Focalistic’s New EP ‘Quarantined Tarantino’ is a Satisfying Blend of Hip-Hop, Kwaito and Amapiano

In his latest EP Quarantined Tarantino, Focalistic manages to strike a balance between the South African artist's hip-hop roots and his recent flirtations with amapiano and kwaito.

For the first three songs, Quarantined Tarantino traces the relationship between 90s' kwaito and amapiano, sometimes blurring the line between the two. One of the project's many highlights "Patrice Motsepe" follows the same format and manages to simultaneously sound nostalgic and current.

The beats on the rest of the project lean towards trap. His interpretation of the production and the usage of Pitori slang are some of the factors that differentiate him from his counterparts.

Quarantined Tarantino is presented as a collection of scenes from Focalistic's life story. Explaining the title, which is play on words on famed director Quentin Tarantino and the current lockdown due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the rapper said:

"When the lockdown was commissioned, I felt like a lot of people were feeling trapped. A lot of people felt like this was a moment where they couldn't do anything about everything. Especially the ones in the arts. My way of resistance is the EP. I'm resisting becoming complacent, resisting the temptations of leaving my art, and hopefully I can inspire people to be as productive as they can."

Focalistic's imprint 18 Area Holdings teamed up with the label Vth Season to release Quarantined Tarantino. "He is one of the most complete artist package we have seen in SA," said Raphael Benza of Vth Season in a press release. "A genius wordsmith in multiple languages, versatile producer and exciting entertainer." No lie detected.

Focalistic has been releasing music consistently since his emergence circa 2017. He has collaborated with the likes of Cassper Nyovest, Emtee, Major League DJz and Mr JazziQ among a few others.

Stream Quarantined Tarantino on Apple Music, Spotify and Deezer.