Bouncing into The Voice’s Francistown office, his short, spiky dreadlocks framed by a stars-and-stripes American bandanna, his trendy jeans artfully ripped and his necklace hanging loose, Hip Hop wannabe, Prince Motswagole looks the part.
Despite his loud dress sense, the 21-year-old Jab Joker is surprisingly softly spoken as he tries to set an appointment at the front desk.
Interview granted, the youngster’s shyness melts away as he opens-up about his music.
“I’ve always liked the concept of Hip Hop; at school all my friends were into the lifestyle, the music. I loved it, but by then I didn’t know much about the craft, the art of making music,” explains the former Shashe River pupil.
Hungry to learn, it was on his return home to Borolong during the 2019 school holidays that the then Form 4 student started honing his skills, shadowing local artist and friend, Thedzani Amos.
“He taught me the concept of music production, beat-making, mixing and mastering and even constructing a song; it was a real eye-opener!” exclaims Jab Joker, adding he topped this up with countless hours watching YouTube tutorials.
Over time, and with plenty of practice, Jab Joker’s lyrical prowess gradually improved, until, in 2023, he felt confident enough to drop a single.
Five tracks later, and, despite not having a Manager, the young man is slowly making his mark in and around Ghetto.
His latest offering, ‘Phumelela’, released last month to celebrate his 21st birthday, packs a real punch and suggests Jab Joker has finally come of age.
Featuring Gips Karlee, the hard-hitting Tswana track boasts a brilliant beat and an inspirational message wrapped up in thought-provoking lyrics.
“It’s a motivational song about making it in life. No matter what happens, what the haters say, you’ll succeed in this world if you stay true to yourself, your beliefs,” says the Joker, who intends to do exactly that and follow his musical dream.