robin thirdfloor returns with zazi, a story about self awareness.

It’s always beautiful to watch an artist growing into themselves and realising what they can achieve with their potential, and this has been the case watching South African rapper Robin Thirdfloor. My introduction to Robin Thirdfloor was in 2017 after the the release of his acclaimed debut EP, Bhotela. From an early set, I knew that this young man was special and there was no horizon he could not reach in his career. In an industry where people are fascinated by getting the latest radio singles, Robin has managed to build a solid reputation by constantly evolving and reinventing himself with each single, feature and project release.

His latest EP release titled Zazi (Know Yourself in isiZulu) is a story of self acceptance and Robin’s coming of age in his career. As a follow up to his 2019 Zithande (Love Yourself), Zazi dives deep into his journey as an artist, the challenges faced as well as the triumphs. Robin’s sonic landscape has evolved throughout the years and with Zazi he has masterfully crafted a project that blends R&B, EDM, Hip-Hop and Kwaito. It’s hard to define which side of the musical spectrum Robin leans on, but this makes it much more interesting listening to his latest offering.

On the opening song, ‘Awareness’, the confidence shines through and sets the mood of the project. ‘Shampopo’, is a celebratory song is about working hard during the week and looking forward to enjoying the weekend. The highlight of Zazi has to be the ‘Izinja’, a song featuring Young Cannibal, where the two tell a new age story of young men who have earned their stripes and are now representing their neighbourhoods.

Zazi is short ‘n sweet and leaves you excited with what else Robin Thirdfloor has to offer in future. The EP is produced entirely by Robin’s frequent collaborator rapper and producer Jabulani Cindi and executively produced by Dj Lusiman.