Young Stunna made an appearance on Mr JazziQ's podcast “JazziQ & Friends in conversation at Spitz” on Monday to discuss his meteoric rise to the top of local industry over the past year and a half.
Stunna, who considers himself a rapper primarily and who only started making amapiano in early 2021, spoke on the challenges of coming up in the township of Daveyton and navigating his way through the industry with the assistance of Kabza De Small, whose Piano Hub label he’s signed to.
He also shared some insight into how his parents were both musicians and how he grew up in a musical home.
At one point, Stunna shared a fascinating anecdote on how he started his Instagram account shortly after Small took him in last year: “I didn't even know Instagram.” He’s on a million followers now.
Later in the interview, while explaining how he sometimes second-guesses himself in studio, he explained how even with his feature on KO’s smash hit “Sete”, which looks to be a lock for song of the year, he almost changed his chorus and the verse.
“I felt like I didn’t write enough,” he said. “And when I played it he’s like, ‘Boizen you're not changing anything.’ KO's like ‘I’m adding Blxckie, call Blxckie.’ I’m like, ‘Grootman, I don't feel this chorus’ and he said, no ways you’re crazy, my boy.”
Young Stunna talk on almost changing the SETE chorus together with the verse and breaks down how he recorded the song pic.twitter.com/p9j0XhdU1Z
— SAHIPHOP (@SAHIPHOPFEEDs) October 11, 2022
He eventually agreed to keep the song as is. Today, “Sete” is certified platinum, it’s the most played song on local radio and its music video is sitting on more than eight million views on YouTube.
Over the past year, Stunna’s debut project “Natumato” has earned him two SA Music Awards (Samas) for best-selling artist and best amapiano album, and he has established himself as one of the most in-demand artists around.
During the podcast, Stunna also revealed that he’s preparing to release his second project in the coming weeks.
“When my album turns one, I’m dropping,” he said. “I dropped last year October, I think. When it turns one, I’m giving them the second one.”