From Janet Jackson’s iconic ‘Rhythm Nation’ to Lady Gaga’s 2011 anthem ‘Born This Way’, music offers people a chance to boost their voices by joining in chorus with others. In a cultural landscape where scandal too often overshadows sincerity, King Tux’s latest single, Think Twice, stands as a resolute and thoughtful countercurrent. The track featuring soulful R&B artist, The Brand Leo, is not only a musical release but a socially conscious intervention, confronting the often skirted issue of gender-based violence (GBV), particularly as it evolves in the digital realm.
Reflecting on the social state of vulnerability, King Tux offers: “We’re living in a moment where people are more vocal than ever about what hurts them and what they need”, continuing, “but the emotional disconnect still feels deep”. With Think Twice, he joins a rare but growing number of male artists choosing to use their platform to address the culture of silence, shame, and normalisation that surrounds abuse. The significance of this work cannot be overstated. According to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) research in Botswana, over 67 percent of women in the country have experienced abuse, more than double the global average. Gender-based violence, while devastating in physical and emotional forms, is also mutating into new terrains: the digital sphere. With the surge of social media and increasingly accessible technology, perpetrators now use platforms to harass, exploit, and shame others, often with impunity.
King Tux doesn’t shy away from this reality. “The song even addresses issues such as revenge porn, physical and emotional abuse, as well as accountability,” he explains, as he positions the work within contemporary politics. This makes Think Twice particularly timely, launching during an era when digital harassment has become an everyday hazard for women, sexual and gender minorities, and youth across the world. The Economist Intelligence Unit reports that 85 percent of women with internet access have witnessed online violence, while 38 percent have experienced it directly. An overwhelming 92 percent say that such abuse impacts their well-being, with more than one-third citing mental health struggles as a result.
In Botswana, this digital assault has caught the attention of rights advocates and institutions alike. In 2024, UNFPA launched its “Bodyright” campaign locally. The initiative is anchored in the argument that people’s bodies, particularly online, deserve the same protections as copyrighted material. Much as Botswana is in the continual process of refining local policies and laws to align proactively with offering protections for Intellectual Property and personal data, the intersections of such legislation with the lived experiences of the most vulnerable require nuanced considerations regarding their effective implementation by law enforcement and the general public. In this context, Think Twice transcends the position of simply being a song to assuming the posture of an anthem – a cultural echo of advocacy.
What makes King Tux’s approach even more compelling is that it comes from a place of introspection rather than condemnation. “Think Twice was inspired by a deep desire to challenge the way we communicate and treat one another in romantic relationships,” he shares. “It’s rooted in wanting to see more intentionality, empathy, and honesty in how we love”. This comes through clearly in the way the song is sonically warm, while it is lyrically weighty. Its soft grooves belie the sharpness of its message: that silence is complicity, and that abuse–whether verbal, emotional, physical, or digital–leaves lasting scars. The chorus, elevated by The Brand Leo’s smooth vocals, calls listeners not just to hear, but to listen; and more importantly, to think before succumbing to undignified conduct.
In a social media-driven world where conflict and controversy often attract more clicks than compassion, King Tux acknowledges the challenge. “Scandal does sell – it travels fast, it dominates timelines, and it creates this false sense that chaos is the norm,” he decries, though he remains hopeful, stating that “love and respect still have a strong place – they just need to be made visible again”. To reach this goal, the hip-hop star says the best point of departure is celebrating healthy relationships, showing that commitment is not boring, and being honest about the work that goes in.
It is particularly notable – and admirable – that a male artist with long-standing influence in Botswana’s music and film scenes is leading this call. At a time when conversations around masculinity are growing more nuanced, King Tux’s appeal to men is clear and personal. “I’d love to see men embrace emotional fluency – not just being able to feel, but to express and process those feelings responsibly,” he says. On the relationship front, the muso reminds fellow men that “for too long, masculinity has been tied to silence and violence. That’s not strength. Strength is protecting your partner’s peace, not just their body”.
This reflection, grounded in self-awareness and social responsibility, is exactly what Botswana and many other societies grappling with GBV need from their cultural figures. While institutions like UNFPA and the Government of Botswana work on systemic prevention and legislative responses, artists like King Tux are helping to shape the emotional and ethical terrain where real change begins: the hearts and minds of the people. The collaborative nature of Think Twice also speaks volumes. “The collaboration came out of mutual respect and shared purpose,” King Tux explains, elucidating that he, The Brand Leo and Kfros weren’t just trying to make a song, they wanted to start a conversation. This creative chemistry, fuelled by shared values rather than market calculation, gives the track its soul.
That soul is needed now more than ever. According to the 2024 UN Secretary-General’s report, three major threats loom on the global horizon: a growing backlash against women’s rights, the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, and the expansion of the “manosphere” – a digital subculture of misogyny that is bleeding into mainstream media and public discourse. In this dangerous climate, Think Twice offers a necessary antidote: vulnerability, reflection, and the courage to speak – and sing – against injustice. As Botswana continues its cultural and digital evolution, the song also signals the need for creative communities to take on new roles: not just entertainers, but educators and agitators; and when done with integrity, the impact has the potential to be profound.
“Strength is being accountable,” King Tux reminds us. Through Think Twice, he’s not just asking men to be accountable – he’s modelling what it looks like. For those seeking a way to start difficult conversations about gender, relationships, or emotional intelligence, the song is an accessible and evocative entry point. For survivors of GBV, it may offer a rare form of recognition from allied men’s perspectives. Whilst for a wider audience, it challenges the cynicism of digital culture by proving that artists can use their platforms for something greater than virality.
In the end, Think Twice is more than music; it is a cultural mirror and a moral compass. Through King Tux’s voice and lyricism – steady, thoughtful, and urgent – we are reminded that in love, in life, and in society, we all have a choice: to harm or to heal, to remain silent or to speak, to repeat or to rethink.
