Okmalumkoolkat

okmalumkoolkat/ allblackblackkat/ smart-mampara/ bhut’yang’chaza/ ikati elimnyama / The Sjambok Ambu / isimangaliso se-Internet / 100kMacassette / Vaporwave Pantsula / Spovington McCombo / Mswenkofontein Himsalof / Mlazi Milano – a man of many names and many games in the discipline of art. He has spread his net of razor sharp lyrics and light speed dance moves far and wide, gaining an ever-exploding cult following in both SA and abroad.

An originator, tastemaker and a game changer both sonically and visually – his extensive body of work includes projects such as Boyz-N-Bucks, Dirty Paraffin and Holy Oxygen. His collaborative efforts so too are a thing of legends including works with Spoek Mathambo, LV, OKZharp, The Frown, Motel Mari, Kid Fonque, Cid Rim , The Clonious, Julio Bashmore, Branko, and many other humans and labels abroad.

He has collaborated with the likes of J.R, Dj Sliqe, Ganja Beatz, Reason, K.O, Stilo Magolide, Riky Rick, Cassper Nyovest, Kwesta, Wintness The Funk, Dj Sandiso and a host of other commercial artists in South Africa. He has proven to be the main ingredient in hitmaking from these collaborations.

Okmalumkoolkat grew up in 1980s South Africa in Umlazi, KZN and with a less flamboyant, more traditional name, known to his friends and family as Smiso Zwane. His love for music and pop culture grew from an early age with a younger ‘Smi’ always curious about radio playlists and joining a dance group from his early teens. Always been an early-adopter and trend-setter throughout school.

Smiso has always valued education, he pursued tertiary education at Vega School of Communications after he matriculated. After graduating from college, the aspiring artist moved from Durban to Johannesburg where he met Dokta SpiZee, with whom he formed Dirty Paraffin.

The duo shared a mutual passion for art, music, and design so they worked on projects such as company logos with the intention of starting a design studio. It was too early for that dream to come true, so the pair went on to seek the grind of the nine-to-five. Using the skills he had garnered during his college years, Smiso designed newspaper layouts and ended up working as digital co-ordinator for Nike South Africa, that gave him a hunger for marketing as he was part of the Nike Sportswear Energy Marketing Team.

He has a signing with with Austrian label “Affine Records” based in Vienna. They have released the “Holy Oxygen I” EP ( 2013 ) the follow up “Holy Oxygen II” EP drops early next year.

Presently, Smi is in studio working on his debut full length album, Mlazi Milano, which is due for release in late 2016, following the success of the album’s first single “Ntwana Yam”. He has also finally set up his own company ‘Sjambok Studios’ that will be home for all of his upcoming projects, be it music, clothing, film or visual art.