Get to Know Rising Star Flizzy, A Product of the Arts of Hustling and Music Artistry
Either be invited to the table or be the table itself so that you don’t starve. Such is the sentiment, the drive that propels the hustle of rising rapper and singer-songwriter Flizzy, who has spent years on the grind looking for a steady foothold to break into the industry. Bred in the Midrand township of Rabie Ridge in Johannesburg, the musician’s journey tells the story of a rose breaking through the concrete environment meant to stifle it, blooming with his artistry and defying the odds with his grit to carve out a different path for himself and to be an inspiration to the youngins.
Flizzy touched on what planted the seed of music in his formative and impressionable years.
“For me, I got inspired to go into music by my family. That’s where I got my love for it. The community that I grew up in, we had a huge love for hip-hop, and because of that influence I ended up falling in love with the genre and that’s how I started going into it as well,” he said.
Flizzy | SUPPLIED
On the 30th of August 2025, Flizzy shared the stage with some of the country’s hottest commodities thanks to being part of the lineup of the YRL-hosted Blacko SA Birthday Celebration which went down at Rabie Ridge. Not only did he rub shoulders with the likes of Mellow & Sleazy, XDuppy, Justin99, MashBeatz, and Wordz, the rising star was one of the organisers who put the show together, regaling the community with a much-needed fiesta of amapiano and rap music.
“The experience was amazing at the show. I would even say that the show helped me to gain some new supporters because of the reception I got from the fans who attended and also because there were other fanbases since the show was a mixture of amapiano and hip-hop. So, it broadened my fanbase,” he said.
With his followers growing steadily, Flizzy spoke about his latest single titled “What I Gotta Do”, a head-bopping hustler’s anthem building up to his forthcoming album.
“When it comes to the making of ‘What I Gotta Do’, my producer and I came up with the idea of making a turn-up song, right? Like, a club banger type of a song. What basically came to my mind was the situation I was in, you know, while I was listening to the beat. The song is all about hustling in the hood and trying to make it out so we can make a better life for ourselves. To take it a step further, it’s also about putting the hood on the map as well.
“For the upcoming album, people can expect to hear different sounds from me. There’s going to be rap and some singing. While I’m not going to be doing too much of that, it’s going to be more singing than what you’d normally expect from me,” he said.
Flizzy | SUPPLIED
Flizzy revealed some of his plans as the year draws to a close.
“I had to put the music video of my single on hold for the event since I was one of the organisers. My intention is to have everything about the visuals wrapped up by the end of this month and it should be showing on Channel O and MTV when it’s over with. For the rest of the year, I’m planning some features. I am currently in discussion with DJ Clen, and I’m hoping something can come out of that,” he said.
Finding a cathartic release of tension from growing up in a gang-populated area, Flizzy found solace in classic rap records from the 90s of American rap to modern-day street poets who documented life in the streets and shared tales and ambitions of taking off. He talked about some of his musical influences, most of which are storytellers with strong hustling ethics and backgrounds blighted with violence and gangsterism.
“J. Cole has definitely influenced my music in a big way and in how I articulate my words and stuff like that. He’s the person who grew on me with my love for rap. When it comes to the classics, I’ve always listened to the Notorious B.I.G., Nas, and Tupac because those are the guys my brother and I used to be on back in the day. Another artist I admired was Nipsey Hussle because of the kind of things he promoted in his music. You know how his music was about hustling and hustlers trying to make a better life for themselves. When you look at the situation he was in, surrounded by gangs, his music made you think that he didn’t come from a place like that,” he said.
Flizzy | SUPPLIED
He spoke about embracing his status as a hustler and as someone who wants to be an example to the youngins.
“One thing I’d love to be known for is being a hustler. Someone who never backs down no matter what situation arises. A person who always does their best. We all want to do better for ourselves. That’s what I want to portray in my music for people who also want to do better. Because I believe that everyone can do way better than what they are doing currently and that’s what I want to show with my music.
“I also wanna be the type of person the young ones can look up to. It’s not been easy for me because I never had an older brother or a big homie that would take me by the hand and take me everywhere. I had to do everything by myself, and that’s why I feel the young ones should be given a chance, which is what I try to do,” he said.
Wrapping up the chat, Flizzy shared the roadmap he envisioned for his future.
“When I look at myself and where I wanna go, I see myself sharing stages with some of the biggest artists and being a businessman associated with other businessmen. Because at the end of the day, I have to run my music like it’s a business. That will help my music be out there more and I have it in my heart to collaborate with big artists. That’s what I want for myself. And to get there, I put myself on and do my own events – if nobody wants to put me on, I’ll just put myself on,” he said.