3 Peat
In hip hop, judgment put on debut offerings is extra harsh. A classic offering out the gate is an unspoken expectation. The sophomore is looked at as you should have refined from the standard you set with your first professional offering; the debut was first timer’s luck. The third offering gets the title of O.G as these are scarce. A lot of artists are having these over a space of more than 3 years. A small number of artists are hardly noticed when they do a 3 Peat of classics, let alone a discography that spans past the second offering.
This by no means suggesting that hip-hop artists, especially in South Africa, are not actively rapping. Quite the contrary. Complete albums may be sparse, but you will hear of them. The verses are littered everywhere & with this, they qualify to become contenders for the annual MC of the year. A double-edged sword for the game. In retrospect, the game has shifted and evolved beyond the famous Jay Z mantra of owning summers with debate-worthy albums.
To create a cohesive body of work is a labor of love, passion & damn near pedantic attention to detail. It’s an exhibit of skill and word mastery. To paint a singular picture with different strokes of brilliance is incredible. Now imagine doing it on full-length projects back to back to back!
These 9 albums are classics in their own right & are etched forever in hip hop history. It’s also incredible how, as linear as they are, they each represent a different time frame, mindset & exquisite growth of the artists therein. To not respect the artistry in the collection of these three 3 Peat would be a travesty. To not acknowledge that these albums are formidable works; is a gross undermining of the value & pride these artists put into their lyricism.
The Dreams Series
In 2021, Solo’s career nows spans over the past decade. The first audible came in the form of a mixtape back in 2010 titled “No Shades of Grey” which served as a prelude to the Dreams series, namely, Dreams.A.Plenty (2014), Dreams.B.Plenty (2016) & C.Plenty.Dreams (2019).
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Each of these albums timestamps an era in Solo’s life. In between these albums, Solo has also amassed his discography with projects with the band BETR Gang. “We Need A Title” with Buks as BETR Gang, The Tour Dates trilogy (as Solo and The BETR Gang) & also appearing on many features and collaborations.
In “Stardust” the question, “Are you comfortable with your choice yet? Have you even found your voice yet?” indicates the preliminary thoughts to pursuing a career in hip hop.
The Dreams series follow an astute MC with an affinity to be different, relateable & determined to share their life story. Vulnerability meets curiosity. Studying the game breeds introspection. The growth in the industry fuels confidence and learned self-awareness. Throughout the journey in the Dreams series, you vividly hear & feel Solo Ntsizwa Ka Mthimkhulu grow & become more aware of self & navigation of this hip hop culture. Each album serves as a pinpoint position of Solo’s career & imminent career trajectory. There are noticeable growth points in the series. Dineo Moeketsi, who was the love interest in the first single “The Frolic” on the debut “Dreams A Plenty” is now Dineo Langa in “Higher Power” on “C.Plenty.Dreams”.
In “Stardust” the question, “Are you comfortable with your choice yet? Have you even found your voice yet?” indicates the preliminary thoughts to pursuing a career in hip hop. “Not Vogue” on the sophomore boasts confidently & celebratory, “If that shit works, we so fucken out of here!”.
In between the Dreams series, Solo’s writing becomes more vivid. You inadvertently follow the story of a dreamer & root for them to see if they achieve their dreams.
The debut, Dreams.A.Plenty, details the dream, sketching plans and recognizing pitfalls and obstacles. The sophomore, Dreams.B.Plenty, was the segway to an unchartered yet imagined territory. The middle ground between novice and presumed master. The third chapter of the trilogy, C.Plenty.Dreams, is the culmination of the dreams of Solo Ntsizwa Ka Mthimkhulu: the man, the traditional healer, and impeccable rapper.
The consistency exhibited in the Dreams series ( and the in-between albums that morphed into their own formidable concepts) is undeniably unparalleled. The Dreams series is a collector’s item.
Second 3 Peat to be updated soon…
