13/07/2026
Veli Nkululeko Mavuso, professionally known as Verstar, is a music producer, artist, and studio owner from Iswepe, Piet Retief in Mpumalanga.
His journey in music began in 2012 during school cyphers, where he sharpened his lyricism and passion for the culture. He started recording professionally in 2014, and in 2018 he received his first radio play on Mkhondo FM with the single "UNGOWAMI".
In 2020, Verstar took a major step by opening his own studio. This marked the beginning of his journey as "the coolest producer" — producing, recording, and engineering for himself and others. He has since collaborated with artists such as Succeder, Majuluka, S.O.G etc from eDumbe.
With a vision to build a movement, he formed a crew of 6 artists including Esbee, Askay, Slizer, S.O.G, Bra Max, and himself under the name . After relocating back to Piet Retief, Iswepe, the collective evolved into TRAP_SOUL_FAM. He expanded the group by adding MpåRãs and Sniper_SA, with Slizer remaining from the original lineup.
Under , they have released multiple songs and projects including EMPINI EP and NGIFUNA WENA. Verstar also released few single "PARADISE , EMPINI AND ETHEKWINI", which led to another interview feature on Mkhondo FM.
In 2023, his impact was recognized when he won at the eDumbe Music Awards.
Rooted in his community and driven by authenticity, Verstar continues to develop artists and push the sound from Mpumalanga to the world.
