Fledgling hip-hop artist Zothile 'Solo' Langa is about to soar

25 September 2016 - 02:00 By Azizzar Mosupi

Part 2 of this hip-hop artist's trilogy finds him learning to deal with delays writes Azizzar Mosupi After touching down on the turbulent Dreams.A.Plenty Flight 4/4/14, rapper Zothile "Solo" Langa finds himself on a timeless layover at Dreams.B.Plenty airport, en route to C.Plenty.Dreams.Dreams.A.Plenty was his debut album, released on April 4 2014. Dreams.B.Plenty is the Joburg-raised musician's sophomore album, released on September 16, and takes the listener on a journey with a muso who's no longer a rookie but hasn't reached his ultimate destination - success.story_article_left1Sitting in a popular coffee shop, the rapper has an unassuming yet palpable confidence."I'm starting to really see my position. I might not necessarily be the go-to guy when it comes to singles in this climate, because singles at any given point are based on the palate of the majority. But when we're talking albums, I think it will be very hard to top me," he says.The concept for the second album came from his innate dislike of the airport."You're already late when you arrive and it's this temporary place and state of being. Dreams.B.Plenty serves and talks to this middle ground between not knowing anything and knowing and having everything - the sweet spot that the average artist lives in. You know you're going to get there, to your destination, but just like being in an airport with a delayed flight, you don't necessarily know when."The 17-track album, produced by Ntokozo "Buks" Mazibuko and Junior Singo, sees Solo arriving at the airport, ready to jet off to his next destination. After checking in, however, he is told that his flight has been delayed. As he waits, he takes in his surroundings, reflecting on the people who come in and out of the airport and those who work there. At the same time he is dealing with his own frustration at the situation he finds himself in, which is out of his control.Through a number of skits featuring actors such as Tumisho Masha and Fulu Mugovhani, with additional vocals by producer Mazibuko and Dineo Moeketsi, Solo narrates a story about being lost in limbo in an airport chair.As the second part of a trilogy, Dreams.B.Plenty is part of a greater narrative based on an artist's love-hate relationship with the music industry.Dreams.A.Plenty won Solo a South African Hip-Hop Award as best newcomer.story_article_right2"The album is about a vulnerable artist and it was very much a vulnerable project," he says. "We recorded a lot of it in one take. When I listen to it now, while I can hear what I would've definitely corrected, I remember the intentions of having people hear the vulnerability - it sounds very much like someone who can articulate themselves but they're shaky."He says that when listening to his latest project, he can hear that the once vulnerable artist is more artistically refined."Now, it's about the battles of having to get used to this new ground where you have successes, you have failures, you have accolades but you still have doors that are closed. It's the weirdest space to be."Solo says it is clear that he will eventually leave this temporary place and reach his goals, which will be relayed in the final Dreams chapter.This is heard on a song called Not Vogue, in which he happily chants, "We're so fucking out of here"."I'm about to live the C.Plenty.Dreams portion of it, which is insane success by my definition," he says, boarding pass firmly in hand. "Because of all the work I've done, I know that eventually it all works out. I just can't tell you when."..

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