'The trick is to constantly introduce yourself to the game until it remembers you' — Five minutes with Zulo

Zulo is on a mission to cement his name in the music industry as a proudly coloured global rap pop sensation.

The rapper, popularly known for melding elements of hip-hop, pop and kwaito, says he is committed to honouring his cultural heritage through his music and his intention is to create true South African music. 

After a brief mentorship from Slikour, Zulo released his debut EP, Talk to Me Naace in 2022. Now, his recent singles Adawise, JOL and Garden are making waves on the South African music scene.

Zulo did a Q&A session with TshisaLIVE on the strides he's been making in the music industry and his future plans. 

Where are you from and how does that affect your music?

I'm a coloured boy from Johannesburg south. It's super important that that's reflected in my music, the lingo, the sonics, because media influences perception and stereotypes. The more we hear about coloured people doing great things, the more we change the way the world sees us. I take pride in that as a coloured person, as a South African and as an African. 

Could you elaborate on how you navigate rolling out your music, particularly with your recent singles? 

It’s a 10-year-plus case study. You figure out a formula and then it falls apart when streaming becomes popular. Then you figure something else out and then TikTok comes around. You’re kinda figuring out what works and what doesn't every time. We're studying all the time. I’m only referencing the biggest artists in the world. It's always “OK, how can I make the best of everything?”

How would you describe the music you typically create? Is it any different from your previous approach? How has it changed?

Just being a lot more intentional about what makes South African music South African. That's very important to me. If I'm so critical about everything, then surely I can come up with a solution. They say “make what you’d like to exist” and there isn't a Zulo and Zulo is the type of artist I would gravitate towards, so here I am. 

You’ve been subject to comparisons to great artists who are no longer with us, particularly AKA, how do you navigate that?

The greats have paved the way for all of us, how can we not honour what they stood for, in proudly representing our own? I hold their legacy in great respect. I also think people aren't used to things that are really good, so they naturally turn to what else is also really good, but art is meant to drive conversation. Art is a conversation, so those discussions are necessary. The talks, the comparisons, that's really hip-hop.

As a musician listening to music, do you listen for inspiration or do you have a separate relationship as a consumer?

I try not to listen to music because it always influences how I approach things. I'd usually only listen for inspiration, otherwise I'd be changing so much from my own music based on something I heard. I mostly just listen to the classics because if you subconsciously take from what you're consuming, well, then ... you know? 

How do you define success as an artist?

Success varies depending on what you're trying to achieve. There are plenty of ways of being successful as an artist, and I don't care about any of them. I care about impact. I want to be the biggest artist in the world. I want to be mentioned alongside the greats. Success to me is cultural impact. I'll show you what I mean. 

What else is in the pipeline for you?

Greatness. This is the path I was set on from my birth. This isn't an “upcoming rapper” story about how I became dope, I've always been dope. It's just the game doesn’t work in your favour, the game doesn’t even work against you because the game doesn’t care about you, it doesn’t know you. The trick is to constantly introduce yourself to the game until it remembers you, so why fight the game? It’s a one-sided beef. I'm just moving to what the world loves, what South Africa wants, and what hip-hop needs.