The Motswako Prince of Maftown, Sly YoHighness

It looks like Sly YoHighness might just got next as the Motswako Prince. It's now been a long while since we've had a proper Motswako wave breakthrough.

Remember when the Morafe and Tuks wave hit, or when Gata lenna came out, Fifi Cooper and the late HHPs consistency and many comebacks?

A lot of us have been wondering "who got next"? With the fall of guys like Notshi and KT struggling to properly cement his stance, is Sly the guy to look out for?

I hit him up through the socials, to find out what he's been up to and if he really got his sight set on the throne.

So how did he get into this whole music and creative space thing? He says he's always been artistic and one thing led to the other. "I love & have always loved acting. I'm very out there & funny too (yes, he is). So once I started writing I kinda never stopped, though I always felt it's a farfetched dream or whatever but I kept on writing, even if it was just for myself. I went from writing, added rapping and never stopped."

He's always been a proud Mafika native, rightly so because the place has been producing gems, I mean they are running Motswako. But how's the scene on the ground? How's the breeding space?
"The scene outchea is alive and all. There's movements here and there but you know politics always eff ish up & people that's supposed to be doing this and that aint or they got their own agendas. That's the downside but it's alive, though its draining for a lot of us emerging artists."
And adding to that Sly says if he could run into the big wigs of the Arts& Culture in the North West he'd ask them to revive the arts in the Province. Solid request, I think.

It's very fitting he knows all the frustrations and what's lacking in the scene coz he's been running in the circles for a minute now. And he says his journey has been overwhelming and taught him a lot of things.
"It's been overwhelming, humbling, draining, long, hard and great. It's been everything, just not at the same time. It's taught me patience, we have grown. It's been one helluva ride, learning to not complain but appreciate all, so forward we march on."

And that's the industry for many. There's challenges that are necessary, theres the dues that's gotta be paid and stripes to be earned, but then there's the frustrating side that a lot of up and coming creatives in general are feeling. The gate keepers, the payola takers and ignorant suits.
Is the industry equipped to allow them in?
"I think it is equipped just I dont know how but we are fed the same people everywhere. All shows have the same artist's, radio, TV, same, so i feel like they sleeping on anything new & dope cos they focusing on what's out there only & their own. Nobody cares for the dope, (lol)."

Like he said, his journey has been a lot of everything at different times. And the ups make it a lil more worth it and he had quite a few. What are they?

"There's been a lot hey. Reaching Top5 of the Can Do Competition, My ETV (Sunrise) appearance (2013 and 2018), being on SABC 2(Hectic9nine), Music Videos getting spins on Soweto TV and KZN TV, getting play-listed on Motsweding FM, making Maftown Heights line up in 2018, Makin my Mom's proud by her seeing us doing what we love and Kitso (Daughter) saying she loves the song I made for her. I could go on" Talk about grinding regardless of the challenges.

With all that's said, what's the core of his music? What is it that he pens and records that has gotten him all these accolades?

"My music is about all that I experience, what we as people go through, what I like, feel, etc.
I make music for, or that everyone can relate to, whether happy, sad, down, house head, underground, commercial. I do music that's for everyone. I mean, I got jams like Kuzolunga, Better World, Bambelela, Against All Odds, No time like the present, Nothing For Granted, Stay Real andmany more varied others. You can just tell from titles that its jams anyone & everyone can relate to, I'd like to think."

And Sly thinks there's enough artists, like him who make socially aware music, just that they are not mainstream or in the people's faces. "Nna ake tlhaloganye why it's not balanced, anyway, we still gonna continue to make music with meaning & hope. We will continue to reach more. Otherwise I wish more could tackle issues we going through instead of ballin' only"

So, with all that's he's bagged, milestones achieved, music recorded and put out and the progress he"s made, what's next for the Motswako got next, Sly Yohighess?
"New project almost done & will be dropping soon. We got plenty videos to shoot & carry on from last year. Midyear I'm going to be dropping a joint project with Phano (my brother, friend & a dope vocalist I work with).
Otherwise keep yall's eyes & ears on #YalsFinest as mmino ke motlele. And that throne too right? Plenty of things coming.

Check out his project #DREAMS with Kaybeats:  Dreams
And his tribute to HHP featuring Phano: https://www.slikouronlife.co.za/song/40890/slyyohighness-x-phano-tributetojabba-prod-by-fatalaxebeats

Connect with him online:
Sylvester SlyYohighness Phetlhe on Facebook
@SlyYohighness on twitter
@SlyYohighness2 on Instagram
And just search "SlyYohighness" on Slikouronlife, YouTube, SoundCloud

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