The blood, sweat and lyricism of 11 rising musicians from across the Sub-Saharan region of the continent, has now culminated into the Lift As You Rise EP featuring 6 tracks of collaborations, which will be available on all leading streaming platforms from Friday, 13 December 2019. This is as a result of Nasty C’s Lift As You Rise project; an initiative housed by Red Bull Music and Tall Racks Records.
ALSO READ: Nasty C slapped with a R4.5 million lawsuit and ordered to stop using his stage name
Almost eight months ago, Red Bull Music and Tall Racks Records shared with the world, a call to budding African musicians to add their verses on multiple open tracks, which excluded 16 bars, but comprised verses from of Nasty C, Tellaman, Gemini Major, Rowlene, Lastee and Zino D.
Rowlene comments: “I have always been passionate about nurturing young talent and I was thrilled to be a part of an initiative that aims to do just that. I got to meet and work with some of the most beautiful and talented individuals on the continent and learned just as much from them as they learned from me.”
With the release of the Lift As You Rise EP, the lives of Deekay_Did_It (Pietermaritzburg), Hanna (Cape Town), KDaVine (Pietermaritzburg), Msimisis (Swaziland), J_Reagz (Cape Town), Tembisile (Cape Town), Priscilla (Botswana), The Real Barry Lane (Nigeria), Thato Jessica (Johannesburg), Jay Hoodsa (Pretoria), and Flow Jones Jnr (Johannesburg) will see a positive shift, as their names will be scripted on a record featuring Mzansi’s established musicians.
The Lift As You Rise EP epitomises a profound concept of collaboration; a view that lets artists see how their respective flow and talent works alongside other artists. The idea stemmed from Red Bull Music’s mission for listeners to experience music like never before bringing fresh collaborations with rising talent and South Africa’s biggest hip-hop artists.
“Forming part of the Lift As You Rise project has given me so much to build my career and an opportunity to network with talented and amazing people,” said Priscilla. “This is a beautiful and unique initiative to uplift upcoming artists, to give a platform to talent and it’s also a way of making music with established artists and fresh talent.”
Two of South Africa’s leading hip-hop artists; Lastee and Rowlene, are leading the pack with the release of a first single titled ‘Afraid’, featuring Priscilla (Botswana) and The Real Barry Lane (Nigeria); two of the 11 aspiring musicians mentored through the Lift As You Rise project.
“If there is one thing Lift As You Rise sought to impart to the budding musicians we worked with, it was that as a collective so much can be achieved in comparison to working alone. Nothing highlights the importance of collaboration in the music industry more than this,” Lastee said.
The Real Barry Lane adds: “Being a part of Lift As You Rise has been a mind-blowing experience. Being able to share my emotions in song with people that appreciate music, has been the highlight of the entire experience.”
- Outside – Nasty C, Tellaman Ft. Deekay Did It and Hanna (produced by Zeno D)
- Menace Tella – Tellaman Ft. KDavine & Msimiss (produced by Gemini Major & Select Play)
- Alabama – Nasty C Ft. J_Reagz & Thembisile (produced by Gemini Major)
- Afraid – Lastee, Rowlene Ft. Priscilla & The Real Barry Lane ( (produced by Select Play)
- Download Dunno – Gemini Major, Rowlene Ft. ThatoJessica (produced by Select Play)
- Run it – Nasty C, Tellaman Ft. JAYHood Flow Jones JNR (produced by Gemini Major)
Image Courtesy: Supplied