By Khaya Ndaba
Hip-hop artist Tsietsi Hadebe, popularly known as James Hadi, hasn’t had it easy in life. His troubles began on the day he was conceived.
However, this led him on a journey that turned his trauma into music that continues to inspire many hip-hop lovers.
“My mother and father are originally from Lesotho. My biological father wanted my mother to abort the foetus so she escaped to Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal and gave birth to me.”
He said that’s where she met his step-father. “But even then things were not good at all,” he said.
Hadebe says he’s inspired by his childhood trauma and growing up with very little.
He lived with his alcoholic step-parent in a one-bedroom shack in an environment that was not supportive of his ambitions.
His mother also faced discrimination due to tribalism and poverty. Hadebe believes the community was not welcoming to his mother uMamTeresa Mokolatsie because of her Sotho heritage and financial standing.
“My mother was not educated enough to get a decent job. So she did odd jobs like doing people’s laundry to make money. The community looked down on us because of how poor we were,” Hadebe said.
“I started my clothing line ‘James Hadi’ as a means to put food on the table.”
He said his stage name, James Hadi, is inspired by his step-fathers’ clan name oBaba Hadebe because the man took him in as a son when his real father could not.
His interest in music started with watching a music video of Nasir Jones, popularly known as ‘Nas’, on TV.
“That lit a spark and inspired me to be a rapper,” he said.
“When I was introduced to Hip Hop, I wanted to find a way to combine rap with isiZulu and talk about things that happen in the township.”
He said when he discovered ZOLA7’s music he knew that was exactly what he wanted to do.
His music is heavily inspired by Kasi Rap, Kwaito and Alternative Hip Hop. In 2011 he formed a group called Fresh Cash Boys, which is inspired by K.O.
At that time he got recognition for songs called “uSimangenle” and “Yada” produced by Romz Deluxe, a former YFM personality.
Pictured above: Tsietsi Hadebe
Image source: Supplied
