Mohalenyane Phakela

THE prospects of local female rappers remain slim, but that poses no obstacle to Malekhotla “Kot Inferno” Molefi.

She told XpressPeople this past week the rap scene was still a man’s world despite notable advances made in preceding years.

“Hip Hop is still perceived as a man’s world, and women have had it tough but it’s getting better,” said Kot Inferno.

“I and other female rappers continue to soldier on to break barriers and encourage other up-and-coming artists.”

While growing up in Khubetsoana, the 23-year old said she found rap music the most effective medium to relay her thoughts and feelings. However, it took a while to convince her father that rap music was a worthwhile pursuit for a young lady.

“Initially, my father was against the idea of me being a rapper, saying it was a genre for outlaws based on what he had seen on television,” Kot Inferno said.

“He was also concerned about me attending late night events. I had to prove to him that there was nothing dangerous about my passion, and now he understands.”

The rapper forayed into the music realm in 2008 when she released her debut mixtape, Kot Case Vol One, under Boena Productions.

After the offering failed to make waves on the market, Kot Inferno went back to the drawing board to build her image before launching another mixtape.

“A lily struggles to survive among thorns, so since 2009 I have been working towards building my profile so that people know who I am before the release of my project,” she said.

Over the years, Kot Inferno unleashed such singles as Bawlin’ and Khaebane as well as collaborating with T-Herbs and OG S’Killz among other rappers.

She also made waves with her commanding performance during the BOLESWA Intervarsity Games opening bash held at Thaba Bosiu Cultural Village in March this year.

Kot Inferno credits fellow rapper Queen Mo for providing mentorship and opportunities to perform over the years.

“Queen Mo played a crucial role in the development of my career, as she would take me to Hip Hop shows. Sometimes I would perform with her, and she also taught me a lot of stuff related to the game.”

The third-year Social Sciences student at the National University of Lesotho recently released three bangers – Ba Mpatla, Ha Li Ba Je and Bring It Back – which would feature in her upcoming extended play (EP).

The eight-track EP, Inferno Nation, is expected to drop before the end of July.