K.O - Topic

Ntokozo “K.O” Mdluli, born in Soweto, Johannesburg, emerged as a hip-hop trailblazer influenced by genre legends. He gained fame with Teargas, delivering four iconic albums, before going solo. In 2013, he founded Cashtime Life, releasing “Caracara,” a game-changer in South African hip-hop, topping charts and becoming the first rap video to hit 1M YouTube views. His debut album, Skhanda Republic (2014), debuted at #1, went platinum, and won three SA Music Awards, sparking tours across Africa, the UK, and the US. SR2 revealed a vulnerable side, featuring Black Coffee, Shekhinah, and Runtown, earning SA Hip-Hop Award nods.

In 2019, PTY UNLTD (Gold) boasted stars like Wizkid and Sjava, with “Supa Dupa” (platinum) and “Flight School” (gold). His 2022 release, SR3 (Gold), delivered “Sete” with Young Stunna and Blxckie—over 100M streams, 10x platinum, and SA Music Awards for Song of the Year and Best Collaboration. Collaborations with Sarkodie, Msaki, and Toss cemented his influence.

As Cashtime Life’s head, K.O launched artists like Kid X and Moozlie. He now runs Skhanda World, mentoring talents like Loki and Roiii, while managing global distribution. In fashion, he partnered with Head Honcho and Studio-88 for his Skhanda World line. K.O broke ground as ASICS’ first African ambassador (2019-2022) and Capitec Bank’s partner (2020-2022), producing a #1 radio hit. With accolades like MTV Africa’s Hottest MC (2014) and BET nominations (2023).

K.O is a hip-hop and cultural pioneer.