Big Xhosa is playing by his own rules.
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
I must say, there’s something unapologetically sharp about the way Big Xhosa speaks about his journey. No exaggerated industry mythology, no carefully polished superstar script, just honesty, resilience, and the mindset of someone who has had to build himself from the ground up.
In a recent conversation with us, Big Xhosa, whose real name is Sesethu, reflected on the path that shaped both the man and musician audiences continue to gravitate toward.
Born in Whittlesea in the Eastern Cape, Sesethu spent his early childhood years in Cathcart before relocating to Cape Town as a teenager, a move that eventually exposed him to wider cultures, sounds, and realities that now influence his artistry.
“The environments I grew up in made me tough and confident as an artist,” he explained. “I learned very early that if you don’t do it yourself, nobody will.”
That independent mentality has become central to his story. While many artists often speak about teams, management structures, or major industry backing, Big Xhosa’s journey has largely been self-driven, something he admits has been both challenging and character-building.
“One of the biggest challenges is that I have to do everything myself,” he said. “My whole journey, it’s just been me.”
Yet despite the pressure that comes with carrying your own dream, the rapper’s consistency suggests someone who never truly doubted his purpose. Unlike artists who discover music later in life, Sesethu said his commitment started the moment he stepped into a recording booth.
“I started in 2014 when I recorded my first song,” he recalled. “I never had a period where I didn’t take music seriously.”
His influences reveal an artist who grew up studying some of hip hop’s most technically gifted names. He points to global heavyweights such as Eminem, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar as some of the early musicians who shaped his thinking. But over time, his appetite for creativity expanded beyond rap alone.
“As I grew, I started listening to all sorts of music,” he said. “That’s what made me able to create any sound of music.”
That artistic flexibility is something Big Xhosa strongly believes modern musicians should embrace. In an industry where audiences are becoming more diverse and genre lines continue to blur, he believes versatility is no longer optional, it is necessary.
“It’s important because beyond showing that you are talented, it means you can fit into any audience and culture,” he explained. “And that widens your fanbase.”
That philosophy is perhaps best heard in his latest release, “Beyoncé,” a track already generating conversations online for its unique fusion of sounds. While some listeners initially associated the record with Venda influences, the artist clarified that the inspiration stems from Xigaza sounds associated with Tsonga culture.
“The song is talking about going to Venda to get a girl,” he said this with laughter. “It was inspired by trying to flex my artist muscle.”
Now officially available on all streaming platforms, the single offers another glimpse into an artist determined not to be boxed into one sound or identity.
And while fans continue to digest “Beyoncé,” Big Xhosa confirmed that a bigger body of work is already in motion. The rapper is currently working on a new EP, with a release expected around July or August.
As we wrap up this conversation, all I can is If this next chapter reflects the same hunger, experimentation, and self-belief that have defined his story so far, audiences may be witnessing the rise of an artist entering his most important era yet.
New Single here: Beyonce
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