SIPHOFANENI – For Sibusiso Shongwe, popularly known as Bless LePoet, poetry is more than words on a page. It is a way of telling stories, confronting life’s struggles and sharing messages drawn from experiences that many people can relate to.
The Phonjwane-born creative has carved a space for himself through poetry, music and storytelling, describing himself as a storyteller, poem and song lyricist, music arranger, recording poet and stage performer.
His work blends poetry with different music genres while exploring themes such as human struggles, hypocrisy, relationships, family, faith and social issues.
One of his notable spoken-word pieces, Bengisemngcwabeni Wami, takes an emotional approach by imagining the poet attending his own funeral. The project reflects his ability to turn difficult and deeply personal themes into creative storytelling.
Bless LePoet’s artistic journey began in Hip-Hop, where he was previously known as Yung BadNewz. His interest in poetry grew while he was in Form 3 after becoming fascinated by the ability of poetry to communicate long and detailed messages.
He began taking the craft more seriously in late 2021, inspired by fellow Liswati poet Scooby The Poet, born Sibonginkhosi Ngwenya. Bless LePoet credits Ngwenya with helping him build confidence and guiding him during the early stages of his poetic journey.
Both creatives share roots in the Lubombo Region and the same kasi, a connection that further strengthened their relationship and influenced Bless LePoet’s development.
Since adopting the name Bless LePoet, he has expanded beyond traditional poetry performances into music collaborations, film and comedy productions.
His work has also crossed borders, earning international exposure through features such as his appearance in United States-based Pepper Magazine. He has also received award nominations and collaborated with artists from across the region.
One of his notable collaborations is Depression, a multinational track recorded with South African artist Anati and Malawian artist Drejik.
Away from his personal catalogue, Bless LePoet is the founder and host of Bars2Bars Cypher Seasons, a Hip-Hop platform aimed at promoting emerging Eswatini artists, creating opportunities for upcoming talent and encouraging collaboration within the local music industry.
His catalogue includes the emotional spoken-word project Ngilimele and the 10-track EP Family Blood, which explores betrayal and the pain of being let down by biological family members.
Now, the poet is preparing for his next chapter with the release of Second Chance (Remix) on September 29.
The Hip-Hop track features King Mzesh and BadRelief and was produced by XeRo and BR. The song centres on resilience, overcoming past struggles and finding redemption.
For Bless LePoet, the song is also deeply personal. It reflects some of the challenges he has experienced while highlighting the importance of faith, gratitude and appreciating life’s simple blessings, including good health and the ability to continue creating music.
The song ultimately carries a message of hope, with Bless LePoet encouraging those who have experienced difficult seasons to believe that it is never too late to change their circumstances.
He is also working on After Tears, an Afro-Poetry project written by Sibusiso Shongwe and Fezeka Nkosi.
The project continues the narrative introduced in Bengisemngcwabeni Wami, shifting from pain and tears towards healing and happiness after difficult experiences. It will be produced by NineFourBeats and mixed and mastered by Milton B.
Another undisclosed project is also in development, with Bless LePoet revealing that it features Nigerian artist Fadope, although further details are still being finalised.
Throughout his journey, the poet has worked with creatives from Eswatini, South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, Malawi and Ghana, including M.Seth, TNS Savvy, Diba Diba, Bob Musician, Eimsofly, NineFourBeats, SeimeStonesDPR, Frans CEO, Skhubash, Chaboy, King Mzesh, Richboy, Azzy L De Poetess, Wayesu, VexyLee, The Son, Mount Thance and Alec The Father’s Hope, among others.
Bless LePoet’s poetry and music are available on major digital platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music, as well as Eswatini Hits. He can also be found on social media by searching Bless LePoet.
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