I believe a valuable piece of advice is to avoid becoming the type of person who constantly complains about the challenges or setbacks in life. After all, what’s meant to be will unfold in its own due time. This mindset—what I’d call the tough love that life has embraced me with over the years—has helped me grow into a more resilient and confident person. It has made me more optimistic about the possibilities ahead, but also more grounded in recognizing the faults that still hold me back.
Everyone comes from a unique background and has a vision for their future, but one thing I trust we can all agree on is that the most important moment of your life is right now. Who are you in the present, and what are you doing today to better yourself—and ultimately those around you? These are questions I believe everyone should ask themselves if they want to intentionally navigate their current chapter with the goal of becoming greater. “Ask and you shall receive,” “reap what you sow”—how you live is truly up to you—how you choose to ‘LIFE’ vibes.
Why bring this up? Why start so deep though? Because my own experiences have led me to this point, where the personal and the collective cultural intersect or because in this cover story you’ve found an interest in today brings the spirits of Usimamane, 25k, and Frank Casino together for a conversation that transcends the music—delving into the personal opinions, triumphs, and shared perceptions of hip-hop culture.
Under the guise of celebrating Zkhiphani’s 15th anniversary & the platform’s love for the sounds of the street, we called this cover story or encounter Three Flows. One Hip-Hop—an acknowledgement of signature sounds, yes, but also a vulnerable exploration of the struggles and shared BPMs that pulse through our hip-hop culture, binding us in ways both collectively and in isolation.
We hope you gain something out of this clash as much as we did but I hope you find inspiration in it!
The day was November 11th at the alluring VISUAL MAGIC studios, when the lights & cameras were set up to bring an unexpected idea that the team & I had been envisioning for weeks by then to life. Part of the challenge I expected before the work was going to be authentically curating a creative space where the boundary between individual storytelling and collaborative tales disappear to make way for a raw hip-hop confrontation with a trio of distinctive energies that are all riding their own waves:
One energy was the very self-contained but approachable Usimamane who I’ve unexpectedly had frequent engagements with over the past couple of weeks, both behind & in front of the camera and who is currently in a vanguard position in our hip-hop community I’ve witnessed only being claimed by a chosen few over my active years because let’s be honest for the sake of making me sound cool, in hip-hop “many are called but few are…” Yeah, you get what I mean.
Another energy was Don Kilograms himself, 25K, who I deem a reflector of truth who’s lived through a lot—tough times, attained street wisdom along the way, and achieved moments of pure creativity—but wears it like a badge of honor, never afraid to remain who he is while still challenging the limits of who he is expected to be. I’ve always respected Kilo for always keeping it real, an essence he brought to the room, unsurprisingly.
The third aura came from Frank Casino, an artist I currently view as a hip-hop conduit that has evidently been challenging his old ideas and traditions, creatively, as expressed on his latest release, ‘By Design’. As an artist and as a businessman, my perspectives on Frank have shifted from thinking of him as just a maker of hits to a human that’s using the songs that he makes to steer his desired toward the direction pre-destined for him, I believe by a higher power but that’s just me.
As the day went on and began to “come alive,” it quickly became clear that what we were attempting to do was quite unconventional—especially for hip-hop fans. In a community that’s often so ego-driven, it’s a rare sight to witness three ambitious individuals willing to share the spotlight. Where rivalry typically reigns supreme, this shoot day felt like a true shift from the selfishness that “sometimes” tends to lead artists astray—a real testament to the power of being open-minded over individual glory.
Whether you’re a new or established fan of the “sudden” rise of Umlazi-native Usimamane, who has solidified his presence as a hip-hop powerhouse with the release of his debut album, 20th: Days Before Maud, in September (soon followed by a deluxe edition that is out now), or if you’re a fan of Frank Casino, who has reenergized his visibility in the game thanks to his latest project, or maybe you’re rocking with 25K because of his consistent yet evolving sound— One aspect about this cover that you have to admit is that what was documented is something truly special and a Zkhiphani project we hoped would send a positive message across the game that proves hip-hop, at its core, is about more than just individual success. It’s about creating a space where voices can coexist, collaborate, and uplift one another, no matter the championship or justified hubris.
That said, as a cover story, Three Flows. One Hip-Hop is more than just a headline narrative for us—these are words that advocate for the diversity, unity, and differing ideologies that help define the essence of hip-hop culture. What we at Zkhiphani wanted to do was bring together three distinct voices, each representing a unique facet, viewpoint, and agenda of the genre, yet all linked by the shared soul of hip-hop through the lens of three flows, three artists & three human beings.
Through visual storytelling and a grateful attitude, what happened on November 11th turned out to birth an intimate look into the complexities of each artist’s respective career, their personal growth, mental states, career projections, and their ongoing contributions to the hip-hop landscape. All three brought their own convictions, personal struggles, thoughts, and visions to the benches, but together, they created a brotherhood exchange that captures not just the unspoken connection that binds them, but the vulnerabilities that define who they are.
Watch the full conversation below:
