BY SIPHOSETHU MABUZA
MANZINI– For Sibusiso Shongwe, family is not necessarily about sharing a surname or DNA. Sometimes, he suggests, it is about the people who stay when things fall apart.
That idea sits at the heart of Family Blood, the latest 10-track EP by the multi-talented creative popularly known as Bless LePoet, formerly Yung BadNewz.
Rather than treating the project simply as another music release, Bless LePoet uses Family Blood to unpack complicated relationships, particularly the pain of betrayal by relatives and the importance of finding genuine loyalty and support elsewhere.
The project explores the question of what truly makes someone family, with its central message challenging the assumption that biological ties automatically guarantee trust.
Bless LePoet’s approach reflects a creative journey that has moved beyond conventional hip-hop. After introducing himself through hip-hop between 2017 and 2020, he gradually developed a wider identity as a poet, songwriter, music arranger, graphic designer, stage performer, recording artist and MC.
His music and poetry draw from experiences surrounding love, loss and the struggles of being a creative, while incorporating elements of hip-hop, Afro, Amapiano and soulful melodies.
Family Blood brings together a number of collaborators, including Danzero, King Mzesh, SeimeStonesDpr, BadRelief, LovernSky, Mtouch, Lil Blade, P-Floozy, Tkeey, KrazyM and The Punisher. Production on the project was handled by King Kangaroo, XeRo, Danzero, King Mzesh and BR.
Away from recording, Bless LePoet has built a name through platforms such as the Bars2Bars Cypher, which he founded and hosts to give artists space to showcase their lyrical abilities.
His poetry has also found its way into other creative spaces, including films such as Buciko Benhlitiyo and Forest Film Eswatini, while his work has reached audiences outside Eswatini through collaborations across Africa and features in the US-based Pepper Magazine.
With Family Blood, Bless LePoet continues to blur the lines between poetry and music, turning personal and social themes into a body of work that asks listeners to reconsider what family really means. The EP is available for streaming on Eswatini Hits.
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(Courtesy Pic)
