A couple of scrolls later and this was on my playlist. Probably the first rapper from the Vaal I've welcomed into my evening drive rotation. And you know how it goes, if I get home before the song ends, I'm not getting out of the car until that progress bar reaches the finish line.
In simple terms, JustSam's Farlight is an instant earworm.
I find myself coming back to this one a lot. It’s nostalgic. It takes me somewhere I feel like I’ve been before… and I’m trying to find it again. I’ve seen fans sing along, and it’s not just because they know the words. It feels like they’re searching for that same place too.
JustSam rides the beat seamlessly from start to finish. He takes this quite alluring Vaal taal and turns it into something polished, something intentional. For me, Farlight was the perfect introduction to what Italia has to offer.
It's not overly bar-heavy, but it is creative. You can tell JustSam had fun making this one. He knows how to say what he needs to say without overcomplicating it.
Then again, it probably doesn't help that I'm easy to please. You'll get hip hop heads who are obsessed with lyricism. Then you'll get me. I just love good rap, and this is good rap.
For starters, there's that idiom we use when someone is unpleasant to be around. We say they have a "stinking attitude." Now, bear with me because I'm a simpleton here, but JustSam gives us a vernacular take on that expression, and I thought it was brilliant.
Attitude engkang haona motho akae thabelang
That is, "nobody appreciates a stinking attitude." I'd never really heard it delivered like that. I've heard the sentiment countless times in isiZulu rap, but hearing it in a language much closer to home, I guess it gave it a different kind of weight. You'll have to forgive me for dwelling on what might seem like a trivial line, but it just works. At least, it does for me.
I also mentioned the nostalgia earlier, and that's a big part of why this song lands.
Makhulu ong sile abeile mokopu on the stove
Kya ngwathela, before keja kya rapela
This is where I get a vivid picture of my gran's pots simmering away in the kitchen. To this day I haven't come across anyone who can cook simple pumpkin quite like my gran. That's the kind of nostalgia this song taps into.
I also appreciate the rhyme schemes JustSam throws in throughout the track as we go down memory lane. There are plenty to enjoy, especially towards the end but there's one section in particular that I enjoyed hearing.
Ntse kele di Mingling, Moving like a ninja
Moving in sewers all my niggas banale lenna
Qeta ho Popa cheese bitsa di roto dije lenna
Here, JustSam talks about how he "…moves like a ninja," and in doing so, he's moving with his boys. He's made some money, and now he's spending it with the team. From there, he starts painting a picture of the people around him, dropping little details about their personalities and characteristics. But while you're listening to what he's saying, don't miss how he's saying it. Pay attention to the rhyming.
Engwe hae tswane lenna, eja ekare gimba
Roto ekare simba, python could vimba
Engwe charmerboy edi hookup ska tinder
Ewena etlao pa pa before oka shielda
To wrap it all up, bro basically says, "Look, I beeeeen here." Long before smart projectors became a thing, we were pushing overhead projectors to the front of the class. If you know, you know.
From Era yadi overhead projector, chalkboardong
Grey pants le mangwele a ashy School fotong
...Been killing shit tlowa King of fighters 94
The next day is school photo day. Unfortunately, it's scheduled after break. You and the boys have just finished a heated game of soccer, your shirt is untucked, your forehead is shiny, your knees are ashier AF and your teacher couldn't give a damn. That's the version of you that lives in the family photo album forever.
Haha, I'm getting carried away, but it's only because I'm from that same era. I can relate. Funny enough, the first time I ever played King of Fighters on one of those retro arcade machines was in Sebokeng while visiting my cousin.
That's what Farlight does. It doesn't just tell stories, it unlocks memories you forgot you had. It’s an easy listen. But not a lazy one. If you’ve ever wondered what Vaal taal sounds like over the right production. This is a good place to start.
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