Nadia Nakai sounds the alarm on SA hip hop: ‘It’s super toxic right now’

It’s been a chaotic stretch for South African hip hop. Between ongoing debates, industry beefs, diss tracks and podcast commentary that seems to spark something new every week, the culture has been loud, messy and impossible to ignore.

And for Nadia Nakai, it’s all getting a bit too much. The rapper has recently opened up to “Because We Said So” podcast hosts Landzy Gama and Sama Marubelela, sharing that she’s taking a step back from the scene.

The rapper and entrepreneur also called out what she sees as a growing sense of toxicity, not just among artists but across the wider conversation around the genre.

“I’m taking a step back because I feel like it’s super toxic right now,” she said. “It’s serving a lot of toxicity and not even just what’s going on with the artists, but the podcast level.”

The issue goes beyond music for Nakai. She pointed to the rise of podcast culture and debates among podcasters about artists, how it’s shaping public opinion around the genre.

While she made it clear that she respects thoughtful conversations, she questioned the quality of many voices dominating the space.

“The reason why I’m here is because you guys are smart … I can tell that there’s intellect in what you guys are saying,” she said.

“But a lot of the podcasts, I feel like it’s just random people… you have your mic, and you have your camera, therefore you’re on streams.”

Her frustration seems to centre on what she believes is a shift from meaningful conversation to chasing the viral moment. 

“You’re doing things with clickbait so that you get views, but then people think what you’re saying is actually coming with sense. That’s a problem I have,” she said.

She also touched on how things used to be, arguing that broadcasting once came with a level of skill and structure that feels missing now.

“Whereas before the people that did broadcast were skilled,” she said, hinting at a decline in how conversations are handled by podcasters lately.

While Nakai may be taking a step back from the chaos of the hip hop music scene, she’s not slowing down as an entrepreneur. 

Instead, she’s redirecting her energy into building her business empire. The rapper recently revealed that she’s expanding her portfolio with a move into streetwear through her brand, Nak’d Authority.

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The label is focused on trendy, statement pieces, with Nakai making it clear that her target market is the modern, fashion-forward woman. 

So far, she’s in the process of dropping a handbag designed with the “South African baddie” in mind, tapping into the fashion market.

This isn’t her first venture. Nakai has already been hands-on with her makeup brand, “Naked Without”, which she launched in December 2023. 

In a previous video shared on Instagram, she gave followers a look into what running a business actually looks like, from checking on her kiosk at the Mall of Africa to managing stock and staff.

“Starting a business, running a business, it has to be the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my whole career, but also the most fulfilling,” she said.