On Friday, 18 October 2019, Yanga Chief released his EP, Becoming A Pop Star (BAPS), which features the trending remix of his first number one single on radio, Utatakho.
Yanga Chief celebrated his birthday a day ahead of the official release of his third EP, Becoming A Pop Star (BAPS). The EP launched its pre-order sales with the release of the first single from the EP, 200, a lo-fi, trap-inspired hip-hop single which features Yanga’s now signature, “witty flows and play of isiXhosa idioms [that] will definitely have you falling in love with this creative rapper’s flow and cadence.”
The EP also marks Yanga Chief’s growth from his first two EPs released in the past. His first EP, Touch Is A Move, displayed his signature style, while the second EP, Neighbourhood Genius, saw the rapper finding his sound in contemporary hip-hop. BAPS then showcases how he has seamlessly married the two into one body of work.
For this EP, Yanga worked with various artists; including musician and acclaimed producer, Makwa, on the hip-hop love ballad, Lovey, and rapper, AKA, on the trap-inspired track, Hard. He also worked with the Nafukwa hitmaker, Riky Rick, on the currently trending remix of his hit single, Utatakho, featuring Dee Koala and Boity. Other stand-out tracks on the album include Nangomso, Wys, Jumpas and the township ode song celebrating all the musical legends that have influenced his journey to becoming a popstar, Soweto.
The EP trended on social media, following its release, with many of the comments complimenting Yanga on his last EP before he releases his debut album. One comment read, “I say it so many times, JR and Yanga are the best we have in SA! Yanga just proved it!” Another social media user stated, “Yanga is a beast, man. [I] don’t know how I overlooked his stuff.”
The EP is available for purchase on Apple Music.
Listen to Becoming A Pop Star (BAPS) below.