Bubblegum Club

Author: Bob Perfect

  • SoKool is why Durban Remains so Cool

    When it comes to finding new hip-hop in Durban (and SA), DJ SoKool’s Move Hip-Hop blog has been the go-to resource since before it was even called that. Through her blogging, DJing and now producing for Jnr De Rocka’s Hip-Hop sessions on Gagasi FM, SoKool has been feeding Durbanites with the tastiest dishes of local audio cuisine. SoKool has been influencing people since before influence was measured by how many Instagram followers you bought. We get to know the woman making Durban shine behind the scenes and right in the middle of the shot.

    So, what’s your origin story? How’d you get into DJing and blogging? Which came first and did one feed the other?

    Well, I’m originally from a small town called Gingindlovu and I moved to Durban when I was 17 with the folks. I started Djing because I had a crush on this DJ and the only way I was going to get to hang out with him is if I asked him to teach me how to DJ. I loved how it made me feel so I stuck to it even after I took an L from my crush, lol. I started blogging in 2015 after I had started DJing because I couldn’t find a website where I could go to download all 031 Hip-hop songs I needed. I had just started submitting my 031connect mixes to Nanda FM (which consisted of 031 Hip-hop only) at the time and I was struggling to find music, so I started a blog where someone who was interested in finding Hip-hop music from Durban could go to check out the talent we have. So you could say that one fed the other.

    How’d you get the job producing for Gagasi FM and how are you finding it?

    I approached the presenter of the show Jnr De Rocka for the position. He took a while to get back to me but eventually, he gave me a shot. Said he’ll try me out for 2 weeks and I’ve been producing the Gagasi FM Hip-hop Sessions every Thursday since. It’s pretty cool that I get to pick out music that so many people will end up listening too. I’ve always enjoyed finding new music or discovering a new musician. That’s why I stuck to the DJing. The show allows me to do the same thing; discover and play music but it’s just on a larger scale.

    What does producing at a radio station entail?

    Hmmm… It entails curating how every minute of the show is going to go. From organising what songs are going to play to which artists will be interviewed and also what topics to discuss or what features we going to have on the show. Basically gotta make sure that the show goes smoothly.

    You’ve dedicated your life to sharing music with others, keeping the Move Hip-Hop blog regularly updated, producing for Gagasi FM and DJing regularly. What makes you so passionate about sharing music with others?

    Music has the power to make you feel, make you think and even help you learn. Without music, I think the world would be a pretty dull place man. I have songs that have literally saved my life. I love how that I can bring out a certain emotion when I play for people. Love that I can help someone who is super talented, but slept on, get a platform whether it be radio or the website. This city has so much untapped talent that needs to be shared or documented and I hope that I am working enough so that I can do more for the talent somehow.

    How do you find time for everything and do you ever worry about doing too many different things, or is it easier because it’s all related to each other in some way?

    I actually have so much time that I could be putting to good use but my laziness gets the better of me. Even with all the things I’m involved in I still have so much time that I could try do more with and I’m working on using my time wisely. It also helps I guess everything I do does indeed relate to the other. The DJing, website, and radio all come together. I’m blessed to have a job that doesn’t demand too much of me as well, so I get time to do the things that set my soul on fire.

    Everyone in Durban seems to have a different viewpoint on whether the scene is growing or if there’s a glass ceiling that can only truly be broken in Jozi. What’s your take?

    I don’t believe in any glass ceiling that can only be broken in Jozi. I think the scene here is growing. We’ve come a long way. The fact that we have options now is definitely a sign that we growing. There is so much that we can do for this city art wise while we also grow our art or brand, it just takes patience, consistency, and foresight. There are frustrating things about this city but every city has its frustrations. Always think that if we do not help grow the scene into what we want it to be then how are we going to witness the kind of music or shows that we want. If all the creatives leave the city to break a ‘glass ceiling’ in Jozi who will nurture and build the scene we want to have here? I also believe that if you can make it in this city, in Durban, in your neighbourhood, that you can make it anywhere! Conquer your neighbourhood and the world is yours, if that’s what you going for.

    What are the best and worst things about being a female DJ in Durban?

