Sizwe Sibiya
He first knocked on the industry doors a year ago with his debut earthshaking single, “Qonqo” (knock-knock). Now the Durban-born rising star Llayn (pronounced “lane”) is back with another banger, and this one is titled “iTemate.”
The song’s title is a word largely used by Zulu speaking Durbanites when something bad is about to happen. For example, if a child is about to receive a hiding from a parent.
It’s “about a township lifestyle,” Llayn told Scrolla.Africa.
“It’s based on a character who is a cocky township guy with a big pay cheque looking to have a good time. Hence when he shows up everybody says ‘iTemate’ cause they know he is about to steal the show,” he explained.
Llayn said the reason he is still in Durban, and not following the well trodden path of going to Johannesburg, is because it is the Hawaii of South Africa, where all the fun happens.
Even after having featured on Channel O and MTV Music’s Top Ten Music Videos last year with “Qonqo,” Llayn lives by the rule that “you need to perform first at home before you make it big in other places.”
Having started his career in 2014 Llayn said he believes music was a calling for him. He’s got a lot of “movies” to tell through music, he adds.
Llayn, whose real name is Zolani Mbhele, explained: “My ambition is to change the whole game. There’s not enough movies. When I say movies, I mean some people nowadays are making music not realising there is a story to tell.”
The artist revealed that he’s currently working on an EP which is a collection of Kasi stories.
Video source: YouTube
