Skwatta Kamp's Nish says too many local artists think they are American

Skwatta Kamp muso Musawenkosi “Nish” Molefe has been around the musical block for some time now and says that Mzansi hip-hop today is moving backwards and sounds too American.

SA hip-hop has long had an American influence, but speaking on Metro FM this week, Nish said that too many of the current crop of youngsters sound like they were born in America.

"I think the game has improved. In terms of business, we are doing pretty well. In terms of music, I think we have gone back a bit. We tried to make it local, kasify it in a way, and these guys are just sounding like Americans. I can't tell if we are sitting in Atlanta or what-what. It sounds too American for me."

The group's Bozza said Skwatta Kamp faced a similar criticism when they burst onto the scene and were far more American sounding than the kwaito, gospel and bubblegum pop movements active in music at the time. 

"But when people got into it, the concept of us rapping in vernac, then they bought into it. I feel like they are the youth. They are what is happening right now and they are expressing themselves the best way they know how. They don't have Skwatta Kamp to listen to, they don't have Prophets of the City like we did. So, we can't expect them to lean more to what we know," he added.

Several local artists, including Nasty C, Emtee and A-Reece have been criticised in the past for having an American accent or dropping music that sounds too American.

A-Reece was even dragged for giving an interview on the same station with his accent on full display.

Speaking in an Instagram Live video earlier this year, Emtee slammed all those who had criticised his twang.

"I have something to say. F**k everyone who says I am trying to be American. I have an American accent, whatever. B**ch, you know my accent. And anyways, this accent is not American."

He explained that the accent wasn't American but hip-hop.

Emtee's rant came just hours after rapper AKA dropped his single Star Signs, which spoke about the problem of American twangs in SA hip-hop.

"Mega you old school now, but how you still so relevant in an era where n**gas sound so American. No pride in their own heritage, whole vibe so negative, ain't nobody going to remember them," he rapped on the song.