Vhulenda Samuel Mahwasane, aka Meek Enk, is undeniably one of the hottest tickets in local music right now. The gifted young hip-hop artist from Muledane in Thohoyandou released his second EP, dubbed Beyond Good and Evil, last month, and his fans are already going crazy over it.
Meek Enk (21) started writing his own songs and poetry when he was only 13. One day he caught the attention of Murendeni Rambau, who saw him performing one of his own songs and told the young artist to take his gift seriously. So, he set out looking for a recording studio and found Creative Records, who recorded his debut single, called All Night, in 2016. Last year, he released his first EP, Tshisole IV. He is especially known for his hit song, Dabadaba.
Beyond Good and Evil is a collaboration with local hip-hop artists such as Teyson Lucci, Yung Emo and Hard Eyez. "This EP is generally based on losing my dad, dropping out of college, and my drinking habits. One of the songs on the album, called Go getter, reflects my optimism about making a real breakthrough one day. It is quite inspiring," he said.
The EP also touches on how society views and judges smokers. "As I reflect on my whole life, I can see that, at times, I have been both a blessing and a curse. But I believe that God is helping me to fight my addiction, which you can hear on the EP's opening track, Complicated."
Meek Enk might be fighting his own demons like everyone else, but nothing seems to be stopping him from pushing himself further up the music ladder. Last year, he earned himself a nomination at the Mzansi Arts and Media Awards in the Best Upcoming Artist category. "I was so grateful for that nomination, because it motivated me to keep trying. My biggest dream is to grow my audience and win some awards," he said.
Beyond Good and Evil is available on all media platforms. For bookings, he can be reached on 060 714 4613.