Multi-platinum rapper Nasty C is featured in Billboard’s Africa Now issue.
23-year-old Nsikayesizwe David Junior Ngcobo (aka Nasty C) decided to sign with Def Jam Recordings through a joint venture with Universal Music Africa in late April, and he told Billboard that this decision was based on one word; crossover. “We were ready to take this whole thing global, and Def Jam has been doing this for as long as I’ve been around,” Nasty C said.
Def Jam Recordings interim chairman/CEO Jeff Harleston added “Nasty C is a unique and forward-thinking artist who is at the forefront of a new generation of rapper emerging from Africa. Def Jam is a globally recognized brand synonymous with excellence in hip-hop, and we are excited to welcome Nasty C- an international star with real vision and talent- into the family.”
Nasty C’s U.S. crossover is eight years in the making. The rapper released his first mixtape, One Kid A Thousand Coffins, in 2013. His 2015 mixtape, Price City, led to him signing with Mabala Noise, an independent label distributed by UMG Africa. Nasty C collaborated on “Particula” with Major Lazer in 2017, which was his first Billboard chart entry. By early 2020, he was performing at UMG’s annual Grammy brunch and showcase with fellow musicians like Billie EIlish, DaBaby, and Tiwa Savage.
