Blxckie responds to backlash over Prokid comments in freestyle debate

Hip hop is still at the centre of hot topics weeks later, with conversations growing and different opinions flying after K.Keed refused to freestyle on DJ Speedsta’s 5FM show. 

What started as an awkward moment between the radio host and the Cape Town-born rapper has since evolved into one of the year’s biggest hip hop debates. The discussion revolves around the culture, the role of freestyles, and the beats that shape them.

During the interview, Speedsta pushed rapper K.Keed to deliver an on-the-spot freestyle on Prokid’s “Uthini ngo PRO” beat. 

She declined, brushing off the request with the words, “Nah, let’s not do that, Speedsta … what do we think this is?” 

Speedsta questioned why young rappers today avoid freestyling, but K.Keed later took to Instagram to make her position clear. 

Posting a snippet of her song “Harsh Truths” alongside a strongly worded caption, she stressed that her focus is on making intentional music rather than chasing viral freestyles.

“I make real music for real music lovers, take that however pleases you,” she wrote.

Her post, which also directly referenced the 5FM exchange, has since sparked conversations about the art of freestyling in the hip hop culture online. 

While many in the industry, including Blxckie and DJ Slique, rallied behind her, others questioned whether a rapper refusing to freestyle undermines one of hip hop’s foundations. 

The debate gained even more traction after Blxckie's interview with hip hop blogger Okayswisher, who asked the “Kwenzekile” hitmaker for his take on the matter.

Blxckie then weighed in, saying that while freestyling on the radio is part of the culture, the choice of beat should fit today’s sound.

“It’s a radio show, people are listening for the first time, and you need to drop some bars. But at the same time, it’s 2025, you’re not playing a Prokid beat for me to freestyle on in 2025, that’s my opinion. Play some Gunna or a Miggos beat,” he explained. 

His comments quickly drew criticism, with some fans accusing him of disrespecting one of South African hip hop’s most iconic figures.

Blxckie later defended himself, clarifying that his words had been taken out of context. 

“Nobody disrespected Prokid. I literally gave him his props, go watch the full video,” he wrote. 

He explained that his point was not about Prokid’s influence, but about creating a relevant platform for today’s artists. 

“K.Keed just dropped an album; they should’ve given her a beat that speaks to what she put out. If Gunna goes on the radio, they’re going to give him a beat that suits what he’s doing in 2025.”

The clash highlights the tension between honouring the legacy of South African hip hop and adapting to its present. 

For some, freestyling over a Prokid beat pays tribute to a legend. For others, it risks feeling out of touch with the new wave of music shaping young artists and their audiences.

The conversation also lands just as K.Keed prepares to release the deluxe version of her album “Bite the Bullet”, which originally dropped in February.