Local rap crew headed for the stars
ALEX – Local hip-hop crew, Gomora's Black Ink, will soon release their first mixtape.
Gomora’s Black Ink, or GBI as they are known, is a group of four young Alex men who are eager to take the local hip-hop industry by storm.
The crew, comprising Mark Mhlonishwa, Prince Ramaila, Sphiwe Dube and Moses Selemela, was formed in 2013 by Mhlonishwa and Selemela.
The group describes their sound as versatile with each of the crew members bringing a different sound to the music.
“Sphiwe raps in his mother tongue, Mark and Moses freestyle and I bring in my trap style,” Ramaila said.
Mhlonishwa said the local hip-hop scene has been fairly good to them and they have performed at exciting events in recent months.
“The most exciting performance for us was at the Alex Hip Hop festival; the crowd just loved us and kept on cheering. That was when we knew that we are on the right track,’ Mhlonishwa said.
The downside of it all, however, is that the group has not been able to reap the financial benefits of their hard work.
Ramaila said, “Every performance has been for free, but does not get to us because I know that we will soon be able to make money. We are doing it for the love of hip-hop and getting our name out there.”
The crew is currently funded by an investor who saw potential in them.
All has not been rosy for the crew when they started as they had to knock on many doors for assistance and many of the doors were shut in their faces. Mhlonishwa said, “We struggled to find producers and studios to assist with our music, nobody wanted to help us.
“By the grace of God, a good Samaritan, who is now a friend, offered that we use his bedroom-turned-studio for free so that we can record our music.”
The group is currently recording their 21-track mixtape titled What’s On the Menu and are looking for producers, studios and investors to assist in getting their careers off the ground.
Listen to GBI’s first single from the mixtape, titled Yebo here: (track in Photoshop images- Week 2 audio GBI- YEBO)
Details: Irvin 065 502 9050; G-B-I Gomora’s black ink on Facebook.
