The post DJ Speedsta Fires Jab At K1llbrady’s Stage Name In Artist Branding Critique: “Who Did You Kill?” appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag.
DJ Speedsta Fires Jab At K1llbrady’s Stage Name In Artist Branding Critique: “Who Did You Kill?” DJ South African hip-hop DJ and three-time SA Hip Hop DJ of the Year winner, DJ Speedsta, has stirred conversation around artist branding after making pointed remarks about rapper K1llbrady’s stage name during the 2nd episode of his new podcast, Up To Speed.
In the recent episode, co-hosted by Fif_laaa and Okayswisher, Speedsta used the platform to offer advice to emerging artists, placing strong emphasis on branding as a crucial yet often overlooked element in building a sustainable music career.
According to Speedsta, an artist’s name plays a significant role in shaping public perception. He illustrated his point by referencing a fellow artist whose name alludes to death, a comment widely interpreted as a direct reference to K1llbrady.
“Branding, I don’t think people speak about branding enough. Branding goes as far as something as small as your name. For instance, the other guy has something to do with death in his name. Who did you kill, or who are you about to kill? So to all the young artists out there, when you are choosing a name, choose a name that sounds good,” Speedsta said.
K1llbrady’s stylised name includes the word “kill,” a familiar motif in hip-hop culture that often signals aggression or rebellion. While common within the genre, Speedsta framed such imagery as something that could limit broader appeal or complicate branding efforts outside core hip-hop audiences.
Although the comments were delivered as advice to upcoming talent, they landed as a sharp jab in South Africa’s highly competitive hip-hop scene, where established industry figures regularly critique the new generation. This isn’t just random musing; it’s the latest salvo in a brewing online beef that ignited recently on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the generational divide in SA’s rap scene.
The spat kicked off after the premiere episode of Speedsta’s podcast, Up To Speed, where he controversially claimed that fellow artist Blxckie “didn’t do [anything] in 2025,” dismissing his contributions to the genre despite Blxckie’s influence through features and connections with the younger crowd. K1llbrady, a close ally and collaborator in the new wave, jumped to Blxckie’s defence with a series of pointed tweets.
In one exchange, K1llbrady fired off: “Respectfully, we’re not listening to a [nigga] named Speedster in the Big 26,” while giving a nod to Speedsta’s classic track “Mayo,” calling it “fire,” but alluding to a past “choke” in their collaborations. He followed up with a more measured response: “Okay, cool. I like the song that I was on with you and Cool Cut. I still respect you, Mr Mayo.”
Speedsta wasn’t about to let it slide. He clapped back by sharing his Spotify stats—boasting nearly 40,000 monthly listeners—and telling K1llbrady to “relax” and “chill a bit.” But K1llbrady doubled down, highlighting his own dominance on the charts: He claimed to have scrolled past four of his projects hitting number one without spotting any of Speedsta’s work, underscoring the disparity in current relevance.
This back-and-forth has stirred up the SA hip-hop community, with fans and commentators weighing in on the clash between the “old guard” like Speedsta and the “new wave” represented by K1llbrady and Blxckie.
The post DJ Speedsta Fires Jab At K1llbrady’s Stage Name In Artist Branding Critique: “Who Did You Kill?” appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag.
The post DJ Speedsta Fires Jab At K1llbrady’s Stage Name In Artist Branding Critique: “Who Did You Kill?” appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag.
DJ Speedsta Fires Jab At K1llbrady’s Stage Name In Artist Branding Critique: “Who Did You Kill?” DJ South African hip-hop DJ and three-time SA Hip Hop DJ of the Year winner, DJ Speedsta, has stirred conversation around artist branding after making pointed remarks about rapper K1llbrady’s stage name during the 2nd episode of his new …
The post DJ Speedsta Fires Jab At K1llbrady’s Stage Name In Artist Branding Critique: “Who Did You Kill?” appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag. Read More
