Yanga Chief is grateful for ‘Lord Faku’’ success
Yanga Chief has taken the South African hip-hop scene by storm, securing the No. 1 spot on the SA Spotify daily chart with his latest album, Lord Faku — The Life Of A Dyan.
His viral single What If has propelled him to become the first SA hip-hop artist in four years to achieve this milestone.
Reflecting on his journey, Yanga Chief, born Yanga Ntshakaza, shared that he initially joined the music industry to understand the business side of things.
Now, as an independent artist, he acknowledges the support of the Sampra Development Fund in helping him bring his vision to life.
For his latest project, the 37-year-old rapper took a more personal approach, focusing on creating music that resonates deeply with listeners.
“I wanted to create music that was thought provoking. I didn’t pick a single for the album, I wanted the people to decide and they have said What If is the song. It’s a song for the ages. I wanted to capture something I know all of us South Africans share, which is a love for our country and our people.”
He didn’t pre-select a lead single, allowing fans to decide, and What If emerged as the standout track.
He describes it as a song that captures a collective South African experience—one rooted in love for the country and its people.
Grateful for the album’s success, Yanga Chief sees this moment as a testament to the evolution of SA hip-hop.
“I can only be thankful. I’ve always wanted to increase the range of all these genres. SA hip-hop to me wasn’t just boom-bap music. It infused a plethora of other genres.
“I wanted to tap into that again and show how flexible the genre is and how wide we as artists can cast our net. That it’s Xhosa speaks to the level of honesty the album has as well. I’m working on a Lord Faku album tour.”
