The post “Some are here for the gimmicks”: Loki’s Blunt Take On Penmanship In SA Hip Hop appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag.
“Some are here for the gimmicks”: Loki’s Blunt Take On Penmanship In SA Hip Hop. Loki sparked a sharp craft conversation during his interview on DJ Speedsta’s 5FM Hip Hop Nights, drawing a line between rappers who “pen” and those chasing quick club moments.
Asked to unpack what “penning” really means, Loki didn’t hedge: “I don’t think all of them are penning, I think some of them are here just for the gimmicks,” he said.
He argued that a chunk of the mainstream prioritises instant bounce over depth. “Because if you can hear the lot of hip hop that has been portrayed in mainstream hip hop, it’s like they got these wine linners… there’s nothing… there’s no meaning to it. It’s just like bop, they just go for it in the club… The pen within that thing… as a person who listens, I don’t hear anything.”
Pressed on how artists who value writing navigate the criticism that they’re “angry” or out of touch, Loki kept it reflective rather than combative. “I think with me, I don’t like pointing fingers,” he said. “I’m the type of person who looks at myself first before I look at anyone else. So I know there are things that I’m not perfect at, there are things that I probably need to add to my brand and to what I do that the other does.”
The dialogue also touches on the psychology of reception. Artists who champion penmanship are often painted as purists, even pessimists. The question “How do you manoeuvre through that?” goes beyond aesthetics; it is about career strategy, public perception, and longevity. Loki’s answer suggests a path that does not sacrifice craft for approval, but also does not sneer at what the market rewards. Self-audit, incremental brand building, and selective adaptation become the middle road.
For South African hip hop, that middle road matters. The scene thrives on both bar-heavy MCs and hitmakers who light up weekend playlists. Loki’s critique invites a recalibration rather than a reset: raise the bar on writing without stripping records of their function in clubs, on the radio, and across social platforms. It is a challenge to make songs that move bodies and minds, to thread quotable lines that carry weight beyond a single night out.
The post “Some are here for the gimmicks”: Loki’s Blunt Take On Penmanship In SA Hip Hop appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag.
The post “Some are here for the gimmicks”: Loki’s Blunt Take On Penmanship In SA Hip Hop appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag.
“Some are here for the gimmicks”: Loki’s Blunt Take On Penmanship In SA Hip Hop. Loki sparked a sharp craft conversation during his interview on DJ Speedsta’s 5FM Hip Hop Nights, drawing a line between rappers who “pen” and those chasing quick club moments. “Some are here for the gimmicks”: Loki’s Blunt Take On Penmanship …
The post “Some are here for the gimmicks”: Loki’s Blunt Take On Penmanship In SA Hip Hop appeared first on SA Hip Hop Mag. Read More
