Growing up in a music-loving family, it was only natural for Kamvelihle Mgcineni (27), otherwise known by his stage name “Serdge (Phumlani Born)”, that he would ultimately carve his own path in the music industry.
Born in Phumlani, Needs Camp, outside East London, Serdge started performing music at the tender age of 14, but said challenges at home pegged him back from recording and sharing his music with the public, until he eventually released his debut single, titled Places, in 2019.
“In 2010, while (I was) in Grade 9 at school, my mother suddenly went blind and later had her leg amputated due to diabetes and that had a very negative impact on my schooling as it became my responsibility to take care of her, to an extent that I didn’t pass my matric,” Serdge said.
His mother passed away from diabetes complications in 2018.
“My debut single was a tribute to my late mother and, in the song, I was basically telling her that it was time for me to go places with my music talent and move on from all the obstacles that pegged me back from recording music,” he added.
Serdge said he came from a music-loving background, as his late mother was a singer at their local church and his older sister, Busi, is also an Afropop singer and a composer behind well-known singer Berita’s hit song, Thondolwethu.
Although he identifies himself as a hip-hop artist, Serdge’s music is a fusion of hip-hop and Afropop, a combination that he said made his music and the messages on his songs unique from other local hip-hop artists.
He has released three singles so far in his career, his debut single, Places, in 2019, Vuya Wena Ubabalweyo, released last year, and his latest single, titled Ithongo, featuring Ammo Mkentane and Sinethemba “Snezz The Controller” April, that was released in March this year and is currently enjoying massive airplay on local community radio stations.
“My dream is to one day own my own record company so as to nurture and unearth other hidden musicians from Phumlani,” he says.
Serdge counts his performance at the 2019 Berlin November horse-racing event, where he shared the stage with acclaimed artists such as Jub Jub and Bongo Maffin, as one of the highlights of his fledgling music career.
He has also credited Mdantsane- born independent artist, Lungisile “Lush bytheway” Mdunyelwa, as well as his sister, Busi, for being mentors and an inspiration for him in his music career.
Serdge’s singles are available on online music download and streaming platforms, Audiomack, and Slikouronline. He is also available on Facebook as Serdge (Phumlani Born).
