In Conversation With Realname Prada
Words by Atang Moalosi and Tefo Kosie
After closing off 2024 with his mixtape Southside Broke My Heart, Realname Prada is back to talk about the story behind his project and his journey as a rapper.
Southside Broke My Heart boasts a newly found headspace for Realname Prada who approaches the mixtape with a very definitive energy. The project is littered with clever one-liners such as on the lead single 'Versace Flow' which is a great singular representation of the overall mood of the project. Prada boasts assertive verses to compliment 'Chef's' sample-heavy production that carries the mixtape to complete rap prowess. SBMH is an exploration of Botswana from Prada's eyes. From the OG tales of encouragement to the vibrant lines about having diamonds in the backyard, Realname paints a vivid scenery of a seemingly chaotic world in which he thrives regardless.
What is the story behind ‘Realname Prada’ and what about chrysus, who is that and why did you change your name?
I’m Chrysus. I’m gonna start with Chrysus because that’s how I started off. Chrysus is literally just a name i got off a name generator when i wanted name to start out my journey. I went with Chrysus because I was still very self-conscious about my music and I didn’t want anybody even getting the idea that it was me. and then Realname Prada is a funny story actually. Once upon a time I thought I would get Prada boots and they were all I could talk about but i never got the boots and so it sorta became a joke to call me Prada/Prada Don Dada. The name Prada stuck and i just changed it one day in the name of evolution. plus it sounds cooler than Chrysus
When did you start writing and rapping?
I would say I’ve been rapping since 2019 but i only started seriously writing and putting out work in 2020.
The project before your last (sumn dffrnt) was very definitive soundwise and consisted of a lot confident rapping over slower tempo beats. How was the process working that and conceptualizing the difference in who were and the then present self?
I was actually trying to put together a whole other project with a different name and everything. I was failing to meet my own deadlines and realized throughout the whole recording and writing that i was straying off the original concept. I also felt that I was really doing “something different” from what was out then in our scene and from the original plan and that led to the tape. I think back then I had less to think when making the music. it was just about making music to impress my friends who had just found out that i make music and having fun while doing it. That’s the difference; then it was about exploring that box i had just opened and now its more of trying to see how i can grow past that box and try to be a better hiphop artist/rapper overall.
Your new mixtape sounds like a refined extension of sum dffrnt. You also curated practically the whole project with a very talented producer 'chef'. What was the thought process behind that?
I wouldn’t necessarily say its a refined extension but without sumn dffrnt there definitely wouldn’t be a SBMH. I can say it inspired it maybe. There wasn’t much of a thought process because most of the songs are just my thoughts, feelings and observations at certain points of last year. Chef’s production helped bring all those things to life because of his understanding of my vision. He’s great at what he does so that paired with good chemistry can’t go wrong in my opinion
Speaking of music production, what draws you to this sample heavy hip hop production style, and which artists influenced the way you approach music?
i’m heavily influenced but what i think is called modern boom-bap or “yap rap”. I take my inspiration from a whole lot of artists ranging from the whole the Griselda niggas to Jay Z, from A-reece to local OG’s like Zeus & Scar and more recently the Roots. Some of the aforementioned artists used a lot of sample based instrumentals which I was first exposed on the Jay-Z albums “4:44” and “Reasonable Doubt” as well as “Pray For Paris” by Westside Gunn so that’s what kind of set the tone for me loving samples. i feel like the samples kind of force you to say something that will draw the listener further into your world or into whatever picture you’re trying to paint.
Prior to the release of the mixtape, you were featured on Sinner TV to perform the then-unreleased track "scmmrs and rbbrs" on their first edition of the Free Yourself performances. How did that come about?
Ciggz had told me about the idea for the show before and we had spoke about making it happen for a while. It just so happened that one fateful night when i was at his place he said “we could shoot it right now” and we just went and we did it right then and there. I thought it would also be good promo for the release.
What is your favourite song from SBMH and why?
Currently it’s “verse of the year.” That’s because I believe I pushed myself out my comfort zone with that one in terms of delivery and also just the theme & message of the song are personally important to me. My friend likes to say its an anthem.
What was the idea behind the name SBMH?
I come from and live in Ramotswa. I also spend a lot of my time in Gaborone. Both those places are located in the Southern region of Botswana so thats the Southside part. So the name of the tape is a direct nod at how i'm confronting these observations/feelings i express in the project. Its a realization that this is what’s happening but also it breaks my heart that this is what i’m seeing and feeling.
live from the 267 carried the only feature of the project, Tash, who is also on your Yorokobi team. How did the collaboration come about, and how was the experience of working on it?
I hadn’t finished the song but I sent it to the team for feedback on it because it took me some time to warm up to the song. Tash particularly favoured it and he sent me back the file with his verse on it. It wasn’t necessarily a planned, it just turned out that way for the better because I probably wasn’t going to finish the song as quick as it was finished.
Does prioritizing hard hitting and technically lyrical material over the current climate of 'content-like' music make you feel a way?
Given the type of music I make, I’m naturally bound to feel a way so yes, but music is music. I can advocate for “lyrical miracles” all I want but the truth is I also enjoy some of the content-like music. I do also believe though that there should be somewhat an element of substance to it. To each his own
Should we expect more visuals going into 2025?
Yes. More visuals for sure
Are collaborations on your mind going into this year or is it more of an individual effort?
I’m definitely looking into a lot of collaborations this year. The YK team will be putting in a collective effort alongside a lot of other creatives that are doing their thing. I can’t say too much for now.
Stream Realname Prada's mixtape HERE