It’s been eight years since rap sensation YoungstaCPT burst onto the scene, and to celebrate, is set to release his debut album.
The rapper, whose real name is Riyadh Roberts, 26, from Wynberg, performed at the annual Festive Switching on of the Lights concert on the Grand Parade on Sunday and had a message of hope for children, advising them not to get “sidetracked”.
“It took me eight years of hard work and commitment in the industry before I could land a spot on this stage,” he said.
He performed alongside other local artists such as Shekhinah, Kwesta, Emo Adams, and Idols SA 2018 winner Yanga.
Speaking to the Daily Voice after the event, Roberts said: “Being on that stage made me feel like I was supposed to be there, it was destiny.”
“It was hoekal the Daily Voicethat did my first media article in 2011, I still have the clipping,” he says with a smile.
He started out as a rapper in 2010, and within a year, had 10 mixtapes out.
This number has grown to 30, and he’s just released his first album called 3T - Things Take Time.
The music video for the first single, YVR - Young van Riebeek, was released on YouTube yesterday and within 30 minutes had more than 4 000 views.
“I manage to spread the message further than Cape Town even though my music is centred around Cape Town, it is tailor-made for the people here,” says Roberts.
The song focuses on the life and times of Jan van Riebeek who landed in the Cape in 1652, and how far Capetonians have come since then.
“Looking at the current state of affairs in our country, it saddens me to know we’re still dealing with forced removal and protesting for housing,” he says.
“I’ve always been one to speak about the social issues that haunt our people and apartheid has really stunted the growth of coloured/black people in SA.
“Kids need to wise up and stop spending so much time on their phones, trying to Snapchat and filter everything - can you filter out gangsterism, can you filter out drugs?”