Kimberley is often remembered for its diamonds, but a new story is emerging, one defined by Kimberley Khwati rap culture.
This growing movement blends language, beats, and storytelling, and sits at the heart of a creative wave that includes podcasts and skateboarding.
Together, they are giving the city a voice that is reshaping its cultural identity and reaching far beyond the Northern Cape.
PIONEERS OF KIMBERLEY KHWATI MUSIC CULTURE
At the centre of Kimberley’s cultural shift is Kimberley Khwati rap culture, a sound built from Setswana, Afrikaans, English, and Xhosa, shaped by pioneers who gave the city a voice of its own.
Pioneers like Biggle Dimera, Term, and Khool first called it Lwaat, laying a blueprint for a style that would come to define Kimberley’s identity.
THE NEW WAVE OF KIMBERLEY KHWATI MUSIC CULTURE
Today, artists such as Mr McAwesomeson, Magomero, Menyuu, and many others are carrying the movement forward, taking Kimberley Khwati rap culture far beyond the Northern Cape through TikTok and other social media platforms.
MORE THAN MUSIC: HOW PODCASTS AND SKATEBOARDING FUEL KIMBERLEY’S CREATIVE SCENE
The city’s creative spirit stretches beyond the mic. Podcasts like Sip & Khwati and Van Toeka Af are spaces for Kimberley to tell its own stories.
Skateboarding is another form of expression. The Kumba Skate Plaza, home to the Kimberley Diamond Cup (KDC) Skateboarding World Championships, is also a space for mentorship and community connection through free programmes and loaner boards.
Diamonds shaped Kimberley’s past, but today its cultural pulse is its new gold.
Khwati rap, podcasts, and skateboarding are not just reshaping the city, they are feeding into the wider South African creative scene.
Kimberley may be a city known for its history, but its present is being written in its own rhythm.
