You first heard him kick a mad ill rhyme on “Mr Nobody” with J-Bux and Perisher. After being bombarded with emails demanding that we find out who this cat is, where he is, where he’s at and where he’s going I got in touch with him and did an interview. Expect to hear much more from this guy in the future. Check it out!

Can you start off by telling us a bit about yourself, where you from and where you at?

My name is Mawethu Damane, aka Wheza the Supremme. U-town (Uitenhage) mc, born and bred. I am currently stayin and working in East London, Teaching Computer Sciences at this Private high school. I started workin, lecturing at this Private College at age 19, in 2001. I am also currently tryin to get as involved as possible in the evolution and revolution of of this culture in E. C. specifically, and S. A. in general. When hip-hop blows up all ova the place, I don’t wanna jump into the bandwagon, I wanna wipe the sweat of my forehead from helping build the damn wagon!! 

I been also involved in radio as I was helping out this cat who was dj at CBFM last year (the very CBFM me and J bux is dissin now!). I got into rhymin in 1995, My inspiration to write was REGULATE by Warren G (even I can’t b’leive that shit now). Mic G helped build my confidence in writng my own shit and peforming. Sincere really got me into rhyming though. Him and Ta L (Who was a member of Database with Fat Boy aka TUMI) really taught me the intricacies of writing rhymes, u know, punchlines, metaphors, similes etc. Sincere remains my major mentor as far as writing and hip-hop direction is concerned.

How did you become involved with hip hop? What was it that influenced you?

I got involved with hip-hop back in ’89, but then I was just a small kid, never knew the impact hip-hop would have on my life, I guess I was just fascinated by these people wearing thick chains and talkin to beats while everyone else was singin to ’em (Rakim and RUN DMC), and these people throwin themselves on the floor while dancin (B-BOYS) while everyone else was being a pantsula in the townships. I didn’t grow up on hip-hop from early on, I grew up to lucky dube, brenda and everyone who was hot in bubblegum music at the time. In hip-hop back then I was into big daddy kane, Ra, EPMD, NWA, then it was on to Heavy D, MC lyte, Latifah, then on to onyx, kris kross etc. I was never really into snoop and dre, then I was more into “east side” cats. Then from 1996 forward I was into Biggie, puff, and the whole bling-bling, jiggy beat thing. Tupac was also never my favorite. It was late ’99 early 2000 that I got into “real” hip-hop., Being introduced to it by Sincere and Ta L and the likes.

How did you hook up with J-Bux?

We was at this cypher at U.P.E., middle of last year. Cats was just goin up and down the stage, rippin mics and shit. Apparently, my shit was the illest that day, kauz cats was just feelin me. Anyway, this colored cat just steps to the stage, and he just starts rippin it, by then I was high and about to pass out, but I just became sober, fuck, Jason was just off the hook that day!!. After that he came to me and we just spoke, sharing mutual feelings and respect. I got his no. from someone, called him the day after, then we just hit it off. Beginning of this year me and him decided to hook up on a group thing, “Wheza the Supremme and J-BUX”. Mr Nobody wasn’t the first track we did together, It was the first we recorded, me him and Perisher aka ABANTU.

Tell us about the track Mr Nobody, had did that all happen and can you give us the lyrics to your verse?

I was in P. E. the other day so I just called Jason and he came to pick me up. We were hungry so his girl went to hustle cash from her mom, and while she was gone Jason told me about this rhyme he wrote, told me he had a tyte beat, then he recited the verse and explained the concept to me, and why he felt we needed to address it. So then I went home and he called me and played the beat over the phone. I just wrote to the beat. Jason worked his ass of tryin to organize some free studio time (nuff respek to him for that), then this other Friday, we just went to the studio to record. He had recorded his verse already, so that day it was just me and abantu recording.

