Phillimon Hlongwane, popularly known as Taphillie, is a 25-year-old music producer with a passion for Trap and Afro Pop. His journey into music production began at just 14, when his friend Siyabonga Mgomezulu introduced him to the basics of producing.
Although Siyabonga had to leave to pursue music studies at Boston College, eventually becoming a DJ, Phillimon continued honing his skills independently, learning to produce music on FL Studio Mobile.
Driven by a strong belief in his unique talent, Phillimon saw working solo as a chance to build himself up without the influence of others at his level. He envisioned collaborating with artists ahead of him in experience, hoping they could push him to become the best version of himself.
However, working independently came with challenges – the struggle of self-validation without external acknowledgment. The self-made producer has created a wealth of beats over the years. Although his focus has largely been on production, Phillimon began exploring singing in February of this year.
Using just his phone, he’s managed to record several tracks, though his true passion remains in production. He dreams of collaborating with major labels like Ambitiouz Entertainment, Gallo Records, Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment South Africa.
In 2023, Phillimon released his first EP ‘I ME’ featuring seven tracks and he’s now gearing up for the release of his debut album on December 31. Despite his talent, he’s yet to perform live, as he’s focused primarily on creating rather than performing. He hopes to work with other artists, offering them his beats, though finding the right collaborators has been challenging.
For those interested in following his journey or reaching out, Phillimon can be found on Facebook as Phillimon Hlongwane, or on Instagram at @Taphillieofficial.