    It’s frustrating, I guess, that one only gets mad bookings in August, lol. Think in terms of being a female DJ, that’s the only problem I have. The other problems aren’t really gender-specific. We all go through them… Male and female. The worst, promoters usually book the same people so it’s a little tough to get on the roster. The payment is always an issue really… Either late or none at all. The best part is that the city is small so if you doing a great job word gets out quicker.

    As anyone who follows you on social media knows, you love your booty. You even call yourself the Big Booty Thug. What makes the booty such a sacred thing to you?

    Lol, the booty is my gimmick. It’s merely just a body part that increases appeal. Most people think I have a pretty cool body so I use that to my advantage.

    You’re also big on staying fit and body positivity, on the whole, do you have any tips for those looking to get fit but find the challenge daunting?

    Find a physical activity that you love doing. Whether it be dance or jogging or cycling and do that as often as you can. If you don’t have one pick one and just be disciplined about it.

    Who do you think will be the next big acts to come out of Durban?

    Whoah!! I think I have a list so let me just list like 5. Rhea Blek, Zanda Zakuza but she’s almost there so lets rather say Artchild. Snapbvck, Holly, Pepe Gee and Khumz ow, ow and um… Goldenblack, and Bliq. Ok, that’s more than 5 but yeah… This city is full talent man!

  • Gyre’s Queernomics is Unbridled Self-Expression

    It seems like 2017 has been the year many queer artists have found their voice, and audiences, through their art. Nakhane Toure’s performance in The Wound has drawn plenty of praise and criticism, but the film itself has been accepted as an entry to the Oscars all the same. Toya DeLazy is now a Powerpuff Girl, modern queer icons FAKA released their Amaqhawe EP to plenty of online fanfare. Former drag king Dope St Jude has been getting radio airplay and bookings off her 2016 release Reimagine. K-$ has become a sensation in Cape Town, with consistently hyped DJ performances and recently making the cover of The Lake.

    It’s pretty cool that I could actually go on for a while, but this piece is actually about a particular queer artist who you should take note of, Gyre. Gyre put out an album about a month ago called ‘Queernomics‘ that gives you a hell of a perspective on being a young, gay, black man in South Africa.

    From the outset Gyre goes in hard on white gays/white gaze, racism, religion, social conditioning, and the myriad of forces against a young, gay, black man in this country. He lays down the paths before him and the consequences of his choices. Gyre then lets out a triumphant self-affirming cry of “I am human! I am queer! I am sex! I am love! I am black! Respect that!” All before track 2 starts.

    The album quickly changes tempo to the wavey synth laced Eyes on You, then kicks into the trap influenced Slay n’ Sleep, only to be followed by the more more industrial sounding Inkunzimalanga. Queernomics does a fantastic job of offering a diverse array of beats, flows, bars and topics throughout the 13 tracks. While Gyre plays the role of braggadocious rapper well, he also openly and poetically displays his wounds for the audience. Queernomics is rife with fun wordplay, raw emotion and unbridled self-expression that’s rare in most modern rap releases.

    If enough people hear Queernomics, I think it’s only a matter of time before Gyre’s name is mentioned not only alongside other notable queer artists, but up against the best rappers in the country too. He’s not there yet, but Queernomics shows that Gyre’s bag of tricks is filling up quickly.

  • Banana Brains Goes Loopy with Home Boy

    I’ve got a weird thing for cats who release experimental shit. I mean, you know not everyone is gonna dig what you do, but that’s kinda the point. Granted, most of the time I’m like, “Wow, this is god awful,” but there are some gems. Banana Brains’ Home Boy is one of those gems. What sort of gem? I don’t know, I only really know Amethyst because it’s my birthstone, but I feel like Banana Brains may be the type of dude who knows a thing or two about gems and crystals.

    That’s wildly presumptuous of me, I know. And I’m probably completely wrong, I mean the dude has his lyrics up on Genius already, which a surprisingly few amount of South African musicians do. So maybe he knows a thing or two about making the meaning of his music accessible… and gems and crystals? I don’t know man. I know for a fact that Banana Brains knows how to use a loop pedal. The whole album is driven by it. It’s overdubbed fucked which makes it sound like it was made in the bath. That’s probably also because he recorded it alone in his living room, which adds a lo-fi charm to it all. This is the first time Mr. Brains has laid down vocals on his music, which may be why he chooses to wash them out with overdubbing. I have a feeling he may not be all that confident about them, but he makes it work for this EP.

