Since his music career began five years ago, Humansdorp rapper, Kurt-Lee Hammond, has continued to make waves within the music industry, with his most recent project including performing alongside 7de Laan actor and rapper Clint Aplon in a music video.
Hammond, better known by his stage name, Die Twaalf, recently travelled to Worcester in the Western Cape where he featured in a music video titled Afrikaans Laat Haar Dans, alongside well-known actor, Aplon, who plays the role of Romeo in the popular Afrikaans television show 7de Laan, and rapper Cream Machine.
The single, which was released in March on all music streaming platforms, is part of Aplon’s debut album, Van ’n Klein Dorpie.
Hammond said meeting Aplon face-to-face was a great experience, after following 7de Laan for many years.
In addition to working alongside Aplon he said that it was amazing to create music with Cream Machine who has been pioneering Afrikaans hip-hop for years.
“I never thought by this stage in my music career I would be making music with Cream Machine and Clint. I cannot help but be amazed at how far I have actually come to be recognised by people I look up to,” said Hammond.
The album also features Afrikaans rapper, Loufi, who is one of Hammond’s role models and contributed greatly as an inspiration when he began his music journey in 2018.
As previously reported by Kouga Exprees, as a teenager Hammond began writing down his experiences in the form of poems to keep himself entertained, while his mother, Geraldine Hammond, was at work.
In 2018 he released his first single, titled Een Kans, and his popular song, Kappedien, in 2021, which has over 100 000 views on Die Twaalf’s YouTube channel.
While Hammond continues to work on his music career,he has collaborated on the albums of major artists such as Gqeberha-based Junior King Ferreira whose album, No Loyalty, was produced by Jeffreys Bay-based music producer Leolin Jeggels, better known as Oakley 808.
“I have since gained a lot of experience and met a lot of talented people helping me on my journey,” said Hammond.
As he continues to work on Sonder ’n Sent, his debut album which he plans on releasing later this year, he said he is currently working on his first single for the New Year alongside a music video, titled Sy Soek which will be released in April.
The single will feature Fred den Hartog from Die Heuwels Fantasties, who will also produce the song as a Ghoema Music Award-winning producer.
“Late last year I was in studio in Stellenbosch where I got to meet Fred, and we immediately started working on music together,” said Hammond.
He said that releasing his own debut album was not his initial plan, and instead he is focused on recording individual tracks which will then form part of the album.
“I don’t want to rush the process; you can’t rush music. It being my first body of work, I want to make sure that there is something for everyone to listen to and enjoy,” said Hammond.
In addition to creating music, he also performed at the Kouga Summer Festival in December last year, where he shared a stage with Early B, and in April he plans to travel to Paarl in the Western Cape where he will attend the Afrikaanse Taal- en Kultuurvereniging (AKTV) workshop programme to learn more about the music industry.
He also plans to use the opportunity to strengthen his network within the industry.
