Nomadsland by Trusenz

All the strands of his nomadic life and experiences are reconciled in this brutally honest and deeply personal record.

Born in the notorious township of Claremont, Durban (South Africa), Trusenz is not your average rapper, speaking 5 languages including Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and Spanish. Tru constantly moved around the country as his parents travelled to find work. He was pulled out of regular school in 1990 when he auditioned for, and was accepted into the world-famous Drakensberg Boys Choir. Tru was one of only 4 Black students in what had previously been a 'whites only' domain under the apartheid government. Although the school and its pupils accepted him, the level of racism he encountered as he travelled around the country surprised Tru. Many international tours gave Tru a broader worldview however. During his time with the choir he travelled to Egypt, Kenya, Zimbabwe and the UK, even performing for Prince Edward at his private residence in London.

It was at the Drakensberg Boys Choir that Trusenz fell in love with percussion. The choir performed African songs alongside the more traditional fare. Tru played drums and was instrumental in selecting the songs that the choir would perform. It was during this period that Tru discovered his love of the raw energy of Hip Hop. Influenced by the likes of KRS1, Nas, Organised Konfusion and Run DMC, Tru turned from writing poetry to writing rhymes.

In 1995 Trusenz moved to Jamaica Plain, Boston, Massachusetts (US) when he was 13. Struggling to find his feet in an alien culture after so many years with the Choir in Africa, Tru realised his gift for writing and delivering powerful lyrics was his way to gain acceptance. He immersed himself in street life and the culture of Hip Hop, establishing a reputation as a fearsome battle rapper.

In 1998 after graduating High School, Tru went to college to study audio production. It was here that he hooked up with others who were as serious as him about taking their skills to the next level. Tru hooked up with fellow student Solo and they formed the Mic Check Foundation (aka The Dream Team). There was a thriving Hip Hop scene in downtown Cambridge. Whenever there was an open mic session or a party to rock, Tru and Solo would hit the subway and tear up the mic. The Middle East Club often played host to Mic Check Foundation (MCF) in their formative years, providing a training ground for bigger things to come.

While Tru was at College studying audio production, he worked as the programme manager at the college radio station WBCC. He learned a lot about professionalism and the technicalities of working in a studio.

MCF disbanded in 1999 and Tru and Solo formed Daze-n-Knightz. Hustling to get their game on, they were regulars at open mic sessions and took any opportunity to record with up-and-coming producers. Realising the need to raise their game and expand their reach, Tru and Solo joined forces with City Slykas, Project Kids and others to form Clik-O-Sickos.

Despite his nomadic existence, Tru always felt his roots were in Africa. In 2002, vowing to Clik-O-Sickos that he was going to make it happen from there, Tru moved back to South Africa. He always believed that his first project must come from where he was born. Tru wanted to bring his experience back home and immerse himself in the rich melting pot of culture that was the new South Africa. He wasted no time in taking his talent to the streets, battling anyone and everyone, leaving many dazed rappers wondering what had hit them. Tru went on to win several open mic battles including the legendary Insanity (formerly Reality) in New Town, Johannesburg.

In 2003 Tru was discovered by rapper VIP whilst freestyling outside Cafe Vogue. VIP immediately put Tru in touch with his producer Dplanet who was so impressed with his skills that he laced him with 17 tracks within a month.

'Nomadsland' is the synthesis of Tru's history and love for the international culture of Hip Hop. Now in 2004, having produced this 17-track classic independently, Tru is ready to take his unparalled energy and passion for the music he loves to the world. Watch out for tracks featuring the hauntingly beautiful, soulful voice of South African diva, Wanda, as well as tracks featuring the raw power and energy of Cape Town's own rising star Lungelo. 'Nomadsland' will be available online at www.trusenz.com and in all your favourite independent music outlets.

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