South African rapper Sipho The Gift rolls through with his debut full-length album Coming of Age, a project that showcases the 22-year-old Stellenbosch-based MC's daily journey through gritty 808 beats and raw wordplay. The 12-track LP, which is co-executive produced by Congolese artist Alec Lomami, is carried by the versatility of Sipho's flow, which effortlessly ranges from throwback-influenced boasts ("Bazobona [Rookie of the Year]") to menacing deliveries ("Phanda More") without ever seeming forced.
“It’s a raw, lyrical, relatable and very expressive listening experience detailing the mind state of a young man growing up,” Sipho tells Okayafrica via e-mail. “The album is executive produced by me and co-executive produced by Alec Lomami. It features 12 original tracks that encompass patience, faith, youthful rebellion, love, responsibility, maturity, audacity, ambition and my hustle. There are only two features throughout the album, namely Well$ as well as a vocalist named Cherry Eyes. Expect a fresh take on hip-hop.”
Stream our premiere of Sipho The Gift's Coming of Age below and revisit the Kayamandi Township visuals for album single "Phanda More."