THE LYRICS:
I spend my days in rubbish cans lookin for happiness and laughter/Plan for the day not forgetting the days after/and the man who chose my fate is not my masta/ from energetic to being mind-wretched with my vote for hope discarded/regarded a failure from when I started, hardly/ was in the starting line-up to play life but got red-carded before the games started/thoughts in a bottle hence I take a sip before I think/and reminisce on happy times that never really did exist/just cold nights and warm days that’s feelin even colder/ my reality is death while im breathin life is over/ Mr. Mbeki whats the plan?/takin the life of a man/ and sendin no condolences/ the purpose of your speeches is promotions/ Your new suits get wet daily from being showered with praises/ while we on card-boards with scarred minds and scarred faces/ tryin to be my worlds greatest/ with no resources and the forces that be unfortunately force me/ to afford the standard of livin even life is costy/ weather the storm/ whether the storm is in a form of cold or warm/ and hapiness is never within reach of my hungry arms/ remain calm/ while they sippin lime and barcadi/ man andinamali/ I’m hungry.

What is your opinion of the Port Elizabeth hip hop scene? Which emcees are you feeling right now from the PE? 

At the moment I’m feelin everything that’s comin out of there and Uitenhage as well. The thing is, in both places, no emcee is really wack, you know, so its hard for me to mention names. The hip-hop scene in the Metropole (U-Town and P. E.) is picking up. I have never been in the cape town and jo’burg scene, so comparing it the those two places is Impossible for me to do. There seems to be a lot of hype and excitement around the metropole now, kauz whenever I go to hip-hop on the local net, there’s always something about the metropole. Its just unfortunate for me that I have to be in E.L at this time, kauz I don’t really feel like I’m part of the excitement right now, you know.

What are your opinions of the South African scene?

I happen to be of the opinion that south african emcees are the illest. I don’t feel a lot of stuff from the states right now, maybe copywright and can ox and a few othas, but a lot of’em jus bullshitting. Emcee’ing always been there in S.A. even graf, but now I see a lot of kats more interested in b-boying and poetry and D.J’ing, and I think that’s ill, kauz I was starin to feel that the emcee side was becoming over-populated, while the otha elements were being totally ignored. The scales are far from balanced though, but things is lookin up. And local cats bullshit too much! I mean, they always beefin, jo’burg cats say this ’bout cape town cats, and vice versa. Even Eastern cape cats are jumpin on the wagon now. There is nothing wrong with a little bit of healthy competition, but this shit is gonna kill the hip-hop spirit before hip-hop gets to really flourish in S. A. hip-hop is too divided in S. A. to make any real impact at the moment. I think cats should get together now, and bitch later if they have to.

What was it like for you growing up?

I grew up in a nice, comfortable home, with BOTH my parents. I was never into street life, I mean, I have been involved in car theft and the shootings, and I have been arrested twice, though I never went to jail, but I was more of a library and chick person ( I think pussy’s ILL!!!). I went to school and passed, above average student, only thing I ever cared about in this life was hip-hop, I would sweat blood for it. I used to read a lot, not anymore though. Last year I was a little bit up and about, parties and lots and lots of sex and shit, but now I’m a bit laid back, tryin to focus on whats important. Me and Rushay and Jason and all the otha cats from the metro is tryin to build somethin, so I feel like I got betta things to do than party all the time.

How often do you write lyrics, where do you write lyrics and where do you get your inspiration from?

I try to write at least 1 rhyme per week, even if I don’t feel it, just for the sake of writing, which means that out of every five scripts I write, I maybe throw three away and concentrate on tryin to perfect the otha two. The reason I try and write all the time is that I am tryin to make this shit effortless. I wanna be able to write a decent rhyme at least, at the drop a dime, even if given only 10 min to do so. My inspiration comes from a lot of things, but I only get really inspired to write something solid when I feel the concept or when I think the concept is unique, but I’m tryin to quit that. I also try to impress people close to me when I write.

How would you define your style?

Eish, now that’s a hard one. I cant say I really have a style. I guess my “style” changes from track to track and concept to concept. How I write and flow for a certain rhyme also depends on the beat. 

Do you battle often? If so what battles will you always remember and why?

