brand of Hip-Hop and the supporters and guests of the show will get to get that entertainment. Unfiltered, beautiful, straight up Hip-Hop from DJs to the dancing to the fashion and the lyricism. We planning on running some competitions. I can’t tell you too much about that but I will inform you when the time is right.

Another facet of the Tsywza Show is to get it on radio, number one. The audio side of it. Obviously, after season 1 is concluded. That’s 13 artists. It will be available on digital platforms, your Spotify podcasts and so forth. 

Subscribe to The Tswyza Show on YouTube.