Focalistic’s Funny Response To A Fan Who Wanted To Understand The Logic Behind His Lyrics. Focalistic aka Pitori Maradona has been hitting the industry for a while now, from transitioning from Hip Hop to amapiano as he continues to rap in S’pitori—a vernacular spoken in Pretoria townships made up of a variety of South African languages, mostly Sesotho, Setswana and tsotsitaal (slang). His flows contorts accordingly to sit over the undulating beats. Hip-hop, old school kwaito and Pitori’s Barcadi house music are some of the genres he references.
The lyrics that sum up how amapiano has taken over the South African nightlife go: “Chelete ke skuta, rae namela, namela, namela” (translated in English means Money is a motorbike, we climb it). These are the famous lyrics by Focalitic from his latest single titled ‘GUPTA’ featuring Mr jazziQ and Lady Du. Despite the lyric’s lack of meaning, the track is a definite jam. A fan took to social media asking, “I just want to understand the logic behind chelete ke skuta.” Foca laughed off the comment saying, “Just dance my sister.”
His music consolidates a lineage of the genres he grew up listening to. The star gained more attention and fame following his ‘Ke Star’ single featuring Vigro Deep. The star later earned a collaboration with Davido on the remix of ‘Ke Star’; and then again, his song was witnessed being jammed to by American stars including Diddy, Alicia Keys, and Swizz Beatz.
Rapping in S’pitori also earned him a spot on Times Square billboard in New York, and also in a billboard in London. Foca also received international nod when Time Magazine declared the remix of his hit song Ke Star featuring producer Vigro Deep and Nigerian-American singer Davido “one of 2021’s best hits thus far”. In its annual list to honour the best global hits of the year so far, SA’s amapiano flies the flag high. “On this song, two SA stars who have been turbocharging dance floors across their country — the DJ and producer Vigro Deep and the rapper Focalistic — are joined by Nigerian Afrobeats king Davido for a bombastic intercontinental smash,” stated the publication .
