The 031 is famous for the warm Indian ocean, laid back personalities and musical talents that take the country by storm. Rapper Nasty C, raised in the south of Durban, has gone from a hip hop prodigy to an internationally recognised MC signed to Def Jam Records. His path to stardom has been what local artists would dream of but progression to that level isn’t always immediate, linear or easy. One artist who has been paving the way for time is Lex LaFoy. This ever-evolving rapper has explored multiple sounds and styles since starting out in her matric year in 2004, and is still pushing forward.

“The biggest challenge I faced was getting over my fear to share the gift I have. I had formed a singing/rapping group in high school but the hip hop scene was totally new to me. I’d only known hip hop to exist on the internet, tv and radio before,” she recalls of her first introduction to the scene. “Plus, I was the only girl in these spaces, and I felt the pressure of representing an entire gender. I remember my scariest moment being when I entered my very first cypher. Like a child with no fears, everything beyond that just felt fun. I’d discovered other creatives and the scene became a place where I felt like I finally belonged. We attended events like Bling Free (later known as Life Check) organised by Durban veteran Ewok; Inqaba Hip Hop Sessions and in later years, Poetry Africa.”

Hip hop in South Africa has grown tremendously since then. The rise of social media and online music platforms has made it easier for any potential artist to put themselves out there. Although LaFoy’s musical upbringing wasn’t as digital as younger artists, her sound hasn’t suffered for it. In 2011 she discovered bass rap, through drum & bass veteran Niskerone, which exposed her to different sonics that she would later incorporate into her music. After her move to Joburg in 2012 to pursue her career in a bigger city, she released her debut album ‘Honey Bass’, an amalgamation of her two previous mixtapes. Then in 2019 came her album ‘22’, which she describes as “my first intentionally created body of work, designed around the power of feeling.”

In terms of hip hop in Durban, LaFoy believes that it is constantly progressing. “Hip hop is a culture. Culture is formed by people. People are governed by life. Life is never stagnant. It’s always evolving, whether we acknowledge it or not. For the most part, the truest have remained true to themselves and ultimately their art form. So, our beautiful city remains consistent in being the source of greatness. Throughout time.”

Some of LaFoy’s other highlights include performing with DJ Doowap in Europe and signing with iFani’s label disGuiz where she released hit singles ‘Flex’ and ‘Sushi Dip’. Now LaFoy is committed to being the change she wants to see in the industry by establishing her own trailblazing imprint, Maleningi Records, alongside Teabag and DJ Wobbly. “I want to see more order, more structure, more professionalism, more unity and smarter networking and usage of resources. This is exactly what I’m doing as an artist and Maleningi Records project manager.”

On her 2021 album, ‘NewWorldDaughter’, Lafoy spits purple lava and flexes her bilingual skills from start to end. She flows with authority, while also following a clubbable trap melody. She does this well on ‘I Dare You’, ‘Money Flow’ and the more downtempo offering ‘Gold In This Mouth’. She also reminds us of her crooner skills on ‘Just So You Know’, which is cooked up by one of Durban’s finest beatmakers, Audio Simz. Lafoy ends the project with the pleasantly surprising amapiano track, ‘Izangoma’. From the adlibs to isiZulu and the staple piano instrumental, she’s in step with arguably the most popular genre in South Africa at the moment. Proof indeed that this Gemini queen still has so much to offer her city and her community.

Read our Durban’s Finest interview with BackRowStar here.

Words Lusanda Luthuli
Photography Paige Furness

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Published on 08/04/2022