ZAPSIGN DEEBO

THE BELLEVUE BANDIT

“By transcending our basic animal instinct and acknowledging that we are beings of an infinite fountain of love. Zapsign Deebo changes the direction of mainstream Hip Hop and blesses us with a progressive design to questioning society.” 

-Siviwe Binase – New Hustle – Side Hustlers MAY 20, 2019

With a style born in the ever-changing river of Heraclitus, delivered with the precision and gusto of an over confident witch doctor, Zapsign Deebo emerges from the depths of the forgotten neighbourhood of Yeoville, inner-city Johannesburg, having roots in the North-West province of South Africa. With his debut offering titled "Kill the Clone", released on Iapetus Records alongside other formidable Johannesburg representatives such as Yugen Blakrok, Shorty Skillz and Gin-I-Grindith, Zapsign shows that Yeoville and South Africa as a whole has a lot more gems waiting to be uncovered. Seeing his once vibrant and immensely popular neighborhood become a dilapidated semblance of its former glory, while coming of age in a democratic South Africa fast on its way to international notoriety for political scandal, Zapsign found a place in the Hip-Hop community early, identifying with the positive lyrical content and finding the older melodies of the Fugees, a Tribe called Quest and Common Sense, to name a few, very therapeutic. 

​

Zapsign cut his teeth in 2013 as a part of “Indigoat Clan”, a Johannesburg based group which has changed over time but mainly consists of himself, Taxan ET and Tycro Blu. As a unit the three navigated the vast Johannesburg central district meeting with old and making new friends, producing, and performing music, eventually forming alliances with other notable Johannesburg acts. During this time Deebo released a few notable singles, including a compilation of loosely released tracks titled the Underwater EP, also a pair of Double A-Sides titled, "Pros and Cons of Humbility" with Taxan ET, and "Ve.G X Indigoat" with Lucho Gazpacho, besides a number of projects alongside the Indigoat Clan collective.

​

It wasn’t until the release of the collaborative project Kill the Clone with Iapetus Records’ renowned producer Kanif theJhatMaster that the Hip-Hop community began to take interest in the name. The simple language and emphatic delivery usually obscuring layers of sharp sarcasm and multiple entendre, winning over the minds of many Headz locally. The 6 track EP was also well received internationally with a few French radio stations such as 2LC Blaster, playing "Artificial Intelligence" a strong favourite, with the album and video for "Download the new OS"  appearing on a number of local and international blogs.

​

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zapsign continues to take the project to stages around his city and country, alongside the experienced DJ Sistamatik and other friends; most notably opening for Shorty Skillz and Hymphatic Thabs at Smoking Dragon NYE Festival 2022 where he teased an upcoming project titled The Yeoville Papyrus (Scheduled for 2023). Their live set is sure to get even the most hardened Hip-Hop and Live Performance critics off their seats and nodding their heads in an unknown state between approval and disgust. It draws both the eyes and the ears and thus leading the listener’s attention and body away from the dull conversation at the bar, towards the animated monologue on the stage. On the strength of Kill the Clone, Zapsign Deebo is surely a name to keep your eye on, and with the backing of names such as Kanif and Sistamatik, you have no reason not to do just that.