Love and music are dubbed universal languages and one of the Bay’s most promising singers to look out for is Athi Capone, 36, whose love songs often leave audiences asking for more.
Capone, real name Athenkosi Attwell Dlepu, is a versatile afro-pop, afro-soul and afro beat singer, songwriter and producer whose love for song started from a young age.
He is known for Abantu Bethu, a song about two people who are secretly in love with each other but are both in committed relationships with other people.
“My music is inspired by all forms of love and relationships, whether from my own experiences or things that happen around me,” Capone said. “I believe my music bridges generation gaps because everyone, both young and old, understands some form of love, so they relate to my music.”
Abantu Bethu was playlisted on more than 18 local and national radio stations in 2018.

Growing up in Motherwell, the singer started his first music group at the age of 13, with Kwaito octet B.O.V.
Although Capone is now signed as a solo artist under his own entertainment company, Capone Levels, he has travelled across cities in search of his big break but reckons his home town is the best place for him.
Before returning to live in Port Elizabeth permanently in 2016, he lived in Johannesburg for four years, signed under No Doubt Records.
“There I got to produce for Sister Bettina hitmaker Mgarimbe and featured on his album. I even appeared on [TV show] Afro Café but things didn’t work out well while I was there so I left the company,” he said.
Capone then stepped away from the music scene and became a manager for a Shoprite branch in Gauteng for four years but the music bug would not let him go.
“I took part in a music competition that Shoprite had and I won and became its ambassador, but not long after that I resigned from Shoprite and returned to PE to focus on music again,” Capone said.
In addition to having performed at various Bay events in 2018, Capone was among several local acts who shared a stage with national artists Kwesta, Yanga Chief, Prince Kaybee, and more, at the Bay Christmas Picnic in December.
“The Bay Christmas Picnic and Motherwell Picnic were some of my highlights because at the [former] I performed right before Kwesta [one of SA’s biggest artists) and Abantu bethu was picked as the theme song for the [latter],” he said.
Capone has two albums – Uthando and Enkosi – under his name, Athi, that he released before he became independent. He is now busy with his next album Capone Levels from which he will release his single Ngikhathele on Valentine’s Day...