ZULO’s return to contemporary hip-hop following his 2019 genre-bending EP Don’t Take Me for a P!, as well as the debut single credited under his new stage name ZULO, after the announcement that he would be abandoning his 14-year alias Lil Trix in 2020. The song serves as the lead single for ZULO’s third EP Talk to Me Naace and is primarily produced by ZULO, readopting his signature electro-influenced sound, sampling “Cameroon” by the legendary Miriam Makeba.

“Portals” follows ZULO as he transitions to his current brand from his former stage name over a thumping beat, assuring listeners that he might appear as a new artist, but the journey behind him surely proves that he has come a long way, being in the industry for over 10 years. Additional vocals are provided by frequent collaborator ByLwansta, as well as a triumphant outro performed by PATFROMTHESLUMS, who ZULO previously collaborated with on “Stranger”, appearing on his previous EP.

Talk to Me Naace

Portals

ZULO tackles matters of the heart in his groovy follow-up to "Portals" titled "JUST VAARBS". The kwaito-influenced single revisits the emotional break-up highlighted in ZULO's second EP Don't Take Me for a P!, as the rapper discusses his frustrations with post-break-up banter over a calming Lira sample produced by ZULO, Miglow, and WRLD CLS, with additional production by MV Majestic.

Released as the second single for his upcoming EP Talk to Me Naace, the song explores one of the EP's themes of accountability, with a chorus interpolating Monica's R&B classic "Before You Walk Out of My Life".

ZULO further emphasizes the inevitability of coming across false stories online, especially in the digital age, and expresses his desire to ignore people's opinion of him because it is none of his business.

JUST VAARBS

let's talk

Capturing the questionable bitterness of internet trolls, "SALTY" is an upbeat contemporary hip-hop anthem publicising cyberbullies and resentful peers. The single combines the minds of longtime collaborators ByLwansta & ZULO as they trade fun and comedic verses on a gliding 808 assisted by a casual log drum, a South African staple, bringing a laid-back groove and quirky flavour in the attentive rappers' respective catalogues, making "SALTY" a perfect candidate for a year-end jump!

SALTY

Adawise

Garden

Smaak To Love (Lamza)

Born and raised in the south of Johannesburg, ZULO is known for his distinctive and innovative take on what we’ve come to know as South African hip-hop, melding elements of hip-hop, pop and kwaito. His lyrics, generously sprinkled with coloured slang, echo his commitment to honour his cultural heritage and his intention to create true “South African music”.

As a youngster, ZULO wrote stories and poems, developed video games, and shot his own home-made movies, which naturally led him to rap. By age 16, ZULO made a name for himself as Lil Trix after topping YFM and 5FM charts in only 2 weeks, and racked up a total of 8 mixtapes during his high school years, even earning a finalist spot in ShizNiz’s ‘King of the Mixtape’.

After a brief mentorship from Slikour, ZULO transitioned from Lil Trix, adopting a stage name in tribute to his birth name, and released his breakout single, “Portals”, shaping his rebrand ahead of his 2022 debut EP, Talk to Me Naace.

Committed to cultural representation, ZULO aims to globalize his musical palette, striving to make his mark as a proudly coloured global rap pop sensation, continuously pushing creative boundaries and redefining the spectrum of contemporary South African hip-hop.

JOL

ZULO

Related tracks