FIFI COOPER TALKS LOVE AND HIP-HOP SA AND NEW MUSIC

South Africa’s highly anticipated spin-off of VH1’s Love and Hip Hop finally made its debut on February 27, 2023. Showcasing an array of well-known personalities such as DJ Speedsta, singer J Molley, rappers Da L.E.S, Gigi Lamayne, Money Badoo, Yanga Chief, Shane Eagle, and Fifi Cooper in the hip-hop scene, viewers have been captivated as they watch how the cast grapple with personal and professional issues. Recently Istyleblaq had the chance to interview Fifi Cooper about joining Love & Hip Hop SA’s cast, her fourth new single titled ‘Ngeke’ featuring Lwah Ndlunkulu, and potential future projects.

MUZI: We are excited that you are a cast member of MTV’s Love and Hip Hop South Africa, and we have been following your successful music journey. What prompted you to go into reality television? How has your experience been thus far? 

FIFI: As an entertainer and creative, I never anticipated getting into reality television. However, when the production team approached me, I felt it was the right time to try something new. I am incredibly appreciative that they chose me out of the many hip-hop artists in the country; it made me realise how much I have contributed to the hip-hop industry. 

My experience so far has been unique for me. There are activities that I wouldn’t normally do, yet we often get to chill together and see different aspects of people’s lives. Being around someone like GiGi all the time is strange but also fascinating; I’m inspired to see others succeed and make a positive impact on hip-hop culture. Ultimately, I’m thoroughly enjoying my experience with reality TV.

MUZI: What do you want to get out of this experience? 

FIFI: Most importantly, I want to reconnect with my followers. I haven’t been dropping as much and a lot of people haven’t heard from me in a while, so I feel like this is a major platform; it’s allowing me to interact with my fans and for them to see what I’m up to and what I’m busy with, which is what I want to achieve from this experience.

MUZI: How important is private life or private space to you as a public figure?

FIFI: People know that I’m a very private person, so it’s no surprise that my private life and space are really important to me. I’m always focused on my work, because I’d rather have people talk about that than talk about my personal relationships or my private life. But as an entertainer, sometimes it’s nice to let my fans get to know me a little bit more and not just give them the music.

MUZI: I’m sure there will be some drama and intense confrontations during the show. Do you think cameras impact people’s behaviour or actions? How genuine is the content on this show?

FIFI: I’m not sure. That’s crazy. The one thing I know and am certain of is that I am myself and that I am giving the people who I am 100%. I can’t speak for other people because they aren’t folks I generally hang out with, so I wouldn’t remark, “Why are you acting differently?” However, I’ve known GiGi for a long time, even before the show. Sometimes I feel like I don’t understand her when the cameras are on, so I’m still getting to know her as a person before I can say she’s different on camera, but with the content, it is obviously up to production on what they put together and give the people because we can take the whole night shooting a scene and they choose a five-minute snippet from the entire thing. I think it’s also them giving people what they want to see. At the end of the day, this is a new experience for me so I am also still learning about how it is to be part of a reality TV show. 

MUZI: Congratulations on your fourth new single titled ‘Ngeke’ featuring Lwah Ndlunkulu, can we talk about that? How did the collaboration come about?

FIFI: I’m a big fan of collaboration between women – I think when they come together they can create something really powerful. When I heard Lwah’s music, I loved the fact that she was so confident in her language. As a Motswako rapper, I rap in Setswana so this collaboration was perfect for me. I’ve known Big Zulu for a long time, and Lwah even before their first song together – so to work with her on this album was amazing for me. We did such a great job with this song, and I hope everyone loves it – it’s truly special.

MUZI: Finally, what can we expect from FiFi Cooper in the future?

FIFI: I’m really excited to share that my album, Chapters, is dropping soon! It’s got awesome features and amazing production. I’ll be announcing the release date on my social media pages soon, so stay tuned! It’s been a while since I’ve released music, so I’m really looking forward to giving it to the people who have been asking for it.

Watch Love And Hip Hop South Africa every Saturdays at 18.00 CAT on MTV (DStv channel 130), now also available to DStv Family subscribers.