Mukhethwa Mukhadi (born 22 June 1997), known professionally as Mike Tuney, is a South African rapper, singer, director and record producer. He is known for his song "Secure the Bag" and rose to popularity after his song "Tonight" went viral in 2016.[1]
Mike Tuney | |
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 Mike Tuney in December 2024 | |
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| Born | Mukhethwa Mukhadi 22 June 1997 Nzhelele , Limpopo, South Africa |
| Origin | Dzanani, South Africa |
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| Years active | 2013–present |
| Label | Blvck Entertainment |
| Website | www |
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Early life
editMukhadi was born and raised in a small village called Sendedza, which is located just outside Thohoyandou in Limpopo.[2] His love for hip hop began when he was only 12 and after few years, he started to write and record his own songs.[1]
Education
editMukhethwa Mukhadi enrolled at the University of Venda in 2019, where he pursued studies in Public Administration. He completed a Bachelor’s degree in 2023, followed by an Honours degree in 2025. On 19 May 2026, he graduated with a Master of Administration; his thesis examined the impact of unethical conduct on the performance of municipal ward councillors within the Limpopo Province.[3]
Music career
editAfter releasing two mixtapes and one extended play, Mike released his very first studio album[4] on his 23rd birthday in 2020,[5] called "I Wish I Could".[6] He gained recognition after releasing his first mixtape titled "X-Pectations" in 2016.[7] Mike Tuney released his first self-produced single called "Mama I'm Sorry" featuring Vhole in 2019, the single also appeared on his 2020 album.[1]
Prior to his album release in 2020, "Secure the Bag" featuring AB Crazy and Sense 2.0 was released as a lead single followed by a music video few months after the song was released.[8] The video premiered on MTV Base Africa and Channel O, then peaked at number 4 on MTV Base's SA Hits Countdown playlist in November 2020. On 26 May, Tuney released a music video for his song titled "i.".[9] Mike has also shared a stage with many well-known South African musicians, including the likes of A-Reece, Sjava and many more.[10]
On January 3, 2023, Mike Tuney released a collaborative EP with McSwagga titled "New Wave Leaders.[11] The EP consisted of five songs of which all of them were produced by God Sample, and it features ProVro, God Sample, LimitlessRaps, Young Lame, Fais Yung, & Mad-Slide. Mike released his latest solo EP on the 3rd of April 2023.
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Categories | Result | Ref. |
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| 2021 | City Awards | Producer of the Year, Artist of the Year, Single of the Year | Nominated | [12] |
References
edit- 1 2 3 Bele, Maanda (8 June 2019). "Who is Mike Tuney?". Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ↑ Colleta, Dewa (25 February 2021). "Mike Tuney enters the big leagues". Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ↑ "Balancing books and beats: Mr Mukhethwa Mukhadi's journey of academic and creative excellence". University of Venda. University of Venda. 2026. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
- ↑ Boshego, Desmond (30 June 2020). "Catch the Buzz on Mike's New Tunes". Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ↑ Deen, Viola (2 September 2020). "Mike Tuney drops his first album". Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ↑ Bele, Maanda (13 August 2020). "Mike Tuney releases debut album". Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ↑ "Mike Tuney – Secure The Bag Ft. AB Crazy & Sense 2.0". 7 October 2020. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ↑ Jabulani, John (7 October 2020). "Mike Tuney Wants to "Secure the Bag" With AB Crazy & Sense 2.0". Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ↑ Mashahu, David (27 May 2021). "Mike Tuney releases new music video for single 'i.'". Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ↑ Mametja, Anne (29 December 2022). "Multiple-award winner Mike Tuney boasts a love for hip-hop". Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ↑ Bele, Maanda (19 January 2023). "Mike Tuney and McSwagga collaborate on new album". Retrieved 22 January 2023.
- ↑ "Mike Tuney nominated three times for City Awards". 25 February 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
External links
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