Nasty C

About Nasty C

There They Go announced Nasty C to the world. But the South African rapper had already built an empire back home.

Nsikayesizwe David Junior Ngcobo was born on February 11, 1997. He grew up in South Africa, where hip-hop was calling him long before international stages knew his name.

He released three mixtapes and two EPs before dropping his debut album Bad Hair in 2016. The project showed South Africa what it had been waiting for. Two years later, Strings and Bling arrived and came with The Ivyson Tour, his first major tour.

In March 2020, Nasty C signed a joint venture deal with Def Jam Records. This was the moment everything changed. His global reach expanded overnight when the American giant backed his vision.

There They Go became his official single after joining Def Jam and gained him recognition across continents. Radio stations worldwide picked it up. Streaming numbers climbed. A young rapper from South Africa was now speaking to the planet.

August 2020 brought Zulu Man with Some Power, his third studio album and first under Def Jam. The project proved he belonged among hip-hop's biggest names. Two years earlier, at the 2015 South African Hip Hop Awards, he had won Best Freshman Award as the youngest recipient alongside Aewon Wolf.

In September 2022, he released the mixtape Ivyson Army. The following year saw back-to-back singles—No More in June 2023 and Crazy Crazy in July 2023. Each release reminded fans why Nasty C had become one of Africa's most important rappers.

From mixtapes in his early twenties to Def Jam deals and global charts, his journey reflected hunger and talent. South Africa gave him roots. The world gave him a stage.