Up-and-coming South African hip hop artist and NWU alumnus Unathi Abraham Mtolo (25) couldn’t agree more. Nate, as he is known in the music industry, graduated in 2014 with a BA degree in psychology and sociology from the NWU’s campus in Vanderbijlpark.

The sweet taste of success

His early releases, such as “Mandisa”, “Money on my mind” and “Living that life”, struck a chord with local hip hop lovers, inspiring him to continue making music. His latest offering, titled “Friend zone”, features legendary Kwaito star Zola and has been well received by fans. The music video reached a staggering 100 000 downloads in less than two months after its release.

Nate says he is driven by a passion to create music of the highest quality.

He works hard to consistently introduce new but classical songs to his local and international repertoire.

During a recent media interview, Nate had the following to say about the success of “Friend zone”: “This song is one for the books! We collaborated with the hope of creating a timeless song – one that will still be featured 20 years from now.”

More about Nate

Born in the small town of Bizana in the Eastern Cape, Nate grew up in Port Shepstone on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal.

After completing his secondary schooling, he made a conscious decision to spread his wings and study away from home. He chose the NWU’s campus in Vanderbijlpark and it was here, next to the banks of the Vaal River, that he learnt to deal innovatively and constructively with challenges.

Thinking back to his days as a university student, he remembers the most important advice he received then: if you want to truly understand people you have to connect with them – true understanding should never be based on superficial interaction.

“I enjoyed the campus’s social life and fancied myself as an avid sportsman in several sporting codes.”He played rugby and basketball, representing his residence and the campus in several competitions.

After graduating, Nate worked as a Clover brand ambassador for a few months. “I had the privilege of engaging with a diverse stakeholder group and as I promoted new products, I learnt how to communicate and interact with the different audiences – a skill that I am still practising to this day.”

Fine-tuning his career

In 2014 he decided to pursue his passion for music full time. He produced a demo album and was signed by CMG Records, one of the fastest-growing music labels on the hip hop scene. Shortly after signing on, he released the singles “Living that life” and “Mandisa”.

Nate is working hard to create authentic hip hop music and says he draws his inspiration from everyday events in his own life or in society. “Our social structure influences almost everything in today’s world and as musicians we are bound to be influenced by it.”