From Black Iris to BLVQ Iris: A Tale of Two Cities

If you hear the name BLVQ Iris and wonder, “Wait… why is Black written like that?”, you are definitely not the first person to ask. In fact, it is one of the first things that came up when BLVQ Iris joined BackChat on the 15th September 2026, for an interview and there is actually a story behind it. 

BLVQ Iris perfoming.

The Cape Town-based hip hop artist, rapper, producer and entrepreneur, whose music blends dark trap, jazz and alternative R&B, explained that she deliberately chose to write her name as BLVQ instead of simply “Black”. She wanted it to be different and, with the name written in all caps, to make it feel like a statement. But the meaning goes even deeper than the spelling. 

BLVQ Iris was inspired by a visual artist who created a painting called “Black Iris”. While researching what a black iris actually was, she discovered that it is a plant associated with healing properties. She also came across the idea of the black iris goddess in Greek mythology, associated with bringing goodness, joy and light into a space. That immediately connected with her own name, Masedi, which she explained means “mother of light”. For her, the name began to feel connected to her identity and purpose. 

And if you thought she walked into the BackChat studio completely fearless, think again. BLVQ Iris admitted that she was nervous on the way to the interview, even though she had done plenty of interviews before. Her explanation? It had simply been a while. But once the conversation got going, the artist who describes herself as “unique, bold and straight shooter” quickly showed why she chose those words. She says she does not mince her words, including in her music if she sees something a certain way, she calls it as it is. 

Iris at Bush Radio
 after interview

Her sound is just as unapologetic. BLVQ Iris describes her music as dark trap, a style she uses to bring together trap production with orchestral, instrumental, jazz and even violin-like elements. Think cinematic sounds with a trap flow  music that, in her words, can feel almost like a movie. 

But the story of how she fell in love with music goes back much further than her current sound. At 12, she was already writing poetry and turning those poems into songs. Then, at 14, she saw Eminem perform in Cape Town, and something clicked. She described it as the best concert she had ever experienced, particularly because of the stage lighting, production and Eminem’s ability to perform his classics with the kind of stage presence she admired. 

That night, she went home, listened to his albums back-to-back and wrote down lyrics so she could learn how to rap. And just like that, the journey continued.  When the conversation turned to whether she wanted to become the fastest rapper, BLVQ Iris had an answer that says a lot about her approach to music: she would rather be the best than the fastest. 

BLVQ at Bushradio
front desk

Her music is also heavily shaped by Cape Town and the different worlds she has experienced while growing up. She spoke about living in Khayelitsha as a young child before moving to Kuils River, where she experienced a predominantly Coloured community and began learning more about Afrikaans and the experiences of people from a different background. 

Those experiences became part of the music. She took the slang, messages and lessons from friends, teachers and the different communities around her and translated them into her sound. For BLVQ Iris, Cape Town can sometimes feel like two completely different cities existing alongside one another an idea that eventually became the inspiration behind her EP, “A Tale of Two Cities”. 

The project reflects her experiences of both privilege and hardship, while also allowing her to speak about the experiences of Black, Coloured and white communities. It is a story shaped by moving between different spaces and seeing how different those worlds can be. And that is also why language matters so much to her.  BLVQ Iris raps in English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans, and she sees the languages as part of representing where she comes from. She shared how her parents would often rely on her to translate Afrikaans, while her friendships and even watching 7de Laan helped her develop the language. By high school, she says she was getting distinctions in Afrikaans. 

But she does not simply see it as “Afrikaans”. She specifically appreciates the way Afrikaans is spoken in Cape Town, describing it as Cape Malay Afrikaans and something distinct from the way the language is spoken elsewhere. For her, it is about representing her city, her people and her heritage, including her mother’s isiXhosa background and her father’s side. 

BLVQ Iris with
 Thomas and Dane

That mix of cultures also appears in her live music. BLVQ Iris formed a live band called The Crossroads last year, and even the name carries a Cape Town story. The band brings hip hop and jazz together, placing the two genres at a musical “crossroads”. But there is another meaning attached to the name because of Philippi Crossroads and its proximity to where she lives. 

She described the area as chaotic and spoke about the despair she has seen there. That contrast became part of the idea behind the band: taking a genre like jazz, which is sometimes viewed as high-end, and connecting it with a name and place that carries a very different set of associations. The result is not just about mixing genres, but bringing different stories together. Of course, being an independent artist comes with its own challenges. So what keeps BLVQ Iris going? Her answer was simple: God, her mother and her support system. 

She spoke openly about how the independent journey can test your sanity and how her mother is both her business partner and her confidant. When she doubts herself, her mother is the person who reminds her what needs to be done, helping her get herself together and keep moving. She also credits her friends and business partners for being part of the support system that keeps her going. And then there was StreetTopia. 

Of the performances she mentioned, including Africa Day and the Trench Town Jazz Festival, StreetTopia stood out. Not because everything went perfectly actually, quite the opposite. The timing was late and, as she put it, festivals do not always go according to plan. Then her performance was cut short, meaning she had to quickly adjust. But sometimes the crowd changes everything. 

While performing “Zaza”, a song she described as everybody’s favourite, she noticed a particularly energetic person in the crowd. That person’s excitement was contagious. BLVQ Iris had been nervous because it was her first time performing at StreetTopia, but seeing someone so engaged made her realise: the people were there, they were listening, and it was time to entertain. That moment turned the nerves into energy. 

And if you want to experience that energy for yourself, BLVQ Iris and The Crossroads are heading back on stage on Sunday, 27 September, at Trade Bar and Social, 55 Short Market Street in Cape Town. She promised a full show, with Talisha opening, a violinist joining the performance and the rooftop setting offering views of the city.

She also reminded listeners that spring is here even if Cape Town's weather is not exactly acting like it. You can follow BLVQ Iris across social media at @blvq_iris, while The Crossroads can be found at @_crossroads021. Her company, Art Entertainment, is also available as @artentofficial. 

Written By Unathi Ngomana