Touchline Truth Explains Why Gatekeeping Is Important In SA Hip Hop
Touchline Truth Explains Why Gatekeeping Is Important In SA Hip Hop. Touchline Truth is one of the South African rappers who has faced the tough challenges of breaking into the fiercely competitive SA Hip Hop scene.
Hailing from Tembisa, this rapper has been nothing short of a sensation since his breakthrough, with his music standing out amongst the diverse rappers. While this diversity is celebrated, Touchline cautioned against dilution of the genre’s core values and authenticity.
During an interview on NoChill Vodcast, the Action Over Caption chanter said that Gatekeeping is important in SA Hip Hop as a way of maintaining high-quality music. “Gatekeeping has always been used in a negative light, gatekeeping is important,” Touchline said.
He continued; “radio, if me and you submit a song today together, the best song needs to be played. If your song is bad it shouldn’t get played, that’s gatekeeping. We’ve gatekeep the industry so that the best guys can come in and the guys that are not good have to go and improve to become better.”
Touchline also echoed a concept inspired by veteran rapper Ginger Trill regarding gatekeeping, emphasizing its importance in upholding standards within the SA Hip Hop culture. “This is a concept that Ginger Trill taught me, he’s like Tboss gatekeeping is important like we can’t allow every kid that raps, for instance, not every kid that raps needs to make it.
“The best needs to make it, so the channels will always exist and the talent will always be found. The talent that works hard will always make it that’s one thing you must know and when they are consistent and perseverance, then it is almost inevitable that they dont make it,” he added.
