“Nino Fresko: Be Yourself, Always."

From Bethlehem’s streets to Jozi’s stages, Nino Fresko is proving that honesty and hometown pride can take you far. Fresh off his project DIAL 058 and GO single, he sits down with us to unpack his journey, his lessons, and what’s next.

You’ve often spoken about Bethlehem shaping who you are—what role did your hometown play in sparking your love for hip-hop?

I think more than anything when I heard that there Sotho rappers that make music about our day-to-day experience—that sparked my love for hip-hop even more because it showed me that in rap you just gotta be yourself.

“DIAL 058” feels like a love letter to Bethlehem. Was it intentional to make it sound like that?

Yo bro, it was super intentional—I literally didn’t even care if anyone else who isn’t from Bethlehem didn’t like it, because I felt like before I go any further in my career I needed to have a project I make for my hometown.

Coming from the Free State to the “City of Gold,” what were some of the biggest challenges you faced making that transition?

Biggest challenge had to be the realization that not everyone wants it as much as I do, and that my perspective is valid. It may not be funded, but my voice can be as loud—or louder—than most of the people that are also trynna get it.

My favourite songs from “DIAL 058” are “MONATE,” “GREY,” and “KOENA.” What story or message were you hoping fans would take away?

• Monate: I think being home made me realize how many people die just because of ego tsa monateng—you know, people get drunk and start killing each other. It’s crazy! And it's something I thought about a lot. So this song is just my perspective on that.

• Grey: Yoh this one’s mainly about a situationship a homie of mine had(shakes his head) and fr fr. I thought, how would I write a song in his perspective? On the last verse I comment on how that situation feels to me.

• Koena: Koena is about the confidence I got from my family—they’ve always told me as long as God is with me, no weapon formed against me shall prosper and I can conquer anything!

  
  
  

  

  

How do you approach storytelling in your music—do you start from personal experiences, or do you also create from observation and imagination?

I always start from personal experience. That’s really what makes me the artist I am. I wanna be as honest as I can, but I also make songs from observation and comment on things I feel are important to me.

If you weren’t making music, what would Cowboy Fresko be doing right now—realistically and unrealistically?

Realistically, I’d be directing shoots and videos or animating stuff for people. Unrealistically, I’d be flying planes.(laughs)

Which one of your songs do you think would surprise people the most if they knew the backstory?

BASADI.

You’re heavily inspired by fashion—if you could collaborate with any brand to create a collection of your own, who would it be and why?

Dickies. I think it’s a heritage brand and it would be dope to bring in a bit of hip-hop into it because as much as it was more of a kwaito or pantsula brand, there are ways we rappers incorporate it into daily wear too, so it’d be an interesting combination.

What has been the most eye-opening lesson about the business side of music that you wish you knew earlier?

I wish I knew that just because it worked for someone else doesn’t mean it’ll work for you-this being deals and working with certain people you know...I think the music business can also be approached with as much creativity as how the music is approached

Independent artists often struggle with sustainability. How do you personally balance financial survival with creative freedom?

Yo this was one thing I had to also teach myself early in my career, that I gotta be fed in order to create freely you know- so by any means find ways to make money until the music does what it has to do- so if it means I have to get a job or freelance here and there-I need to for the sake of my art being pure and not sounding desperate

“Be yourself, always. It’s simple, but it gets tough when you’re chasing trends.”

Winning the Cotton Fest 2023 Open Mic must’ve been a milestone. How did that moment shift your career?

Changed everything for me. I met people I looked up to, got advice from OGs, and performed on a big stage for the first time—and I held my own. That was wild!

Your debut single “Ridiculous” got recognition from Hype Magazine—what was it like receiving that kind of early validation?

That for me, made me realize that sometimes I overthink things —great things happen in their own time.

Between your first project and now, how do you feel you’ve grown as both an artist and producer?

I think I’m more relaxed and confident in my sound now. I don’t seek validation anymore on whether it’ll stick or not—it’s about whether I feel confident in it.

What role do platforms like Cotton Fest, Hype Magazine, and online blogs play in pushing artists like you forward?

A big one... It reminds me of the blog era—they really put the audience on. And they show us they’re actually for the kids, not just saying it. That’s always dope!

As someone representing the Free State in Jozi’s hip-hop scene, do you feel a sense of responsibility to open doors for others from your region?

Definitely! I think the Free State more than anything needs that—a lot of people still don’t know about us.

Your single “Go” came with insane visuals using iconic album covers. How did you land on that concept?

Yo man! Those SA hip-hop albums SHAPED me you know. And for the next project I’m working on now, I’ve been listening to them a lot. It only felt right to honor them in such a big way.

“Not everyone wants it as much as I do — but my perspective is valid. My voice can be louder than most.”

What can fans expect from you for the last quarter of 2025 and beyond?

A new project, more music, and more features.

You’ve become a symbol of hope for creatives chasing their dreams. What advice do you have for young artists from small towns trying to break into the music industry?

Be yourself, always. Its simple but it gets so difficult to do when you spend time trying to catch up with what's trending and what people are loving on specific times.

Looking back at the boy in Bethlehem who first picked up a mic—what would you tell him now?

You are almost there—and you were right about yourself.