Rattex

Away from the stage, Rattex’s calm and reserved demeanor belies the intense fire that burns within him. Taking his name from a well-known brand of rat poison, Rattex lives up to the metaphor—lyrically deadly, uncompromising, and feared by any rapper foolish enough to test him.

Born in 1981 as Thabo Twetwa in Nyanga, Cape Town, Rattex—known as “Rah” to friends and fans—came into the world during a period of severe political turmoil and racial oppression in South Africa. Raised by his grandmother, he grew up without knowing his father and believing his mother was his sister. At the age of nine, he and his grandmother moved to Khayelitsha to escape his violent, alcoholic grandfather, a shift that would profoundly shape his worldview and artistic voice.

The dusty ghettos of the Cape Flats are notorious for their harsh conditions, rampant poverty, and endemic crime—environments where survival demands strength, resilience, and determination. For Rattex, music became both refuge and resistance, a means of escaping the grim realities of ghetto life while confronting them head-on.

In 1994, he formed Maniac Squad alongside MAD (Man After Dollar). Middle Finga and Saqwiti joined in 1995, completing what would become a now-legendary Khayelitsha super crew. Together, they laid foundations for a distinctly Cape Flats Hip-Hop identity rooted in lived experience and social commentary.

Today, Rattex stands at the forefront of a new school of proudly South African rappers who understand that Hip-Hop—more than any other musical art form—is about representing where you come from and addressing the issues that shape your community. It is therefore no surprise that he is regarded as a pioneer of the “Spaza” movement, delivering lyrics in a potent mix of isiXhosa, English, and Cape Flats slang.

A true Cape Flats soldier, Rattex consistently represents Khultcha (Khayelitsha) wherever he performs. His music has received heavy rotation on community and campus radio stations across Cape Town and the Cape Flats. Notable performances include Fire on the Mountain Festival, Drudge Dialect II, Hype Magazine Live Session, and the Planetary Assault launch party. He has also appeared on Channel O’s top-rated show Mzansi Ridez and most recently supported legendary Brooklyn-born lyricist Wordsworth during his South African tour.

Rattex first caught the attention of producer Dplanet with his blazing and controversial verse on Battle of the Sexes, featured on the Drudge Dialect mixtape in 2006. This collaboration led to appearances on the Planetary Assault compilation album in 2007, where he delivered standout verses on Township Storm and Imbadla Yez’rhumsha.

In 2008, Rattex signed with Pioneer Unit Records and began work on his debut album, Bread and Butter, slated for release in the third quarter of the year.

Beyond music, Rattex is also a talented actor. A highlight of his acting career was a starring role in The Playground by Beverley Naidoo, staged at the Polka Theatre in London, UK, in 2004—further demonstrating his range as a storyteller across disciplines.