    Home Boy is “loosely written from the perspective of a disillusioned tourist who grows weary of the outdoors”, and lyrically it comes across as someone slowly having a breakdown. Sonically too, at times. The repetition of all the looping can extend to slightly uncomfortable lengths at times, especially on Lady Gogo II – although that song has so many jarring elements and I think it’s meant to test the limits of what’s comfortable.

    That’s not to say Home Boy isn’t pleasant listening because, for the most part, it is. It’s methodical and moody. The soothing riffs and tender, somber vocals compliment each other well. In his own words “the music on the new EP takes its cue from the bouncy bass lines of South African mbaqanga and the interlocking guitars of Zimbabwean sungura bands, and buries these influences amongst marching Casiotone beats, murky noise pop noodling, and wiry wah-wah freakouts.”

    According to his press release, Banana Brains wants to get out the house and play more gigs. So if anyone reading this books gigs, make that happen because I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The dude has been busy and puts out some interesting work – just check out his Bandcamp  for proof. It would be cool to see him be rewarded for his unique work with some paid gigs. The rest of you can support him by giving his album a listen below. If you dig it, buy it.

     

  • Nobody Told Life Below That South African Hardcore is Dead

    South African hardcore is pretty fucking dead. There are a few bands, a few shows, and a few people keeping the genre, in some variation or the other, “alive”, but it’s a far cry from the glory days of spin kicking your friends in the face and running around in a circle to indiscernible noise with a couple hundred people. The old hardcore scene has grown up and largely moved on to jobs that are the anti-thesis to the music they grew up listening to… or just other things. The current crop of impressionable youths who, once, might have thrown down to Go! Go! Bronco, now get psychedelic with the likes of Black Math. Things change, you know?

    I think somebody forgot to tell that to Life Below.

    Life Below are four dudes who grew up in the Durban hardcore scene and have become one of the last living reminders that it ever existed. Mitch Harper (vox), James Strachan, (guitar/vox)  Steven Ilbury (bass) and Brendan Meintjes (drums) all got involved in their community of stage dives and high fives when they were teenagers. I remember sharing many a moshpit in churches and dive bars with each of them. If I remember the story correctly, Mitch, Brendan and Steve started a death metal band when they were 15, but they never played any shows. Brendan and James later formed We Were Archers, who managed to gain a few fans, but suffered from not sounding like the local bands who were cool at the time. Then the scene kinda dissolved around them despite all of Steve’s efforts with Noisefix – a blog turned production/promotion company that focuses on bringing over international hardcore and metal bands. All the bigger bands broke up, nobody really filled their place, and the scene moved on to pop-punk and popping pills to EDM. So, naturally, in 2014, in twilight of the once flourishing Durban hardcore scene, the 4 of them got together to start Life Below.

    Since then, they’ve put out a solid first offering with their ‘I’ EP and earned a reputation for having one of the most passionate and energetic live shows in the country. Much wailing, gnashing of teeth and things of that nature. But that’s not why we’re gathered here today, dearly beloved. We are gathered here because last week they put out, for my money, the second best hardcore release to come out of the country after Conqueror’s ‘Life on Repeat’.

    Grim Reality is ferocious, fierce and fucking phenomenal. It kicks off at breakneck speed with ‘Idle Hands’ and only slows down (barely) for the odd break-down and for track 4, ‘Heavy Chains’, the noticeably slowest track on the 7 and a half minute, 5 track long EP. Life Below don’t mince words and they don’t waste time. They know how to fill a short space of time with a hell of a lot of noise, whilst still giving you a bit of space every now and then to catch your breath. It’s chaos and disorder woven into melody. Grim Reality is the culmination of 4 cats growing up on metal and hardcore making the music they want to hear. The death metal influence still shows with their love of blast beats and furious riffage but they mix it deftly with punchy break-downs and Mitch’s vocals are distinctly pissed-off hardcore.

    Grim Reality is like a punch to a Nazi’s face, violent yet satisfyingly so. It hits hard and quick, but leaves you feeling cathartic. While hardcore may be “dead”, it doesn’t really matter. Life Below have put out one of the best hardcore releases in South African history, regardless of what’s popular now, which, at the end of the day, embodies the spirit of what hardcore is meant to be.

