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For nearly a decade, Nasty C (Nsikayesizwe David Junior Ngcobo) has been pushing boundaries in local hip hop and now he's set to break the international market with a new deal with the famous Def Jam records.
In case you don't know his backstory, at just fifteen years old, Nasty released his debut mixtape, One Kid, A Thousand Coffins (2012). He then shot to stardom in 2014 with his boundary-breaking second mixtape, Price City, and Juice Back, a continent-wide instant classic smash.
The Juice Back remix featured Nigerian muso, Davido and South African rapper Cassper Nyovest. This early success won Nasty C the Best Freshman prize at the highly competitive South African Hip-Hop Awards.
Then in 2016 his debut album Bad Hair hit number on the iTunes local chart and was the country’s most-streamed album within 24 hours of release.
Its re-release, Bad Hair Extensions featured French Montana. The seminal album earned Nasty C four Metro FM Music Awards, a South African Music Award and a BET Awards nomination.
The momentum surged with Strings and Bling in 2018. Nasty C was the only South African nominated for a BET Hip-Hop Award in the Best International Flow category in 2019 and was also nominated for an MTV Europe Music Award that year.
Strings and Bling won him two South African Music Awards and two AFRIMMAs (All African Muzik Magazine Awards).
Now, with his exclusive contract with Def Jam Recordings through a joint venture with Universal Music Africa, Nasty C makes his official U.S. debut with There They Go, his brand-new single which premiered on Thursday, with Ebro on Apple Music Beats1.
There They Go, with producer Cxdy at the controls, is the first advance track from Zulu Man with Some Power, Nasty C’s forthcoming album.
"Nasty C is a unique and forward-thinking artist who is at the forefront of a new generation of rappers emerging from Africa," said Jeff Harleston, interim Chairman & CEO, Def Jam Recordings said in a statement to the press.
He added: "Def Jam is a globally recognised brand synonymous with excellence in hip-hop, and we are excited to welcome Nasty C - an international star with real vision and talent - into the family."
"It’s powerful to be a part of the Def Jam family," said Nasty C in his own statement to the press.
He added: "It’s an iconic record label and has made the careers of many of the artists I look up to."
The video for There They Go was shot on location in Nasty C’s hometown of Durban.
It was directed by Andrew Sandler (who has worked with Lil Wayne, Chris Brown and others).
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
