Ora Kola is no doubt talented. He's released singles overtime that got positive feedback. Got him it touch with some right people and his fan base and following grew.
He got airplay and TV features too. He's even super impressive on a cipher, having won a title of one a few years back, but unfortunately talent is at the very bottom of the list, of the success recipe.
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He recently dropped a tribute track to the late legendary HHP and man did he not handle! Its a beautiful one. Check it on SlikourOnLife: Like You
He was introduced to the people when he went to Idols and it being such a massive platform, after that there were more people who knew Ora Kola than those who had been introduced and grown to know Oracle.
So that's when the big switch up that meant no more "Oracle VersePrince" happened. That was just the rebranding though coz O been " rapper,singer, designer" since he knew he could.
Being a triple thread is not easy, being a good triple thread is hard and being good at being a triple thread is the hardest.
He can actually sing, and rap and his graphic design skills have been feeding him when rap couldn't. A true ARTist.
"I just love the art of creating from nothing, so it was quite easy to do since i use the same musical creativity. It's like i put music in an image form when i design. And i say it quite often in the music too."
"I actually Rap. I believe in the metaphor, punchline, flow switch, double and triple meanings under a statement. I don't just write to accommodate the people. I try make raps that they would need to accommodate.
And in an era of doing what the next person is doing in order to be recognized. I've already accepted that mine will take longer cos it's quite hard to speak truth to people who would rather drown their sorrows or get high above the real issues for however long the high remains.
But I live for the days when all the vibe cools down a bit and they reflect on life. That's what my music is. The thin line between reality check and floating"
And that was him speaking to the question of his music style and the struggles of breaking through.
It seems there's a few things fading out I'm the name of evolution. The dumbing down era and written freestyles. Watered down version of Hip Hop blasting on high rotation at radio and TV stations all round. He's one of a few who won't "sell out" for the hype, price or for the sake of blowing up.
"I freestyle and cypher every chance I get but I do feel that it's not tradition no more.
Hence the weak raps we have to accept under the umbrella of making music. But yeah... nothing last forever and some actually pull off greatness from the balance of rapping and making relatable music for people who aren't Hip Hop heads."
Ora is one of those musicians, whose music makes a point. Maybe to his detriment, but his raps and music aren't dumbed down. And he says for him content will always be key
"My music is the convo's we keep in our minds cos we fear that we'd be deemed as soft or too hardcore or sensitive. I know no song of mine that doesn't have a statement that carries some type of weight.
My music is what you need to hear cos you probably been through it too. Or are right now"
Being from Pretoria, he knows and acknowledges that one of the City's setback is lack of unity among the game players. His take is that things are more focused on "who killed who on a song" than it is about collaborating and making good music to heal and soothe.
He hates it, he says.
But he mentions, there are people who aren't about the politics of the game. And points out B.O.Y Wonder [whom he featured on his EP] as one of a few who genuinely do it for the love of coming together to make something amazing for the people.
"He creates music instead of just making songs. Reason why he's one of the very few people i can work with over and over.
Then there's the big guys in the city who made it a bit and are too shook by young talent to lend a hand. It's all a mixup but trust that we are working on it and there's progress." he says
We all know how hard pursuing a dream is. Just like the rest of us Ora has had days where he wasn't up for the chase and in moments like those it's always great to have someone to slap you upside the head and get you back on track.
"For me, that person was Huey. At times when i went to his stu[dio], i was dry and didn't even feel like i'm an amazing artist. But Huey believed in me so much ,it poked my belief in myself again. He helped me get back up and such people deserve to pop. And trust me he really is chasing magic"
And with that push to get back up again, Ora came through and dropped a nice, long awaited EP titled "An OK August". It had been a long time coming.
"The EP was somewhat a short apology for taking so long to have a solid body of work."
He also wanted to let the people know where he was at mentally, emotionally and otherwise as those are the components that make the musically gifted Ora Kola.
Unlike Oracle Vp who had single after single but no body of work. Ora Kola had to drop something that serves as an introduction.
Not only to the name but "to what i hear when i close my eyes every night. AnOKaugust meant a dry and windy season in my life (August) and it wasn't that bad cos I came out alive. And dropping the EP, I also needed people to know what got me to the state where I felt I owe them more than just another single"
The people he's worked with, both as a musician and a graphic designer, include ZephBeatz, Zola, PDotO, Bugzito, Thami, SpeeKa, Aus Tebza and KB Makabaza.
And there's no doubt more is coming from him.
Many say he is underrated and it feels like his blow up is taking forever and a day, but he says its all in the music. Which is what he values more than anything else that comes with it.
"My aspirations and dreams are important. Most say I value money a whole lot less than I value my relations. So I cover everything in music cos that's what I do best."
So what are his plans for the coming year?They include collaborations, a music video, performances, more music which will be precluded by a mixtape he's almost done working on titled "The Story Book"
That's the word from the guy. Look out for him in 2019,coz it looks like it might just be his time,this time.
Pictures by: Ntando Marumo (@supanintando)
Connect with Ora on
Instagram:@orakola
Twitter: @OraKolaOfficial
Facebook: ORA KOLA/VPgraphics
Connect with us across all socials at @Tan89Media
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