    Life Below will be launching Grim Reality this Friday at The Winston Pub in Durban. They’re joined by Scrapyard  Bones, Codes and Violence. Here’s the Facebook event.

    Below is a taste of Grim Reality. Give it a listen.

    [bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2740112521 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

  • Don’t Sleep on Sleepwalker Records

    I know premium streaming services like Deezer, Apple Music and Spotify are fast becoming the way many music fans with a decent internet connection consume music, but I still get most of my new music from Soundcloud. Granted, I was still making mixtapes for my walkman when my friends were all bumping to Bump on their discmans, so it’s not like I’ve ever been at the forefront of early adoption. Still, I’m a sucker for a free download and, over the years, I’ve followed a ton of solid musicians who often put out or share good shit. In this age of automated curation, your “personal” taste becomes a numbers game. With Soundcloud, you’re at the mercy of the tastes of those who you choose to follow.

    Thankfully, like I mentioned, I follow people with skills and taste, which is how I found Sleepwalker Records’ ‘Lab Series 2’ compilation. This eclectic collection of current South African electronica came up in my feed 3 times before I eventually clicked play. Since then, I’ve put it on anytime I’ve needed to get some writing done. Turns out variations of techno and house are the perfect companion to wandering thoughts and the clacking of a keyboard, although I can imagine a few of these tracks being the soundtrack to a night on the jol.

    Unbeknownst to me, Sleepwalker Records has been around for a decade already. Jimmy Chronic (James Cell) originally started the label back in 2007. It went dormant for a while, but was brought back to life last year with ‘Lab Series 1’ and I’ve heard they’re taking things a step further by opening up a physical record store. Judging by both compilations, it’s probably a good move. The current crop of South African experimental electronica producers don’t lack talent but finding meaningful spaces to showcase that work is always a struggle.

    As with all good compilations, Lab Series 2 features noteworthy up-and-comers as well as stalwarts of the scene, all deftly mixed together. Jimmy Chronic himself opens things up with ‘I Just Can’t Deal’. Vox Portent brings the thump with ‘Take 5’. Rose Bonica takes us on a layered 7 and a half minute journey that (mostly) revisits the same hook with ‘It’s a Whale of a Time’. Even Women Who Kill found time to bless us with his tasty house stylings on ‘Fleas Hitchin’ Rides on Bees’ whilst teaching in South Korea. That being said, it’s Parabyl’s ‘Whiplash’ that stands out for me. It’s just got the perfect mix of morose and groovy that resonates with me.

    Whilst each of these artists are talented in their own right, when grouped together it gives a snapshot of some of the incredible sounds being made by South Africans at the moment. We find new music in a myriad of ways these days but one of the oldest and most reliable is still through shares and recommendations. By having 17 artists on a compilation, each artist can introduce their audience to other musicians they might vibe with, which increases everyone’s potential reach. You might come for LEEU and stay for Ancient Brothers, you know?  In an age where everyone is their own label/manager/promoter and everything is decentralised, small independent labels still have a role to play, especially with releases like ‘Lab Series 2’.

  • palmdrive’s A A // B B // E P is the soundtrack to the dystopian retrofuture

    There are a few things we know about the enigmatic palmdrive aka deadprocession aka ujochi aka Josh Scheepers: He loves taking naps, making music, skateboarding, playing retro games and tweeting about Charli XCX and GRIMES. In that order. He’s also a pretty sweet graphic designer by day (and sometimes night), but having a day job gets in the way of the other stuff. Josh is well known on the Durban scene – which means you probably haven’t heard of him because nobody knows what the fuck is going on in Durban, not even Durbanites – from playing in short-lived bands like Meth Breath and Teenage Teethmarks, but more recently as a solo artist. The multi-instrumentalist recently put out a (mostly) synthwave EP drenched in sonic nostalgia called A A // B B // EP, and even though he hasn’t seen Drive yet, it would fit perfectly on that soundtrack. We chatted to the piss-taking producer about retro gaming, balancing multiple music projects and not being able to nap at work.

    This new EP has quite a bit of retro gaming influence, from the name to the art to the music itself, what is it about old school games that inspires you?

    I’ve always liked video games since the first time I played Frogger on the Atari! The thing I like most about retro games was their restrictions in regards to the art/sound etc. Didn’t have a lotta megabytes back then to work with so you had to make do with what was available, an evergreen ideal.

