Herc Cut The Lights has revealed the remarkable story behind “Kwenzekile”, the Blxckie collaboration that he credits with changing the trajectory of his music career — and it took just 20 minutes to create.
The South African producer shared the behind-the-scenes story during an appearance on the Real Stuff Podcast, hosted by Da LES and Maggz, where he reflected on the song that made him realise he had found his place in the music industry.
For Herc, there was one record that immediately stood out.
“‘Kwenzekile’ was a record that really shifted everything for me a lot.”
From an ordinary studio session to a career-changing record
The song was created during a studio session that initially had a completely different plan.
Herc and Blxckie reportedly made three songs during the session, beginning with two trap records before deciding to experiment with another sound.
Blxckie also had a show to attend, adding an element of time pressure to the session. Rather than allowing that to disrupt the creative process, the two artists simply followed the energy in the room.
“We were like, ‘Ah, bro, let’s just trap the vibe,’” Herc recalled.
But the producer soon suggested switching things up.
“I said, ‘Just put four on the floor, slow it down.’”
That simple change became the foundation for “Kwenzekile”.
The song came together almost effortlessly
According to Herc, the production moved incredibly quickly once they found the right groove.
He built the beat, added the drums and worked out the chords while Blxckie was already responding to the music.
“As I was adding things to the beat, he was humming along,” Herc explained.
Within approximately 20 minutes, the song was finished.
There was no lengthy writing process or extended period of overthinking the arrangement. Instead, the record developed organically as the producer and rapper reacted to each other in real time.
“Within 20 minutes, ‘Kwenzekile’ was done. The record just became what it became.”
“Kwenzekile” became a turning point
The spontaneous session eventually produced one of the notable South African records of 2021.
The song featured Blxckie, Madumane and Chang Cello, and became an important part of Blxckie’s rise while simultaneously putting greater attention on Herc as a producer.
For Herc, the significance of the record went beyond its reception. It arrived at a crucial stage of his own journey as he transitioned from making music independently on SoundCloud to working with increasingly prominent artists.
The producer would go on to establish a stronger reputation within the South African hip-hop scene, with his work eventually earning recognition at the SA Hip Hop Awards, including Producer of the Year nominations.
Sometimes the best records happen naturally
Looking back, Herc’s story demonstrates how unpredictable the creative process can be.
What began as a routine studio session turned into a career-defining moment, largely because the artists were willing to abandon their original plan and follow the vibe.
For producers and artists, the story is a reminder that great music does not always require hours of planning. Sometimes, the right chemistry, a simple production idea and a willingness to experiment can produce something special.
For Herc Cut The Lights, those 20 minutes with Blxckie did exactly that.
“Kwenzekile” wasn’t just another song from a studio session. It became the record that helped convince Herc that he had found his place in music.
