McSwagga drops new Venda project

Rising Venda rapper McSwagga is set to release his new project, McSwagga 1997, on 30 January. He describes the body of work as his most personal and defining to date.

The title 1997 is not abstract. It is the year McSwagga was born, and he says the project represents the beginning of everything for him. Through the release, he aims to give listeners a clearer understanding of who he is, using music as a form of self-introduction and reflection.

Sonically, McSwagga 1997 is rooted mainly in Venrap, but the artist does not limit himself to one sound. He experiments with Afrobeat and R&B elements, creating a project that is diverse yet unified by a single message: identity. According to McSwagga, the core purpose of the project is to help audiences understand him beyond the image they may already have.

One of the major shifts on the project is language. Unlike much of his earlier work, which leaned towards an international sound, McSwagga 1997 places strong emphasis on his home language, Tshivenda. He says the decision was intentional, as his background and culture have played a significant role in shaping who he is today. For McSwagga, culture is not merely an influence but a defining feature that sets him apart.

The project also reflects artistic growth and maturity. He believes the music on McSwagga 1997 is more refined and evolved than his previous releases, both lyrically and conceptually. Personal experiences heavily influenced the songwriting, as he uses music as a means of storytelling and self-expression.

Date:30 January 2026

By: Ngerezah Netshifhefhe

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