    Which is your favourite gaming console or have you always been a PC and emulator kinda guy?

    I never actually owned many consoles so that’s a difficult one to answer… but… Sega Genesis. Or the Mega Drive if you prefer. I use a VST that emulates the Genesis sound chip sometimes (fm synthesis ain’t easy). PS1 is up there as well. Sega Saturn has the best controller of any console ever made ever this is fact and cannot be disputed. Emulation is just a great way to relive the classics and to find new (old) games you might really enjoy!

    What’s your favourite game and why?

    FAVOURITE?? Couldn’t say, I have many. There’s classics I still play like Diablo 2 and Crash Bandicoot, but I really, really, really, REALLY loved Mirror’s Edge. Too many new indie games to mention. Papers, Please is pretty awesome. Okay I guess Monkey Island 2 is my all time fave. Point ‘n click adventures in general make me pretty happy.

    You’ve been in bands and you’ve got 2 solo projects, which do you prefer and why?

    Bands are cool because playing with other humans is always a good time, bouncing ideas around, making something together that you would never be able to do or think of alone. Solo is cool because you get to do whatever the heck you want and no one can stop you.

    What do you prefer about bedroom producing to playing live, and vice versa?

    Bedroom producing can get a little frustrating. Depends on what you’re trying to do I guess, but I tend to get distracted by a sound or direction and get carried away from what I was trying to do in the first place. Playing live is cool because you can let the distractions happen without worrying about it too much. It’s also cool to see people enjoying themselves to whatever weird shit I might be playing.

    How does playing multiple instruments affect the way you write and produce music?

    I play piano differently to the way that I play guitar, so they contrast nicely I think. Playing many instruments just helps with being musical. I wouldn’t wanna be stuck to one instrument. There’s a lot of them!! Each instrument helps in different ways regarding to melody/rhythm etc.

    Also, with the new EP, how much is made with production software and how much was made with instruments? Do you enjoy getting to mix the 2 together or do you not really care, so long as it works for the song?

    Depends on the song, but mostly I just click things in with the mouse lol. I’ve been trying to mix my old live band type producing with the newer electronic production ways. Still a long way to go, but I’m too obsessed with synthesizers at the moment. And vocaloids!

    You’ve consistently put out music as both palmdrive and deadprocession – how do you decide what works together as an EP, and what to release as singles? Also, how do you keep the 2 projects separate? ‘Cause there are guitar parts on ‘Where is the Sun’, which is a bit different to most of your palmdrive stuff.

    deadprocession is just for punk/pop punk/alt rock kinda stuff. I generally don’t put any synths or samples or anything like that in there, and I write lyrics and do vocals for it. palmdrive is for full-on electronic and whatever else kinda musical spazzing out, more of a free to do whatever solo project with lots of experimenting and learning new stuff – dp has some loose rules and regulations I try stick to.

    tbh the new palmdrive EP is cobbled together from the farthest corners of the soundscapes I’ve been dabbling with. I didn’t intend for those 4 songs to be together specifically or anything, it just kinda happened. It’s a bit of a vague one, unfinished exploration. I just wanted to put something out before I put more stuff out with a little more direction and intention. I have some semblance of a plan brewing.

    Is “Lite Rails” about cocaine or skateboarding?

    Neither! It’s about driving through the dystopian retrofuture megacity looking for abandoned battery packs to charge muh lazerz.

    What’s the worst part about having a day job? Not being able to nap?

    No naps is painful, ya. I just hate not being able to get rolling with a song idea or sound idea when I get the urge. Which happens a lot. So many lost bangerz I will never program teh MIDIs for 🙁

    If they were both playing live at the same time and you could only catch one, who would you pick: Charli XCX or GRIMES?

    Difficult… I think I’d go watch GRIMES and then try find Charli afterwards and pop some bottles, yeah?

  • DJ Prie Believes Anything is Possible with Gqom

    If you’re a night-owl and you listen to Ukhozi FM, there’s a good chance you’ve heard DJ Prie Nkosazana taking you through the graveyard shift from 1:30. I don’t listen to Ukhozi so I heard about her from those more knowledgeable than myself. Turns out I’ve been sleeping – which is fair considering the time slot – because the 21-year-old DJ, producer and #hustler from Morningside in Durban has steadily been gaining plays and stage time. I mean, her track ‘Washa Gqom’ has racked up over 30 00 plays on Youtube in just over 4 months, her latest single ‘Balesa Ba Kulu’ is sitting on over 6000 downloads in 2 weeks, and she told me she got to share a stage with DJ Khaled at Vain Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, which is just dope and not something many South African artists can say. Plus she follows nobody on Instagram which is pretty baller.

