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Welcome to Primal Productions' artist web page for The General DarkBlood

The young man known as The General DarkBlood was born Thato Wandile Francoise Hermanus on the 4th day of October 1983.

Son to Sello Hermanus and Cynthia Hermanus, his past was one of quiet solitude. He often kept to himself exercising his creativity in the four walls of his home. His first taste for art was using a pencil when he was introduced to drawing by his older brother Thabiso Hermanus at the age of 5 years.

It was not until he turned 16 years old that he was inspired to start writing and reciting lyrics after seeing a school member perform at a fashion show school event. Inspired by Method Man, his favourite rapper, he immediately started working on his flow. Within one year he had organised his first performance at a school social event where he faced the crown in 1999.

He had no real purpose to serve except to flow. His initial passion was driven by his desire for fame and fortune and continued writing and rhyming landing a second performance in the year 2000 at a school Dancation at WendyWood High School. His talent grew however his purpose remained a blur.

After his matriculation in 2001, he headed for university at the accredited University of Cape Town where he was accepted for a B.Comm Accounts degree. In his youth he chose the safety and security of the corporate world over the cries of his heart. He took to a double life that would mimic the superheroes he loved like Batman and Spiderman. By day he would attend lectures and study to be a Financial Manager; by night he would play a beat and write.

In 2002 he recorded his first LP The Proto Tipe. He suffered failure having not received the success and fame he had wished for and retreated back to his lair where he had put away the drawing pad and narrowly kept a hold of his lyricism.

In 2004 he would suffer the pain of losing a parent with his mother passing away from liver failure. The December vac of 2004 would prove to be one that cultivated the land from which The General would come out. Riddled with the pain and grief of losing his mother, heartbreak as well as not being accepted in any socially compatible sphere, he chose to retreat into his room and purchase recording equipment.

A darkness that lay dormant inside of him for years began to reveal itself. The painful events he had experienced as a young boy began to reveal themselves in the form of The Living Blood: Model A362 MPD was recorded and the rough material was immortalised on his recording facility.

In 2005 he would return to UCT a different being in the same body. He entered into battling competitions on UCT Radio where he succeeded in being a UCT Rap Battling Champion live on air. Fuelled by his partner in rhyme TK Rox he continued to flow and continued to battle. He had demons that he had to release and unleash and he concentrated their being exercised on the microphone.

A split occurred and The DarkBlood became a distinct presence from Thato Hermanus.

In 2006 he completed the recording and production of a second album Lost Scrolls where he would show case and bring the forces of Cape Town unsigned Hip-Hop together. The more he spat, the darker he became. Finally, he imploded on his own brilliance at the end of 2006 and went into hibernation for the year of 2007 never touching a recording mic again.

2007 was a quiet year. He was honoured with meeting The Legendary holder of The Golden Mic Zubz, The Last Letter himself. It would be a year that would reveal the soul purpose of a dark being and prove that he truly is a Soul Survivor. He sat and waited for the industry to recognise him and spent the year focusing on releasing himself and put the microphone in storage.

He appeared on Y-fm Rap Activity Jam on two occasions having successfully commanded the respect he rightfully deserved from DJs, presenters and emcees alike. He patiently waited for the industry to give him a shot. That day never came. Instead, there followed days of disappointment and rejection. The Blood retreated back to his lair leaving behind a weathered Thato Hermanus to walk the earth with no soul.

The General was presumed dead.

2008 would see the resurrection of His Royal Darkness. It became clear that waiting with patience would result in him waiting for ever.

He remembered exactly why it is that he chose to endure the intense and demanding education of an Honours in Finance when it was obvious where his heart lay: He did so in order to release himself and live the life he would admire in comic book pages; the lives of people such as Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker. Opened the vault and summoned The General hesitant that there might be an answer he did not like to hear.

He waited.

And waited.

And waited.

The end of January of 2008 came.

The General answered……

“God bless Africa
Guide our rulers
Guard our people
And give us peace.”