I am not a battle emcee. That said though, I have had my fair share of battles, the most recent being about three weeks ago. I can proudly state that even though I am NOT a battle emcee, I have never lost a battle. The most memorable would have to be in this cypher at the Student Village at the P. E. Technikon in 2000. The place was packed and my friends were doing they best to represent Uitenhage, but they were just being eaten. They tried their best to convince me that I was the tightest of these cats in freestyles so I could kill them, and it worked. I got so worked up that I got on stage, grabbed the mike, cussed everybody in the crowd and said whoever had a beef with my swearing at them could just grab the otha mike and come at me. They came and got slashed, and by the time I was finished, no one else wanted to step on stage. I would then get off the stage and they would get up there, but when ever I got back on, they would just put mikes down, and get off!! I think that’s when I really paid my dues to p.e. hip-hop cats.

How old are you?

I’m 21 years old. I was born on the 14th of September, 1981.

What do you do for a living?

I am a teacher. I teach Computer Sciences at this Private high school in East London.  I am a teacher by expertise though, not by qualification. For the last two years I was lecturer of computer studies at the Academy of Learning College in Uitenhage, P. E. and East London.

What do you like to eat and drink?

I like to eat brown bread and sugar water, that’s what I grew up on. I also like biltong, and I eat weet bix for breakfast, lunch and supper. Sometimes I eat pussy as well, but it has to smell like musk. I like drinking water, sugar water, beer, whisky, and rum.

What are your top 5 hip hop albums of all time?

Eish, that’s another hard one. I don’t know about my top five of all time, but I can tell you 5 of my classics, shit I’ll play till I have grand kids. The list is not in any order. 1. Stakes is high (De la soul) 2. Krs-one (Krs-one, late ’95),3. Like water for chocolate (Comm) 4.Lyricist lounge Vol 1 (Rawkus) 5. All Gza, Mos and Talib releases!!!
Theres a lot of shit that I didn’t mention, a WHOLE lot of it!! 

Have you released any album/demo yet?

I have recorded a couple of demo’s in my lifetyme, don’t know where they ended up. Last year I went to the Damelin studios in Walmer, PE. and recorded about 4 tracks. I’m still lookin for the dude that I was workin with kauz he’s got my shit!!! Mr. Nobody was not the first demo i did, but it’s the first that got some real recognition. A lot of stuff we recorded before I met J bux was always only heard by cats from u-town, and the occasional cat from P. E.

What are your plans for the future?

My first plan is to get a proper job, with a proper salary. In June also me and J-bux will spend some time at the fat lady production studio, recording more tracks, we plannin to drop sumtin late this year, or maybe early next year. We also tryin to get a marketing and distribution deal. Then we’ll just take it from there I guess.

Which producers are you willing to work with?

Anyone who can make a tight beat I guess. Even if it’s a kwaito or house cat, if he/she can hook up a tight hip-hop beat, I’m game. Even if the beat is not exactly hip-hop, it can be rock, whatever… if I feel like I can do hip-hop on it, then it’s all good.

Which emcees would you like to collaborate with?

Tumi, Ta L, Sincere, Kameno, Madd spits, Naturalistics, Blackfist, Snazz, Skwatta, Thabs…,Fuck.. I would just love to get the chance to collaborate and work with all the cats I respect in local hip-hop, and there’s plenty of them.

Tell us something nobody knows about you?

I used to masturbate when I was a kid.

What are you going to do in the next 3 months?

I will work, get laid. I am also gonna register at damelin, kauz ther’s this course I have to do. I will also try to be an activist for hip-hop in East London, so I can feel like I am doin somethin for the advancement of this hip-hop.

Thanks for talking to us, we hope to hear more of you in the future and we’ll regularly check on your progress. Do you have any last words?

Cats from J-sect and Cape Town must jus realize that Hip-Hop is not confined to geographical spaces. This ignorance and arrogance is not benefiting hip-hop in any way.
Metropole HIP-HOP ONE!! 
Wheza the Supremme signing out!!

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