Now Reading: Roiii Reflects on K.O’s One Man Show and His Impact on Him and SA Hip Hop
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Roiii Reflects on K.O’s One Man Show and His Impact on Him and SA Hip Hop
Roiii took to social media to publicly honour K.O after the rapper’s recent solo show, describing him as a key influence on his own career and a defining figure in South Africa’s hip hop scene.
According to Roiii, K.O was the only person “in the history of roiii” who “took a chance on a Jit from Pitori,” investing time, resources and his own finances to help Roiii grow from a fledgling talent into a polished artist. Roiii credited K.O with giving him not only a break but mentorship, direction and support in a highly competitive industry, writing, “The only many in history of roiii who took a chance on a Jit from Pitori. Put in his time, effort, resources, and his own dime to polish a lil VV into a VVS.”
Roiii also spoke about attending K.O’s solo show, noting that the performance revealed a side of K.O he had not seen in years and evoked memories of their early days. “The stone cold chin checker I saw at my first freshers” referred to a younger version of K.O and left a strong impression. Roiii described how he and Zingah stood at the front of the crowd conducting as though they were part of a choir, writing, “Had me and my brother Zingah conducting in the front of crowd like we were part of the Republic choir.”
Beyond music, K.O extended his influence through entrepreneurship. He co founded Cashtime Life and later established Skhanda World, ventures that combined music, fashion and artist development and provided platforms for emerging talent.
Roiii’s tribute after the show underscores the lasting impact K.O has had on individual artists and the broader trajectory of South African hip hop. By calling K.O “Pops” and crediting him for giving a shot to a young artist from Pretoria, Roiii reaffirmed the importance of mentorship, support and investing in emerging voices, writing, “I can’t overstate how important this brother is. Not just to me, but to my Skhandaworld, Cashtime & Teargas brothers… and most importantly, to South Africa.”
Roiii ended his message simply: “Luv ya Pops, Still that nigga! last born.” In doing so, he echoed the respect and gratitude many in the hip hop community feel toward K.O, a veteran whose career spans group success with Teargas, solo triumphs and a legacy of nurturing the next generation through Skhanda World.
