It’s no wonder 22 year old Proverb has been chosen as once of the new faces and voices of Africa’s hottest music TV channel Channel O. This guy has a way with words – after all he’s one of South Africa’s hottest rappers. But aside from that he’s multi skilled and multi talented and full of dreams and ambition.

Channel O viewers will already recognise proverb from the video to his breakthrough track Attention – a hit Amu track that features him and Selwyn.

Proverb is deep in the music and media game. Aside from working as a technical producer (he’s a qualified sound engineer) on DJ Fresh and Thatho’s YFM breakfast show at Johannesburg station YFM, Proverb has some superb tracks on groundbreaking SA hip hop albums Expressions (‘Right Wrong’) and Maximum Sentence ‘Letter To My X’).

As he explains his hip hop career started at school in his home town of Kimberly, “at first it was just a hobby. But after winning a few competitions in high school I decided to try it on a more serious level especially after coming to Johannesburg and seeing the standard this side. This made me realise that a career can actually be made of this. “

He also realised that he could and should stretch his talents to other fields whilst watching TV one day, “Generally my role model is Rick Yune (he played the villain in James Bond: Die Another Day). After he was interviewed on The Phat Joe Show, I discovered that he was not only and actor but model, and accountant, a businessman – the list goes on. My first reaction was ‘he is doing too much’ but then I realised that ‘I’m not actually doing anything while people are going after their goals.’ It was then that my attitude changed.”

Part of that change included him deciding to go for auditions to be a Channel O presenter. Initially he didn’t think he was cut out for the job, “I was intimidated by the pretty people I was auditioning with. For some reason the models and pretty boys who I met outside the audition room made me very nervous and I felt like a failure before I even auditioned. It was when I was in front of the camera that I changed my whole approach to the audition and I decided to go all out and give the selectors something to think about and to look beyond my poor skin. ” 

Well Channel O clearly liked his style and attitude. Now that he’s got the job, he feels that his presence at the channel offers “a mutual benefit both ways. There is a lot I bring to Channel O in terms of my creativity, my personality, and generally a different perspective and approach to television. And naturally there is a lot Channel O can do a lot for me in terms of exposure, it’s an excellent platform.”

Proverb continues “As much as I’m exited about this opportunity, I also feel it’s my chance to be taken seriously because this is the make or break it into this industry, call it the “trial period.” This determines whether one can hack in this very demanding industry. It’s just a platform and how far I take is up to me. This opportunity is not to be taken for granted but it should help me realise my full potential and open many doors. “

There are many more doors Proverb wants to open and he’s not short of ambition and drive. “I also hope to get into television post production and I also hope to learn more about that through Channel O. I also hope to break into acting and all forms of entertainment for that matter. I’m very ambitious and plan to be the next Phat Joe of this country. My long term goal is to host and produce my own show after gaining all the experience I need. I never limit myself and I think I could be the next president if I put my mind to it. I’m very inspired and it tales a lot to even interfere with my motivation.” 

It’s still to be determined what shows he’ll be presenting on Channel O, and though he loves “good music, I don’t limit myself to one genre and risk missing out on good music. I like music I can relate to and music that talks to me.” it’s obvious what show he most definitely wants to present. “The one I’m aiming for and I hope I get is “Nasty” because aside from the obvious reason that I rap, but because That’s the show I could relate to the most. I also hope to take the live show for the same reasons.”

Either way, this fresh new addition to the Channel O team is sure to deliver what he says he will: “A whole new outlook and approach, I’ll try not to be a mimic of the previous guys but to be a fresh new personality with High energy levels coupled with a subtle maturity.”

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