The Deaconz
TWO VOICES.
ONE PURPOSE.
"This is not the beginning of two musical careers. It is the beginning of what those two careers can become together."
The Deaconz are a South African hip hop and soul duo bringing together KB The Deacon and Nandi Nandz, two artists with distinct careers, voices and perspectives.
Their sound moves across hip hop, soul, R&B and gospel influences, with faith running through the music without defining its boundaries. Both artists rap, both work melodically, and both bring their own approach to songwriting and storytelling. Their first official release, Hallelujah Music, arrives on 11 September 2026.
The Sound
HIP-HOP.
SOUL.
FAITH.
Hip hop is the foundation, not the limitation. The Deaconz move naturally between rap, soulful vocals, melody, harmonies and hooks, drawing from hip hop, R&B, soul, gospel and contemporary African influences.
KB brings sharp lyricism, reflection and storytelling. Nandi moves between bars and soulful melody, giving the duo two distinct voices that can lead, respond and complement each other across a record.
Faith is embedded in the writing alongside ambition, relationships, identity, struggle and everyday life. Scripture and spiritual ideas appear through metaphor, testimony and wordplay, expressed through a contemporary musical language.
The result is music that can sit comfortably within faith-based spaces while remaining accessible to broader hip hop, soul and contemporary audiences.
Beyond The Music
ORA VANGUARD ENTERTAINMENT (PTY) LTD.
The Deaconz are building a creative identity that extends beyond recorded music. Supported through ORA Vanguard Entertainment (PTY) Ltd. - a production, studio and visual storytelling platform - the duo are developing documentary-style content, photography, performance visuals and digital storytelling around their work.
The aim is to allow audiences to experience not only finished songs, but the journey behind them: the writing, recording, conversations, faith, collaboration and realities of building independently.
Member
KB THE
DEACON
Pretoria · Hip-Hop · Lyricism · Faith
KB The Deacon is a Pretoria born hip hop artist and songwriter whose work combines lyricism, storytelling and emotional honesty. His career has included Channel O exposure, HYPE Magazine coverage, radio rotation on Tshwane FM, Pheli FM and MassiveMetro, and live performances across Gauteng.
Within The Deaconz, KB brings the lyrical foundation and perspective of an artist whose approach to hip hop has always placed substance alongside sound. He has collaborated with producers and artists including Beatjunky TP, Streetz, KD Summerz, Brian Essence, Mapiano of Uhuru, Uncle X, Tevlon and Bass.
Career Highlights
- -Single "Energy" featured on Channel O's Best of the Week
- -Recognised in Music In Africa's 2021 coverage of Up We Go Mzansi music category winners
- -Top 5 finalist - Best Hip Hop Artist, 012 Awards 2020
- -Best Hip Hop Artist nomination - MTV Africa Music Awards 2020
- -Top 5 finalist placement - MAMA 2023
- -Featured online by Hype Magazine, November 2025
- -Radio rotation on Tshwane FM, Pheli FM and MassiveMetro
- -Performed across Gauteng, including Christmas in Soweto (Spikiri & Mahoota Entertainment)
- -Collaborated with Beatjunky TP, Streetz, KD Summerz, Brian Essence, Mapiano of Uhuru, Uncle X, Tevlon and Bass
Member
NANDI
NANDZ
South Africa · Gospel · R&B · Rap · Melody
Nandi Nandz brings a full circle story to The Deaconz. She began performing as a child, building an early career across television, international touring, live performance, talent competitions and major public events. Her musical foundation crossed gospel, R&B, African and mainstream music before her current evolution as both a vocalist and rapper.
Returning to music as an adult, Nandi brings those early performance instincts into a different creative chapter. Within The Deaconz, she moves between soulful melody and rap, bringing her own writing, phrasing and perspective to the duo.
Career Highlights
- -Winner of Star Search (1999) and Lighthouse (2000)
- -Gold Diplomas in African Music, Gospel and R&B at the Boksburg Eisteddfod
- -1st Prize - East Rand Traders Square Talent Show; Gold Certificate - Centurion Talent Show
- -International tour: 10 cities in Japan; performances in Namibia and at the International Fair in Pretoria
- -SABC Lake Stage, Rand Show - 17 days performance run
- -TV: SABC1, SABC2 and eTV including Star Search, Kidz Speak, The Felicia Mabuza-Suttle Show, Craze, Lighthouse, Hosanna, Christmas Card
- -Major events: UN AIDS Function, Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, African Hope Special Olympics SA, ABSA Top Entrepreneur Gala, ANC event attended by President Thabo Mbeki
- -Released "My Time" (2005) - music video featured on SABC1's Sgubu Sa Mampela
- -Featured as solo performer at City Press Prestige Women's Day celebration
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