The Kid Tini Interview

The Kid Tini Interview is very insightful and we learnt a lot about the mature young dude during this sit down. Kid Tini released his debut mixtape earlier on this year and simply because of the fire he finesses on records the homie has been buzzing ever since. The rapper has been juggling school and rap but still manages to pen some of the doppest verses SA hip Hop has heard in a while. The 18-year-old has rappers like KiD X talking about how they are big fans of his work so we had to interview the boy and find out where his head is:

What does music mean to you?

Music is my life. It’s a retreat from reality and was a way of getting out of trouble for me and a lot of my peers back home.

Where did you grow up and what did you say you wanted to be when you grew up?

I grew up in a small town called Butterworth, the 4960 as we refer to it. Situated between uMthatha and East London in the Eastern Cape.

I wanted to be a soldier before I knew what it meant to be 1. After my mother told me what I’d have to go through to become 1 I forgot about it and gravitated more to music.

When did you realise you wanted to pursue rap as a career?

I realized I wanted to rap after hearing my brothers old Mixtape that he and his friends compiled. That’s what inspired me to write my first rap.

How did your alias come about?

In studio my brother was referred to as “Tini” .. That’s our surname. Whenever I was around they’d refer to me as young Tini or small Tini and “Kid Tini” kind of stuck.

Where did the inspiration for the “The Coming Of Age” project come from?

My brother actually told me about the idea a couple of years back but I was too young to appreciate it for what it actually was. Last year I had a better understanding of what was required from me to execute the concept. It was not too difficult because I was reflecting on my coming of age, my experiences and what I have seen throughout my walk of life through the music.

How long did it take you to make the project and what was the creative process like?

It took approximately 2 months in total to create the full project but I obviously had material that was ready but was never recorded. So I would have different ideas for different songs and sometimes the instrumental and the verses I already had were a perfect match. With the help of my label mate/engineer,J. Smallz, we’d get in studio and make some dope music.

What is TinismDotc0m?

Tinismdotcom is an independent record label and the team I have worked with for as long as I have started making music 5 years ago. They are known for introducing acts like Gingerbread man and Ayanda Jiya to the commercial music community.
Founded by Miso Tini (xbtinism) and his partner Pheto Mabena (J. Smallz). J.Smallz and I are not only artists in under the company but co-owners of the company as well. But above all, Tinismdotcom is family to me.

How has juggling school and rap been for you?

Juggling music and High school has its highs and lows, However I feel I have gotten used to the pressure and instead of feeling overwhelmed I use it to become a better version of myself as I plan to proceed with my schooling career next year.

What do you think can be done to improve SA Hip Hop at this point?

SA hip hop is on a rise and I feel the only thing that is missing is non-conventional music in the mainstream scene. I feel like consumers of the music are open to hearing different sounds and I hope to push the bar in terms of that by offering more than songs that sound the same.

How has seeing other young emcee’s get into the limelight affected your mind state?

Competition is never a bad thing. This music thing is also a business and if the industry was a monopoly it would be boring. Seeing young rappers get their shine is motivating and pushes me as a come up to dethrone whoever people seem the best young emcee.

Top 5 SA Hip Hop artists?

1. AKA

2. Kid X

3. Pdot O

4. Blacklez

5. Ginger Trill

Top 5 SA Hip Hop songs on your playlist right now?

1. Preach by Kid Tini

2. Ghetto by Kid Tini

3. Soaked in Bleach by PdotO

4. 5’0 by Emtee

5. ipati by KidX

What advice would you give to an up and coming rapper?

I advise all come up rappers to keep writing, tell your story till the ink runs out. Ride till the wheels fall.

What can we expect from Kid Tini in the second half of 2016?

You can expect a couple performances and a couple new joints. New music in the pipeline, I can’t say too much about it but it’s gonna be

Any word of wisdom to the youth?

Don’t let them break your spirit. Don’t get bound by societal/social boundaries. Be all that you can be and be comfortable being what you are.