In May, Durban-born hip-hop artist ByLwansta launched his highly anticipated album, ‘The Chip Is StALE,’ at Opel Sandton. He played a live set of his album in front of friends, collaborators, and media on the showroom floor. After consistently romanticizing the relationship with his 2005 Opel Corsa Lite, Opel formed a special partnership with him. ‘The Chip Is StALE’ is euphonic and charismatic, a nature that ByLwansta personifies without effort. Furthermore, the album sounds like ByLwansta is settling into his season of genuineness as an artist. Above all, the album feels like the key to the heart of hip-hop and cloud rap heads who appreciate the power of storytelling in music. For ByLwansta, the stories he told make this album as pure as gold.
ByLwansta, known legally as Lwandile Nyakuza, confidently crafted his life around music when he was introduced to it at age 8. Soon after finishing high school, he released his NORMVL, a mixtape published under his label and design studio of the same name. In 2017, he performed a rendition of Lindiwe from his NORMVL mixtape on the aesthetic music platform COLORS. Additionally, he was the first South African artist to appear on COLORS, proving that his diverse sound has the power to go global. Despite this, By Lwansta takes humble responsibility for his success thus far. As a custodian of the connection to his music, he also ensures you can connect to the man behind the melody.
“On a scale of one to ten, how much do you trust me right now?” is the signature crowd-winning question he asks a live audience. Instead of taking offense, he accepts the challenge and transforms frowns into smiles in a matter of minutes. With the help of talented musician friends, his shows become a one-of-a-kind live music experience that brings joy. “He’s got the record in mind, and he’s got the [live] set in mind. It’s very beautiful. It’s been amazing working with him,” says vocalist Thato Feels. ByLwansta’s crowd work is exciting and inviting. The call-and-response in his single ‘Office Daze’ is irresistible, especially when it comes to singing, “Take my hand. Shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it”. Without a doubt, live performance is an important virtue to him. Unquestionably, he manages to transfer that theatrical feel into the album admirably.
‘The Chip Is StALE’ follows the release of his 2022 debut album SPIJØNGET. Fan favourites like ASMR, PRETTY STARS, and NIGHTCRAWLERZ are no surprise, given their youthful themes. However, ByLwansta seems to off-ramp into growth in his new album and shows a clear desire to leave the past behind. “His music writes itself; he lives it then he writes about it. If you listen closely, everything he says happened in his life,” says drummer and collaborator Tebogo J. Mosane. For 36 minutes, ByLwansta welcomes us into the relationship he has with his car. The mood is reflective and reminiscent, and he shares how his car was there with him through it all. Furthermore, I concur with Tebogo’s comment about ‘The Chip Is StALE’ being “a pivoting point for his career.” He is no stranger to career pivots because his creative spirit keeps giving back.
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His label and creative agency Normvl hosts a weekly live performance show called Your Weekly Touch-Up. The show, which has become a residency for his creativity, will be celebrating a historic 70 weeks in June. Apart from this, ByLwansta opened the space for music lovers to discover and for artists to express themselves. After another successful night, I watched him pan across the crowd, nodding with so much satisfaction. He understands that what he is doing is bigger than him. Therefore, this is why I believe Your Weekly Touch-Up is his ultimate gift to the industry.
Mkuseli Bandezi, the co-founder of Normvl, spoke passionately about the sustainability of the music and art created by the agency. “The plan is to leave the country with the music. You have to understand that music has a lifespan. It is not all online or on digital streaming,” he says. If you have enjoyed ByLwansta’s live shows in Johannesburg, then you’ll have no doubts about his chances across the country. “Lwansta is an individual who wears his heart on his sleeve. He doesn’t shy away from showing his emotions”, says musician and collaborator Toroh O Wano. Undoubtedly, ‘The Chip Is StALE’ is his most heart-on-your-sleeve release to date. If you haven’t listened to his album yet, stop ignoring the signs.
Stream ‘The Chip Is StALE’ now on all streaming platforms.
