PdotO marks 10 years since debut album The Devil’z Playground
PdotO has used Instagram to look back on ten years of his independent debut album The Devil'z Playground, calling it the hardest project he has released.
Rapper PdotO has paused to look back on a decade since his first album, The Devil’z Playground. According to SA Hip Hop Mag, he used an Instagram post to describe the record as the most demanding project he has ever put out.
He said the difficulties around it ended up deepening his love for music, for expressing himself and, above all, for writing.
A four-year road to release
PdotO says the idea for the album took shape in 2012, but the finished record only reached listeners in 2016. In between, he worked through many drafts, wrote a large number of songs and dropped several concepts before settling on the final collection.
The album came out independently, with no major label behind it. That makes its reach more notable. Ten years on, it has gathered more than a million streams and views. PdotO credits that figure to everyone who helped the project along.
The people he thanked
In his message, he singled out producer SilasBeats, who stayed with him through the creative process. He also thanked CapCity Records, which was founded by Tshepiso Poho, for what it contributed.
He also thanked the designers, videographers, choreographers and other creatives who gave their skills to the album. His warmest thanks went to the fans who have kept the music in circulation over the years.
What the album means to him
PdotO described music as a basic part of his life and said making it is an extension of who he is. He presents The Devil’z Playground as more than a debut: a necessary outlet for his experiences, feelings and views on the music industry.
The title reflects how he sees that industry and the choices artists face within it. In his post he wrote: “It’s The Devil’z Playground, but we Choose to Play Rather than Choose to Pray.”
The anniversary has also made him think about how far he has come. “10 years of Music, 10 years of Growth, 10 years of Understanding,” he wrote.
He credited Christ for guiding his path and ended with a note of gratitude for the record. “This will forever be the album I needed most,” PdotO said.
For an artist who released his first album without major-label support, the milestone stands as a sign of persistence. In PdotO’s telling, its value goes beyond the numbers: it marks a period of self-discovery and the start of a career that is still developing.
This story is based on reporting by SA Hip Hop Mag.
