Emtee Clarifies His Comments On Kane Keid & Conscious Rap In SA Hip Hop. South African hip hop heavyweight Emtee has found himself clarifying the remarks he made about rising lyricist Kane Keid, specifically his criticism of what he dubbed “too much rapping.”
In a candid moment during an interview with Showtime Chopps, Emtee elaborated on a previous comment that sparked debate within the hip-hop community, where he advised Kane Keid to tone down the lyrical gymnastics and consider a more commercial sound.
“I like Kane Keid,” Emtee had said then. “But he’s rapping too much. He must go commercial. All those metaphors won’t pay the bills. There’s no money in the backpack rap industry; there’s no money there. All you get is the ‘oooh’ and then you go back to your house and eat your Lucky Star and pap.”
When asked on Showtime Chopps whether this meant he felt conscious rap no longer had a place in hip hop, Emtee clarified his position with a mix of honesty and hard-learned realism.
“I know he knows that [I didn’t mean it disrespectfully],” Emtee said. “We’re entertainers. We make music for people who are intoxicated. People just wanna dance, have fun, and bop their heads. So the rapping — you need to like rewind: ‘What did you say?’ ‘Oh, so this is what you mean.’ So it’s a lot of admin.”
The “Roll Up” hitmaker’s words offer a raw glimpse into the tension between art and economics in South African hip hop — a space where underground lyricism often garners praise, but struggles to pay the bills.
Emtee, who’s no stranger to commercial success, is no villain in this narrative. His comments reflect the challenges many artists face when choosing between lyrical depth and chart-topping simplicity. For him, it’s not a dismissal of conscious rap, but a cautionary tale for those navigating a music industry that rewards vibes over verses.