Get to know south africa's rising star ex!

Author: Anjelica Morales

"My name is Xhantilamatshawe Mekane it's long and complicated that's why everyone calls me eX. I'm from Centurion, South Africa. I'm a rapper, writer, director and curator." eX is proof that music has the power to touch lives regardless of culture, country or any other factors. Read about what this unique talent had to say below:

Describe your style...
I'm still in the discovery stages of my sound but I'd call it afro-centric hip-hop. I try to communicate my ideas on the world and those in it without creating narratives of good and evil, just the version of truth I see. I also aim to make the music sound the way I'd like the listener to feel while hearing the music. .

Who are some of your musical inspirations? 
I listen to a ton of musicians but in terms of inspiration I'd say I'm heavily influenced by Mick Jenkins, Ab-Soul, Earl Sweatshirt, Ginger Trill, and Stogie T. In terms of mentorship I've been growing with my contemporaries Q' and RomeTheBlack (we've been in a symbiotic relationship in terms of growth.)

I see you also do film, what is the correlation to your music?
The way in which different mediums can be used to enhance one another fascinates me and I'm currently a media student majoring in film (so to merge the mediums I love the most, felt like a natural progression)

Your lyricism is insane! Where do you get the inspiration for your raps?
3 places: ideas, narratives and life. I'll have a concept for what I want a project to represent and how I want it to feel. Because I have an idea of these things I know which ideas I'd like to convey and with that comes the narrative I use to explain the idea and the narratives will be affected by what I've experienced and lived. I always try to channel those 3 levels when I'm writing.

What do you plan to achieve with your music? What are your goals?
​I'm trying to make as much art as possible with the time I have on Earth and if the art gains a substantial following I'll go down as one of the greats and be able to live off doing what I love.

Check eX's music out for yourself!

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