From SoundCloud to Timeless Blues: KaeB on Dimakatso, Flex the Ninja, and Making Music Without Limits

It’s the beginning of a broke summer. I’ve just touched down from school for the semester, walking the dusty roads of my hood with a bag too big for my shoulders and sneakers already losing their glow. The latest lingo, the music, the aura — I’ve brought some of the city with me, but somehow the township always has its own rhythm.

Somewhere between the whistles of kids and the chatter of neighbours, a deep bassline spills from a tin shack, carried by 6×9 speakers and a hot sub. The groove is unmistakable: a bit of Kwaito, house and vernac, blending into the makings of a soundtrack to the Kasi.

Passing familiar streets, I think of that high school Betty who never noticed me, her pitbull of a father always chasing strays off the yard.

This is exactly what Dimakatso, KaeB’s latest track, reminded me of at first listen. It carries Kwaito’s DNA but moves with a jazz flair, noir soul, and a timeless bounce. To unpack it, I sat down with KaeB to talk about the story, the collaboration with Botswana’s Flex the Ninja, and how future-facing tools like AI shaped the rollout.

The Story Behind Dimakatso

Q1. How did Dimakatso come about, and how does it reflect where you’re from or the kind of sound you usually make?

KaeB: Dimakatso is one of those stories – familiar and almost cliché if you’ve lived long enough. You get stood up, next morning it’s “you’re gonna hate me.” It’s just another entry in the blues journal. I don’t make heartbreak music, I document moods. And this one had that calm ache to it. The beat carries that bounce, that noir soul & funk, that sofistikasi flair. It’s Joburg at night — a little sharp, a little soft, always in motion. That’s where I’m from. That’s the frequency.

On Working with Flex the Ninja

Q2. You teamed up with Flex the Ninja from Botswana — how did that connection happen, and how did your styles align?

KaeB: Flex and I go way back to the SoundCloud era. We met through SoundCloud. He’s not just a beatmaker; he’s a full-spectrum creative — editor, dancer, musician, sound guy. We built that trust over the years. He runs Shinobi Sound Studios, so beyond mixing and mastering, he knows when a record needs that extra touch. If he hears something and lays it down, we run it back. If it works, it stays. That’s the synergy — quiet, sharp, efficient. He co-produced Dimakatso.

On Audience and Reception

Q3. What surprised you about how people have received the track so far?

KaeB: If anything, I’m surprised people are still checking for my music like that. That’s always humbling. But the music itself? I knew it was fire. So seeing the love now just confirms what I already felt: we made something timeless.

Who Dimakatso is For

Q4. Who do you hope this song reaches? Any specific audience or vibe you’re hoping it connects with?

KaeB: People who move with taste. Lovers, drivers, thinkers — anyone with a bit of story behind their eyes. If you appreciate detail, if you bounce to the subtle stuff, this one’s for you. It’s head-nod music. It’s high-thread-count blues.

On Using AI for the Rollout

Q5. You’ve taken a unique approach with the rollout, especially using AI. How did that come together? Would you say it’s a first of its kind in SA music?

KaeB: Could be. But honestly, for most of us in the team — we’re trained digital artists. So it made sense to use what we’ve already got in our hands. We didn’t need a huge budget, just the right vision. AI helped us imagine beyond what money allows. We trained the tools on the world we know — noir films, elegance — and layered it with real design skill. It wasn’t about hype. It was about making something timeless from the ground up. Limitless, from a laptop.

Closing Reflection

This isn’t heartbreak music. It’s taste, history, and elegance in one. Dimakatso belongs on your playlist.

Stream the song everywhere now.