MBABANE – Set for release tomorrow, Eswatini DJ and producer Bab’ Dlamini, affectionately known as Big Facata, turns his latest single into something considerably bigger than a standard release.
‘Shimpilika Remix’ brings together seven of the region’s sharpest voices across a single record, transforming his February release into a sprawling Hip Hop cypher and a timely statement on collaboration, cultural identity and the enduring power of the remix.
Meaning ‘slide’ in siSwati, ‘Shimpilika’ carries an inherent sense of movement. It is a fitting title for an artist whose rise has been defined by the energy he creates around music, from dance floors to festival stages. On the remix, that movement becomes collective. Eswatini’s Oriiginelle, Grixxly, Sean Cast, Ncwiki Flex, Thaifo Son and MCO Jamrock join South Africa’s Nino Fresko, turning one track into a meeting point for seven distinct voices and two interconnected Hip Hop scenes.
At a time when the traditional remix has become increasingly scarce, ‘Shimpilika Remix’ deliberately reaches back to one of Hip Hop’s most communal traditions. This is not a familiar record with a solitary guest verse appended to it. Instead, Bab’ Dlamini expands the canvas, allowing each artist to bring their own cadence, perspective and personality to the same musical space.
The record follows the original ‘Shimpilika’, released on February 6, featuring Sean Cast. It extends the momentum established by Bab’ Dlamini’s 2025 debut, ‘Zazazel’, featuring fellow Eswatini artists Amarii and Mad Uno. Together, the releases trace the rapid evolution of an artist moving from behind the decks into his own space as a recording artist.
Bab’ Dlamini is emerging from Eswatini’s music landscape with an approach that refuses easy categorisation. As a DJ, producer, recording artist and podcaster, he moves naturally between Hip Hop, R&B, Amapiano, Afrobeats and Kwaito. He draws on the instincts of a selector while developing a sound distinctly his own.
His journey began quietly in 2022, when he taught himself to produce from his bedroom, creating electronic beats for local Swati artists using Virtual DJ. By 2023, encouragement from friends who recognised his ability to read a room saw him graduate to professional CDJs and begin performing as a live DJ.
Months of open-deck appearances eventually led to a high-profile performance at a Friends of Piano show, a turning point that accelerated his transition into a recording artist. His debut single, ‘Zazazel’, marked the beginning of that next chapter and soon reached beyond Eswatini, catching the attention of Lemogang Tsipa, the actor who portrays the title role in ‘Shaka iLembe’.
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