Rapper Kwesta is basking in the glory of his musical success after years of hard work.

But success for him also comes with lots of forced smiles and fake handshakes.

The rapper has unleashed a massive hit on unsuspecting music fans titled Ngud' featuring Cassper Nyovest. The DJ Maphorisa-produced slow-and-staccato hit has become a hot favourite on Mzansi dance floors.

Ngud' is slang for a 750ml bottle of beer - and with that name, one could assume that the song was inspired by a night out of drinking. The rapper, however, says that was not the case.

"When we made the song, I was in studio with DJ Maphorisa, working on something else. I fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up, he was making the Ngud' beat. As soon as I heard it, I knew I had to do something. I told him to add the drum. I started mumbling the Ngud' part and then I wrote the verse.

"We left it at that. When we went back to it, that's when I realised we had something big," he says.

The man from Katlehong, born Senzo Mfundo Vilakazi 27 years ago, says the song takes him back to his childhood.

"It's the melody of an old house song. I forget the name but it's a tune that takes me back to the days when I was growing up. It reminds me of the 1990s.



"When I hear this song, I become a kid again. I think that is the reason it resonates with people because it brings back certain memories."

Although Kwesta has become arguably one of the most respected lyricists on the local rap, his first love was actually writing poetry.

"I've always loved the idea of manipulating language, saying one thing and meaning three other things.

"That's what excites me when I write a song, it's not even the beat that excites me," he says.

The tipping point in his career was when he won YFM's Rap Activity Jam in 2007.

He mustered the courage to drop his demo tape at the offices of Battabing Entertainment owned by Skwatta Kamp.

Slikour called him to a meeting after hearing the demo. So began his musical journey in earnest.

Now sitting comfortably at the top, Kwesta says he has noticed that the more he succeeds, he realises that around him change in how they relate to him.

"The handshakes are no longer the same, even the eye contact. You can see that it's envy and a spice of jealousy. It makes me uncomfortable being around them because they no longer see me as Senzo but as Kwesta," he adds.