Rudzani Khorommbi “Roo” Netshiheni / 26 / Editor at HYPE Magazine / Chief Information Officer at TEMPLE AGENCY (super exclusive, to be announced soon)
You’re changing the game one word at a time, how’d you become HYPE Magazine’s editor?
It’s quite a simple story of how just reaching out can open doors. After my Matric year in 2010, I decided to take a gap year to find myself. Initially I wanted to study architecture (still do & will do soon) but the thought of it didn’t excite me that much anymore compared to when I was in high school. During that gap year I reconnected with one of my primary school best friends and we had so much in common after all these years of not communicating that it made sense why we were close in primary haha. Anyway, one of our interests was Hip-Hop culture and all the cool things that were a part of it. From the fashion, events and music, we were just obsessed with knowing what was going on. That sparked us to create a blog in 2012 called Temple Revolutions (one of TEMPLE AGENCY’s inspirations you see). The blog started when I was a first year student at Boston Media House. Every day we would rush over to some internet cafe in Hatfield and write about current Hip-Hop news and other cool things like sneakers, etc. As time progressed, people started noticing the blog and we started to get more confident in what we were doing, which led to us being more experimental and going out to Hip-Hop events, documenting them and just drowning within the creative atmospheres. I call those days our “studying” days because we were studying the game.
I remember we attended our first Back To The City festival event also in 2012, by then I had grown a taste for writing which helped with my studies, at that BTTC festival, I remember us standing in a long que waiting to get in and I noticed that they were handing out free HYPE Magazines. I took one of course and started going through its content. There were also some other Hip-Hop platforms at the festival and even though they didn’t compare to HYPE, I was still intrigued by them. I approached one guy that was a writer for one of the other Hip-Hop magazines, I won’t mention the name of the magazine as I don’t want to seem like I’m dissing it. I approached the guy and he gave me the editor of that magazine’s email address, that same night I sent an email to the editor asking to be a part of it. He replied once, I replied to his reply and after that never heard from him again. That disappointment was the tipping point that encouraged me to approach HYPE because initially I thought that the biggest Hip-Hop magazine in Africa wouldn’t have time for a young hungry kid like me. Simone Harris was the editor at the time, and I reached out to her. She replied and I responded to her without high hopes for things moving forward but Simone hit me up again. So, before I sent emails through to editors, I would always have about three articles I wrote to submit so they could review my writing skills. I sent Simone about three articles I had written at the time, she liked them and asked me if I would love to contribute to the HYPE website and I said hell yeah! Oh, I also had an article published on XXL’s website about South African Hip-Hop that gave me some credit. Also had HYPEBEAST connects but that’s a different story.
Four years later, I graduated. While at home chilling, frustrated because Simone had moved on from HYPE around that time and I didn’t know if that meant my time with HYPE had ended. Keep in mind I wasn’t getting paid or anything, but I truly felt blessed and cool for having been given the opportunity. Fred Kayembe was the new editor and we weren’t that close at the time. I think I only met him once at some HYPE event before Simone’s departure. I was in Venda getting my driver’s licence when I got a call from Fred who said that he loved my work and wanted me to come work with him. The timing of everything was perfect because when he called, I has just passed my driving test and then I got my first car, which helped with getting to the office on time. For a year I was Fred’s assistant, then in 2016 he moved on from HYPE to do crazier things and I took over. I probably skipped some parts because it’s a long story.
What’s the vision for 2019?
The vision for 2019 is to really celebrate the future superstars within the music industry. Personally, I want to expand HYPE’s influence on the other genres too that are also still part of our community. Also have a vision to create more interactive experiences, collaborations and higher quality content. Its going to be a crazy year.
Hip-Hop, define it in your own words…
Hip-Hop is God’s gift to the world. Those are my words. This culture has changed so many lives and continues to do so and grow.
Who’s quickly making their come up in the industry according to you?
You have a lot of young artists and unique artists coming up. The likes of ByLwansta, who was one of our first HYPE Freshman, he is really set on dominating. ByLwansta is also the first South African (and only) to have appeared on the famous COLORS platform, which is crazy. Then you have new wave artists such as The Big Hash, Lethabo Acid, Yuang, PatricKxxLee and so many more paving their way to the top. Other artists like Touchline, Luna Florentino, Kingsweetkid, King Lutendo and a whole lot more are working hard. Then you have our HYPE Freshman 2018 winners such as Rowlene, ASON, 3ple B, Tian and others I mentioned before gearing up for a takeover. I’ve also been keeping an eye on the alternative guys like Tron Pyre, Angie Santana, Una Rams, Espacio Dios and so many others who are special.
Music, Fashion or Alcohol, one’s gotta go lol.
Alcohol can go bruh…
What are you grateful for the most?
I’m grateful for the opportunities I’m constantly given to make a mark and super grateful for the support structures I have.
Favourite jam at the moment?
I currently have Mac Miller’s ‘Wings’ on repeat now. R.I.P
When you started, you never thought…?
Never thought I would be such an influential voice in South African Hip-Hop and get event invites from London, New York & Los Angeles. Crazy.
Who is Roo really?
Roo is a grown-ass Venda kid from Shayandima who over the years has grown in confidence, appreciates all that God has blessed him with and is destined for overwhelming great things. That’s Roo.
Follow Roo!
Instagram: @_rooat
Twitter: @Roo_AT
Facebook: Rudzani Khorro Netshiheni
-Bridgette Makhela
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