Bongani Fassie, the son of the late South African music icon Brenda Fassie, opens up about the naysayers, his sobriety, evolution and public scrutiny ahead of his new EP Skomline dropping today.
How are you feeling ahead of the release of Skomline?
I’m aware of the naysayers online, but I always tell myself that I am Bongani Fassie. I represent my country. Even if my country is going to come against me and say whatever, I am still Bongani Fassie.
How do you navigate the public scrutiny?
To my haters, I’m saying you need to understand that the more you talk about me, the more famous I get. That’s a quote that my mom used to always say. She also had to go through the same thing. I’m a legend and I’m still living. I’m one of the forefathers of where hip-hop is now. I contributed, I played my part, but I’m not going to walk around with my nose in the air.
What’s your take on conversations around relevance and age in hip-hop?
There is nothing missing. People are overthinking. When you look at someone like Stogie T, people expect him to stop because he’s older. I would rally behind him and say, “Continue to do what you are doing. You can’t now let your craft be determined by your age.” Don’t forget your African Bambaras. Your Jay-Z. Does Jay-Z look like the old Jay-Z that he was? No. He’s a grootman now. Music is not determined by age, clothes, money or fame. It’s determined by creativity.
What keeps you motivated?
I don’t care what haters say; I’m more focused on launching myself globally because it’s not about survival in the industry but adaptability. If you’re able to find yourself within a community that is young and old and find a place that you can fit in, then you’ll be just okay.
You’ve spoken openly about sobriety. How has that journey been?
I’ve been seven years clean now. I took myself to rehab. Nobody took me. I did it myself. I had to become a better person to represent my family, my people, even the people who speak negatively about me. This is why I no longer entertain toxicity.
What led you to that turning point in your life?
After my mom passed away, I lost myself, and I found myself surrounded by people who claimed they cared. I got introduced to things I shouldn’t have been during such a painful period. I fell into that trap because I was in severe depression. Not only was I going through loss, but there were inheritance issues. Any money that I had, I made myself, but what was left for me was taken. When the estate was wound up, there was nothing left.
How did you overcome that?
I had to go back to the drawing board. I had to accept my flaws. Some things were blessings in disguise, prepping me for greater things to come. I guess that’s where the process of rebuilding started. Nothing is a destination. It’s a journey. And you need to fully be invested in trying to better yourself in any area that needs tweaking.
Musically, where are you now as an artist?
My headspace is different now. I don’t want to be boxed into one genre. I am still there in the hip-hop scene. I am also evolving. I’m a musician-scientist. I’m experimenting.
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