    I couldn’t find much about the “Princess of Gqom” through Google so I bounced a few emails back and forth with her. Turns out she’s still new to the game, having only been producing for a year. Prie produces gqom because “Gqom is for young people, sometimes it doesn’t have a message that can inspire you, but the beat and bass can make you believe that anything is possible.” She’s multifaceted too, “My music stands apart because I’m creative, my beat changes, and I can produce commercial house as well.” The young DJ recently played the femme-focussed Pussy Party at Kitcheners in Jozi, and I heard she tore the place down. Her own experience was even better than she’d expected, “The reception was totally amazing, everybody was dancing to Gqom. Even the people I thought would never like Gqom. The crowd was welcoming and the lady who booked me (Colleen Balchin) made sure I was safe.”

    Considering DJ Prie is from Durban and plays Gqom, I asked how much influence the city has had on her. She’s not as sentimental as most Durbanites, “Growing up in Durban didn’t influence my music. I believe even if I was in Cape Town, I would have been doing what I’m doing now because I’ve got so many people I look up to.” People like Ukhozi FM’s BigKid, and DJ Cindo, “They are hardworking and warm. The way they carry themselves to me and to everyone is just mindblowing.” Being on radio, even at such a late time slot, has been nothing but a blessing for a young DJ eager to learn. “Ukhozi has made me grow in so many ways, my gigs improved, my fan-base increased and I got to meet my mentor Gugu Yengwa (BigKid). I enjoy the freedom of the slot because sometimes I don’t have to pitch at the studio so it gives me more time to focus on my music.”

  • Sipho The Gift is The Man with His Latest Single

    While the AKAs and Cassper Nyovests of the world rack up hundreds of thousands of plays in a few days – with massive fan bases and PR teams that make Bell Pottinger look like first year students – Sipho The Gift, like the slow and steady tortoise, has managed to clock over 115k plays on his ‘Morning Cereal‘ freestyle, in just under a year. Considering he has just over 2500 followers on Soundcloud, it’s an impressive feat. The Cape Town rapper went quiet for nearly a year to get his money right, but now, he’s back in the game and ready to prove that he’s the man with his latest single, aptly titled, ‘The Man’.

    Firstly, what does it feel like to rack up 115k plays on a freestyle in just under a year?

    It was a surprise to me as the song was out for about 8 months before it began to pick up. I hadn’t thought much of the freestyle when I did it. At that point, I hadn’t released much music prior so it was a pleasant surprise.

    Do you know where the song got picked up and how it got so much reach? Those are impressive numbers for a rapper on the come-up in South Africa.

    I had done a feature with Pigeons and Planes highlighting some of the dopest upcoming rap acts outside of America. That got me a lot of attention but the main traction came from Complex Magazine plugging the song on their snapchat. At least that’s what I hear from all the new listeners. Most of them came to know about me from that.

    Also, have you seen what countries the plays are from? Where has ‘Morning Cereal’ been played the most?

    America is the biggest audience right now, followed closely by England, Eastern European countries and then South Africa. Sadly at this point, all of it is still online, so I hope to cultivate that audience into a following with more releases.

    With ‘The Man’, you use quite a bit of autotune on voice. What made you go in this direction as it seems to be a pretty big change from your older stuff which seems to have a more boom-bap influence?

    Funny thing about ‘The Man’ is that it was recorded before the freestyle actually. I was experimenting with a different sound after my last project, looking for a more melodic way to be lyrical. So anyone thinking that I have somehow abandoned rapping is sadly mistaken with this new project and anything I ever release. *evil laugh*

    Just how different is Kintsugi (His upcoming album) from your earlier work? Do you have to worry about your older fans turning on you?

