For Phathizwe Ayanda Dlamini, better known as Phatzus, releasing music on his birthday has become something he looks forward to each year. The Manzini-born, Johannesburg-based independent hip-hop artist has returned with BirthdaySwaG, his second birthday release and a deeply personal reflection on life, faith, family and simply making it through another year.
Phatzus has spent the year developing a sound that blends trap, lo-fi textures and psychedelic influence with raw storytelling and melodic experimentation. He describes it as “highway whipping, sunset beaming — $ikiPiko music,” a sound that feels both cinematic and grounded in his everyday experiences.
With BirthdaySwaG, that honesty takes centre stage. Rather than making a song that only celebrates his birthday, Phatzus uses the moment to reflect on everything that comes with reaching another year. He gives thanks to God for another 365 days, for protecting the people he loves and for carrying him through life’s challenges, while also remembering those who are no longer here and holding onto the idea that they continue to watch over him.
The release comes as part of a three-track EP that introduces listeners to different sides of the artist. The opening track offers a glimpse into who Phatzus is and what he stands for, while the latter two begin to explore his “Latenite” world – a more Trap-soul and R&B-driven sound that will also play a bigger role in his upcoming debut studio album, Latenites 2.
Interestingly, the entire project was created by Phatzus himself. From producing the beat to writing, recording, mixing and mastering, he chose not to overcomplicate the process. Instead, he trusted the sound he had been developing throughout the year and allowed the music to remain true to him.
That sense of honesty extends to the artwork. Working with his close friend, who creatively directed and styled the shoot, Phatzus leaned fully into the birthday theme through the cake, styling and colour palette. At the centre of it all is a distorted version of his face, which carries a meaning beyond the visual.
For Phatzus, the imperfect image represents his decision to embrace the parts of himself that aren’t perfect. It is a reminder that being human means being imperfect — and that those imperfections don’t necessarily need to be hidden.
“Being imperfect is okay. No one is perfect, and people need to embrace that and use it as their superpower.”
As he continues introducing listeners to his “Latenite” world, Phatzus is preparing for what’s next, with more Trap-soul and R&B on the way and his debut album on the horizon. For now, BirthdaySwaG is exactly what Phatzus intended it to be: a birthday gift to himself, shared with everyone willing to listen.