Hip hop brings peace to the street

Born in Centane in the Eastern Cape, the 27-year-old single father of one, Thetha or “Da’O” as he is commonly known, is a surfing instructor for disadvantaged kids. In 2011, he started Masi Massive – hip hop sessions he holds every Sunday for two hours in Kolobe Road, Masiphumelele.

“I felt that as artist there was no place in the area where I could go and showcase my talent, especially as a hip hop artist … I wanted to create that space for the kids, so they don’t have to travel to faraway places like I did,” says Thetha.

The sessions are open to all ages. He started with members of the public spontaneously joining in to free-style their own songs. Now, the sessions host established underground and upcoming emcees and also dance, drama and poetry.

Thetha aims to uplift the community and bring method to how they express themselves.

“We are a community dealing with a lot of issues and even if it’s just two hours, it is two hours that they spend away from drugs and crime, and that two hours makes a difference,” says Thetha.

“Carta” perorming as Masi Massive. Photo by Thembela Ntongana.

Asanda “Carta” Komani has been attending Masi Massive since it started. “The Massive has helped me grow as a person, a musician and as a performer. He [Thetha] helped me to develop into the artist that I am today.”

“I was 17 when I started. There were a lot of bad things happening around me that I could have got involved in, but I didn’t because I had something to look forward to every Sunday,” says Komani.

Happening outdoors on the street as it does and with no formal space for the event to take place, poses several challenges.

“One of the challenges that we face, especially during winter season is the weather. When it’s raining, we can’t do anything because we are on an open road,” says Thetha.

Zusakhe Mnwehla, mother to one of Masi Massive’s younger emcees, 11-year-old Sange Mnwehla, says she is happy that there is something like this because now she knows where her son is at all times.

“This keeps him away from all the bad things that people his age are doing. He is not my biological son; his mother, who was my sister, died in a car accident when he was very young. Writing and singing with Masi Massive has helped him heal a lot.”

“He might not talk to me about how he feels about his mother’s death, but in the songs he writes I am able to tell,” says Mnwehla.

Sange sings in one song: “Mama wam, sthandwa sentliziyo yam, ungandi shouta undithini ndohlala ndikuthanda. Uyandilelwa mama … I love you mama. Ndikubhalela lencwadi ndizama ukupholisa ingqondo yam, ndiyakuthanda mama.”

(Mother, love of my life, you can shout or do anything but I will always love you, you fought for me mom … I love you mom. I am writing you this song just to take my mind off things.)

Thetha is currently busy with a container he purchased, turning it into a studio.

“I want to use it to travel to different places, and I want to see Masi Massive grow so we can have Gugulethu Massive and Khayelitsha Massive and so on,” says Thetha.

Masi Massive takes place every Sunday in Kolobe Road from 2 to 4pm.