    I’d like to think it shows some of my growth and vulnerability. I’ve grown my musical palette and work with artists that bring the best out of me now. It’s a more concentrated and considered effort at explaining my emotional state. Also, I’ve gone with a central concept that threads throughout the whole album. I’d like to think that anyone who listens to my music would do so because of how it makes them feel, the depth of the raps and music as well. So anyone who is still up for that won’t be disappointed and turning on me would just be wack lol.

    What directions have you explored on the album that you haven’t touched on before?

    Kintsugi is based on the Japanese philosophy and mending practice so I delved a little deeper and peeled back a few layers of “Sipho”. It’s more melodic, musical and pulls from genres just outside what people would expect from me. I’ve incorporated some live music as well.

    What made you wait so long between releases?

    I stepped back unwillingly. As an independent artist and a student doing everything out of my own pocket, I ran out of money and had to step back to make some money.  I think it’s been both the most frustrating and liberating time in my musical journey. It has however also given me some time to step back and be self-aware about what I was making music and what’s important to me. I was here two years ago.

     

  • Swedish Rapper Lilla Namo Tells Donald Trump to Shut Up with Håll Käften

    I both love and hate using cliches. Cliches are usually true and there’s a familiarity to them that resonates but they’re also lazy and unimaginative, which makes the ego in a writer go “I’m better than this.” That being said, there really is something to them. Like “Music transcends language.” It’s something that we all tend to agree with and understand. Regardless of the language someone is singing in, we can connect with the song as a whole regardless of whether or not we understand the words. I mean, look at La Macerena, Asereje aka “The Ketchup Song”, or Gangam Style… Ok, I’m joking, but also I’m not. We know those songs are about having a good time (Also, they all came with simple dances so white people can dance to them at weddings). We know Rammstein’s music means “The world sucks and we should burn it all down”. And we get that Cypress Hill’s Spanish songs are mostly about smoking weed and doing gangster shit, although you probably figured that out from their English stuff.

    Anyway, I bring this all up because today we’re introducing you to a Swedish rapper by the name of Lilla Namo. Lilla recently put out an uptempo pop song telling Donald Trump to shut up, which I’m pretty sure is something we can all relate to. “Håll Käften” has had me dancing around my bedroom singing into a hairbrush, which is awkward ‘cause I don’t really know the words – yet. But hey, music transcends language so I’m not going to feel too bad about it.

    I got to have a brief email chat with Lilla about telling the POTUS to shut up, Swedish politics, and using humour and satire in her music. You can give it a read it below whilst you give Håll Käften a listen and then check out her Youtube page for some dope music videos (Forlat is particularly great)

    From what I understand “Håll Käften” means “Shut Up” and is aimed at President of the United States, Donald Trump (still feels weird to type). I take it your news media and news feeds are as congested with news about the troll as ours is?

    It is somehow absurd, but I was not at all shocked, that Trump won the election. If we can learn something from history is that all things move in cycles (As long as we don’t break patterns it’s gonna continue to happen. That goes for both micro AND macro level). The song really started like a shut up to all the bullshit that comes out from his mouth. People laughed, created memes and his popularity increased. Donald Trump is like an evil character from a Disney Movie, but he is also real and now one of the most powerful people in the world. The shut up was just me being tired of hearing his name and his capitalist, sexist, racist etc. statements wherever I logged on or went. It was also a shut up to people around me that had disappointed me in life. So I merged the two into a person, like I usually do in my texts and created this song called Shut Up (Håll Käften in Swedish). So when you listen to it you would think it’s about a relationship between two people. And really when it comes down to what the World is, it’s all about relationships and connections between people.

    What made you write a song about a foreign politician? Is Sweden’s political climate that great or is American politics just that invasive?

    The Swedish climate is fucked up as well. However, the welfare-state that was built up in Sweden has laid a strong foundation for the country as a whole. But today, the Swedish Welfare is nothing but a myth. Most important functions in society are privatized or semi-private which we can see bad results from today. A lot of my music is about the issues we have in Sweden but from a more everyday-life perspective. Writing about Trump was also fun because it becomes fictitious. So answering your question, both Sweden and America are invasive but in different ways. Everything is relative to the context. I love Sweden and can’t even imagine how it is to live in the States with a carrot as a president. Basically he is a vegetable….

    In South Africa, a lot of rappers used to rap in English with an American accent, but nowadays there’s a focus on rapping in local languages and creating art that relates locally more than globally. Through that, a few have found international success because what they’re doing sounds unique and interesting. I bring this up because you rap in Swedish and I wanted to know if you ever considered rapping in English to appeal to a broader audience, or is relating to your local audience more important?

