Such an impressive hip-hop wizard, this poet with Tanzanian roots! Boitumelo Molekane’s artistic karma is so vast that he’s like a cat with seven lives. We might know him as Stogie T, but the young man has other aliases such as Tumi, Too Me, and MC Fatboy. Indeed, the South African rapper is an international hip-hop heavyweight.

For this South African Hip Hop Awards “Lyricist of the Year” winner, words carry a supreme power. Stogie T also earned a perfect score for his brilliant freestyle on the SiriusXM show Sway in the Morning, which covers all things hip-hop and is featured on Eminem’s channel, so the real deal.

Now 43, Stogie T sets records with modesty, as legends do. His genuineness is as touching to those artists who come knocking in hopes of being “featured” as it is to his South African fans and beyond. The 2019 hit “Get Money” featuring Stogie T and American rapper Styles P rocketed the two artists skywards. Stogie T is enamoured with the ’80s that saw a flowering of rap and hip-hop, and has inspired his own work. This era marked by such artists as Run DMC and Public Enemy, was the backdrop to his “80’s Love,” featuring the powerhouse Brittney Crush.

Vocally, Stogie T delivers rap that juggles tones with the reliability of a singing oak. The “Original Gangster” moniker suits him well. His touching lyrics on “Son of a Soldier” from 2017, showed another side of this artist, as he recalls the sacrifices his mother made for him, a rap reminiscent of 2Pac’s “Dear Mama.” Come and cheer this KOTD rap battle competitor, and don’t forget your gym towel, it’s going to be hot!