Gone are the days when Hip Hop was used to be music for ghetto, young and uneducated boys. Nowadays Hip Hop is sang by proper, educated, well-mannered and 40 year olds that look very much like striking like they were in their early 20s; as they say age is nothing but lousy number. Music is music anyway especially if it’s as melodious, pleasing and tuneful as Fortunes music.
Fortune revealed his second album titled ABOMRAPPER2 on the 16th of July in Kyalami Boulevard. He might be getting on in years but this guy is definitely rich in lyrics and his mellifluous music kept us venerated and dancing. His music is fully hedged and a different breed of Hip Hop from your typical kind of rap music as it accommodates people of all ages. The Rhythm beat and flow is different: very unique. You will never hear anything talking about girls, swear words, how he flashes money or how gangsterlicious he is coz that’s what hip hop of today is all about. So when was some of his music videos were shown, there were no girl’s twerking or walking around naked. His music is more of motivation and about life realities; he is definitely changing the Hip hop game for me.
The support he got from his family and friends which is very rare to find in this industry, we were amazed indeed to see his wife who looked stunning in a tribal print jumpsuit, his striking hot twin sisters of blame it on fame;Ntando and Hlelo and as well as mama and papa Masina sitting on a crowd watching their son entertaining the cheering and excited crowd. The reveal itself was very unique as he didn’t sing any songs but only played his music videos, which was very nubile for me; thanks to his brilliant team.
We tired of miming artists. There were lot of recognisable faces from the music and entertainment industry, including the likes of Stoan Seete, Kabomo, Amo, RJ Benjamin, Rami Chuene and Relebogile Mabotja just to mention the few. Amongst the list were some of the musicians he collaborated with on this project, which may include the likes of Stoan, Kabomo and RJ Benjamin on his song ‘gonna be alright’. Covetousness is not what he is about as he featured more than 50 artists on his album, which has a total of 17 tracks. On the project, Masina collaborated with the likes of HHP, Spex, Mr. Selwyn, Towdee Mac, RJ Benjamin, Thiwe, Zubz, Miss Nthabi, ProVerb, MXO, Howza, Slikour, Stoan, Naked DJ, Amu, H20 and others. The album is Executive Produced by Lebotja Media and Masina Media.
Before the music video masquerade, fortune shared few words. His speech was quite something; the guy is full of jokes and sensitive. The next minute we laughing as he was talking about his album and how he made it out nothing. Talking about his journey and how his wife supported him and never gave up on his dream was the interesting part, got the wife in tears and crowd went ncooah.
10 years ago Fortune released his debut album ABOMRAPPER1, even though it didn’t do as good this one but surely the tracks like, ‘get enough’ off and ‘Haai’suka’ were listenable tunes. At the time hip-hop was not a huge genre in Mzansi and was definitely not much of a star making platform unless you received massive rotation on radio and love from the mainstream media. Because of that not many people remembered Fortune as an artist but what a comeback.
Facts about the album:
• Album features over 50 artists
• Album’s first single is “GONNA BE ALRIGHT” featuring Kabomo, Stoan and RJ Benjamin.
• A video single to look out for is “HOW ITS DONE” with the late Flabba, as well as veteran Shero & Legendary DJ Papercutt. This was the last music video performance by Nkuli “Flabba” Habedi
• The album includes a bonus track song “THE REUNION”, which is dubbed a real hip hop marathon featuring 20 of Mzansi’s finest emcees such as Ramesh, Infa, Snazz D, Hoodlum, JR, Prof, Ms. Supa and Omen.
Established in 1976, he is renowned for his unconventional use of humour in his life coaching approach. Not only many famous personalities plug into him for direction and motivation, but with the help of social media his sound advice touches over 15 thousand people on a daily basis. He is passionate about gender politics and relationships. Fortune Masina has extensive experience in the creative and media production industry, his work is his life.
Being part of a family of entertainers, he is a self-taught creative director by profession, a recording artist and producer in both music and television with credits on a variety of productions locally and internationally and is set on publishing a book in the second quarter of 2015 simultaneously with his second album of the Abom’Rapper franchise.
If you have lost hope in Hip hop, this is the album to listen to. It definitely knocked back some sense on what hip hop used to be and what it’s supposed to be. First time I listened to it I thought to myself, this is the new age of Hip hop youngsters should listen to. Fallen Hip hop moguls would be proud to hear such inspirational tunes. Future hip hop stars may abide on his footsteps, he did not rush into anything that’s why this album is nubile and tuneable.
