Turpin grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa where he was exposed to a variety of cultural influences, including hip hop music and hip hop culture. In 2011, after his motherpassed away from cancer, Turpin began making music as an outlet to express his emotions while grieving her loss.
Music career
In 2013, Turpin released his debut single "Cranes" which garnered enough interest for him to start performing around Johannesburg. In 2014, he released his debut EP "Eternal Sentiment" as a limited online release. Turpin released his second EP "Wasi-Wasi" accompanied by some self-produced music videos. In 2017, he released his first full-length mixtape "4am In Jozi", a musical ode to the night-time anxieties of central Johannesburg. The project garnered Turpin a brand showcase of selected artists as well as fashion-oriented placements in the South African creative industry. He began to reconnect with members of The Charles Géne Suite, some of whom were childhood friends including longtime collaborator ILLA N and primary school mate Noah Bamberger. In early 2019, Turpin released the first single since his mixtape, a song titled "Summer Evening" featuring London-based India Shan, which plays like a personal letter to his mother. According to Turpin, this was the first time he was able to express himself "directly" to his mother since she died. This was followed by "Sahara Flow", a single drawing more from his Jewish heritage, sampling an ancient Hebrew chant sang by South African singer Jessica Sherman. In late 2019, Turpin joined the live ensemble of The Charles Géne Suite and began performing at festivals, club shows and events. In mid-March 2020, during South Africa'scoronavirus lockdown, Turpin and collaborator Lenny-Dee Doucha released their single "Cloud City" specifically for their followers in lockdown. In May 2020, Turpin collaborated with film maker Katya Abedian to release their short musical film "Sahara Flow" which premiered via London's Nataal Magazine.
In 2017, Turpin received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand in Anthropology and History. He is currently studying at the Academy of Sound Engineering in Johannesburg. Turpin is fluent in English, isiZulu and also knows some basic French and Japanese.
