South Africa-based rapper Thabbz is marking the 10th anniversary of his groundbreaking track Hey Wena, featuring the late Cal_Vin.
The song, set to turn 10 on March 20, remains a pivotal moment in his career.
Hey Wena, a fusion of Kwaito and Ndebele rap, was co-written by Thabbz and Cal_Vin and recorded at Volte Face Records, later known as Kontrol Tribe.
The track, which celebrated their shared city, quickly became a sensation, dominating the Zambezi Magic charts for six consecutive months and propelling both artists to national recognition.
“That was a ground breaker, that was a certified street record,” Thabbz reflected.
“The song was a third eye opener for me that helped step up the game in the industry.
“The hit track opened every door for me in the music and entertainment industry.”
Thabbz credited Cal_Vin's exceptional production quality as the primary reason for their collaboration.
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“All that I've always wanted was quality production for my music,” he explained, recalling being impressed by Cal_Vin's performance at the Bigger Than Hip Hop gig.
The song's accompanying music video, shot and edited by Vusa Blaqs, further amplified its impact.
“When the song came out it was just an audio,” Thabbz said.
“I gave it a listen to my brothers Vusa Blaqs and Handsome Ndlovu, we were in town at my then workplace and they said we ain't letting this go unheard boy we are doing a music video next Wednesday."
He acknowledged that Vusa Blaqs and DigiWorld sponsored the music video, effectively acting as his first endorsement.
The success of Hey Wena opened numerous doors for Thabbz, leading to increased bookings, media attention, and brand ambassadorships.
“Major breakthroughs came after the music video was released, that's when I got to get gigs and attention from across all media channels and I scooped up brands as an ambassador that's 'Bulawayo Hustler' and Kaski Swagg of Jozi,” he said.
“Getting a nomination for various awards and seeing myself on national TV and topping charts on regional TV channels was my greatest time ever."
Thabbz also expressed his deep sense of loss for Cal_Vin, who tragically died in a hit-and-run accident.
“Sometimes I miss Cal_Vin,” he said.
“His presence in the industry would make artists stay awake, he wouldn't let anything get in between his talent, instead everything was hip-hop to him and all he ever did was live it fully.”
He praised Cal_Vin’s dedication to hip-hop and his ability to inspire others.
“Cal would be controversial and still win in it all,” Thabbz said.
“He had the whole City back Him up even when stations wouldn't play his music he would still drop tapes.
“Cal_Vin was the influence he was in hip-hop and even today hip-hop would still be breathing in my city because he stood for it.”
He concluded by calling for justice for CalVin.
