Meet Ntja-e-kgolo- the talented hip-pop igniter

Refiloe Dlamini, affectionally known as ‘Ntja-e-Kgolo‘, is a multitalented artist. He is a songwriter, videographer, and actor; above all, he is a hip-hop singer by talent.

He was born on September 26, 1994, and raised in Nyakallong, Allanridge, Free State.

He was taken in by his grandmother (Sellwane Eather Maluleka) after his mother’s demise. Sadly, his grandmother also passed away at the end of 2023, he is left with his four siblings, niece and his nephew.

Refiloe has always been artistic. He was really young when he started joining the hip-hop dance group and he used to perform at school shows.

In 2008, he developed a love for music so, became a rapper known by the name of ‘Sean Teezy’, he started taking part in street rap competitions that unknowingly shaped and upped up his rapping game.

“I was known by the name ‘Sean Teezy’ until some Kwaito artist recognized the talent in me while I was performing at the gig somewhere, and he said to me, “My man, you are not Sean Teezy, but you’re ‘Ntja E Kgolo’ That’s how I got the name,” said the artist.

In 2015, Refiloe was matriculating at LA Wesi. He actually wanted to be a pilot, but his dream remained only that due to financial strains. The situation in the family forced him to hustle at a young age. Due to pressure, he couldn’t pursue his studies.

“I didn’t have to miss my matric and seventh grade farewell parties; in fact, I had money saved up for them, but, with full knowledge that I was going to return home to a house with no food, no toiletries, or even electricity, I simply couldn’t bring myself to go out and enjoy with my friends.

Even the new clothes wouldn’t have made me feel cool when I knew that my siblings don’t even own appropriate shoes or clothes. That truly shattered and robbed me of my childhood innocence,” he reflected.

So, he did security grades just to put bread on the table since there was no one working in the family.

Despite not attending school to receive the necessary training to enhance his abilities in acting or music, he used his intelligence to create two videos in 2019 that were captured on regular mobile phones.

The first movie was ‘Sephiri sa batswadi’. He played Ernest in the play. He directed and edited the movie. It is on YouTube, uploaded by Lokshin Bioscop.

The second movie was called ‘Demon Child (Nyakallong Allanridge). He played a character, Cain, and he was also an editor and a director.

He first went to Johannesburg for acting auditions in 2019. That’s when he knew what struggle actually was.

“I had a lot of challenges; in fact, nothing was simple for me back then. I had no financial aid. I remember how I used to seek financial assistance from my friend. I can’t even express my gratitude enough to Action Maluleka and Motlalepule Tloome for allowing me to stay with them when there was no hope. It was then that I joined free acting classes and completed background acting just for survival. Even when times were tough, I used to call on God instead of calling home because I knew they could only pray for me.” Said the artist.

He has been on stage at the Market Theater, Hillbrow Theater, and Shashalaza Festival. He also made an appearance on the River, Muvhango, and shot a voiceover in a show called Gomora.

With all the hardships he faced, he decided to nurture his singing talent instead, since his acting career was too slow for him. Refiloe is now a professional Sotho rapper. He is well recognized, since he still does background acting. 

Focusing on music, Refiloe released his debut EP, ‘Heso ke hole’, in 2021, followed by his second EP, ‘Dihele’.  So, many people began to recognize and appreciate Ntja E. Kgolo more after the release of these songs. He’s been able to land some gigs and TV and radio station interviews.

He released an EP titled “Hae Kwana” on March 18, 2024, which features the song “Ditaba tsa batho.” This song is about two friends who are heavy drinkers; the other friend is constantly getting hit by his wife because he spends money improperly, and the other friend doesn’t want to get involved in their matters.

Refiloe is content with his achievements, financially supporting his family and recognizing his grandmother’s advice that difficult circumstances strengthen men and lead to soft lives

“This new normal suits me well, and I strive to achieve more with the help of the one above,” said the artist. With the blooming that is happening, sponsors are starting to approach him. He now has bookings lined up. On April 30th, Ntja e Kgolo will be performing at the V-Slots in Bothaville, and on May 6th, he will be at the Fill Up the Parking Lots in Nyakallong.

“My advice to all upcoming artists is: Take all you have and invest in your craft. Stop investing in alcohol; you are not going anywhere. Make sure you train your voice. That’s all I can say.” He said.

The artist is available on social media platforms:

Facebook

Instagram

TikTok