Okmalumkoolkat thanks producer Khanzi Mnguni for iTheku eThekwini role

Okmalumkoolkat has paid tribute to Khanzi Mnguni, the producer and engineer who helped shape his new album, iTheku eThekwini. According to SA Hip Hop Mag, the Durban-born rapper shared the thanks on Instagram, alongside a throwback photo taken at one of the pair’s first studio sessions together.

A thank-you from the studio

In his caption, the rapper explained how Mnguni fitted into the project. He wrote that the photo came from one of the first sessions with Mnguni, who made the beat for “Uzongithanda Unomphelo” and also engineered many of the recording sessions for the album. He added: “I just wanna send a s/o and big thank you to uBaas!”

Mnguni’s contribution went further than a single beat. He produced “uZongithanda uNomphelo”, which sits at number seven on a tracklist of eleven songs, and he shares credit with Okmalumkoolkat on that record. He also handled recording duties across several sessions, which fed into the overall sound of the album.

About the album

iTheku eThekwini came out on 22 October 2026 via Sjambok Studios. It draws on the rapper’s Durban roots and carries on the experimental, culturally rich sound that has marked his earlier work, among them Mlazi Milano and uShukela eTiyeni.

SA Hip Hop Mag notes that the album took a long time to put together. The rapper had previously spoken about wanting to reflect the information, experiences and shifting realities of the period from 2020 to 2025. The finished record is described as the product of his own artistic vision combined with the input of the collaborators who worked on it.

His Instagram message puts a spotlight on a part of music-making that listeners rarely see. Producers and engineers often work out of public view, and by revisiting an early session and thanking Mnguni by name, Okmalumkoolkat has made clear how much the collaboration mattered to the album.

How to listen

For fans who want to hear Mnguni’s work, iTheku eThekwini, including “uZongithanda uNomphelo”, can be streamed on major streaming platforms.

This story is based on reporting by SA Hip Hop Mag.