    I think rapping in Swedish just makes it feel so much more real for me. I don’t master the English language in the way I do Swedish. Swedish is a simple language even when we write music, it is more about the metaphors and how we phrase things that makes the music interesting. How we chose to build up sentences or play with slang. That I can’t do with English. With that said, I’ve tried to write in English and I guess if I would be a nerd about it I would learn to master it…maybe in the future. I usually just go with the flow (no pun intended…)

    I know “Music transcends language” is a cliche, but cliches are often true. Do you think it is true, and if so, how does it do so for you?

    I listen to a lot of French rap and I understand zero. Music is really more about a feeling than anything else. Some notes just makes me cry and I can’t explain why. Some force you to dance and you can’t control it. Everyone knows this and I guess that’s why it’s a cliche.

    Your song “Haffa Guzz” is a satirical look at how you’d spend your time if you were a guy and “Håll Käften” seems to also take a lighthearted approach (I couldn’t find translated lyrics but the song feels fun and upbeat). Do you find humour and coating things in sugar helps deliver your message, or is it just fun to do? Maybe both?

    I’ve always had self distance. So I guess my music reflects my personality. I can’t take my self or life too serious at all times. I find the approach I use as a challenge when writing, it’s a smart way of explaining how things are fucked up…haha. If I would have written too literal, the essence would disappear. It’s to easy to write a song and say: FUCK DONALD TRUMP, because everyone (or obviously not everyone but most) would agree. It’s too boring for me. I don’t want the cheers of the mass. I’ve always taken the difficult paths because I know the shortcuts are not long term decision, maybe sometime I’m too complicated and I don’t even make sense to people. But that’s me. Take it or leave it.

  • Same Sex Saturdays are for everybody

    For the last 2 years, Same Sex Saturdays has been a home for Durban’s mostly black, and mostly gay youth. I say “mostly” because the event’s creator Andiswa Dlamini is set on making the space open to everyone, whilst catering to people like her. “I was sitting at Amsterdam one day and I realised that gay people, transgender people, lesbians, bisexuals, LGBTI community walk into straight places all the time, unknowingly. We know it’s straight, however the owner didn’t know that that was the target market. I wanted to create something that straight people or heterosexual people can walk into and know that it’s homosexual first, and feel comfortable after.  For me, I just wanted to create an environment that embodies who I am. I don’t only have gay friends. I have plenty of straight friends and I wanted to create an environment where they’re like ‘This is cool’”.

    That struck me as strange – to create a queer space but to also want to include us heterosexuals. On the whole, we’ve been abusive, murderous monsters to people who don’t fit into our narrow view of the world, so it seems like staying away from us would probably be best. But that’s why Andy wants to extend the olive branch, to try and alleviate some of the pain inflicted on the queer community because of straight people’s fears. “There’s so much happening to homosexuals via heterosexual people. And the only way to change that, I feel, is to educate and to see that we have fun the same way. We speak the same way. We drink the same way. We like the same things. We do the same things. We dance the same. We listen to music the same. The DJs are the same. It’s ok, you know? It’s an education.” Andy continues, “I started it for different reasons, I love people, and it still essentially is about the people, and just creating something that I feel is lacking within Durban city. Something that I’m comfortable to go to. I feel like we also need to create conversations with conceptual events and not just have a party. It’s not about that, it’s about people, difference, normalising it, it’s fine.”

    It sucks that we still have to “normalise it” in 2017, but a lot of things suck about 2017 and I admire Andy for actively making that effort to make the world suck less. Same Sex Saturdays is one of the things that doesn’t suck about 2017. The lineups are always carefully curated for maximum time on the dancefloor. The All Black Edition featured a mix of djs and live acts from Durban, Joburg, Cape Town and Mpumalanga. We’re talking gospel, we’re talking gqom, we’re talking hip-hop, R&B, soul, kwaito, trap…A magnificent mix of South African favourites and international hits had the dancefloor going as soon as the sun went down.

    Putting the lineups together is a collaborative effort as Andy explains, “I sit there with a lot of friends, because I’ve got a lot of DJ friends, and we sit there and we discuss and go ‘Ok, this is what fits at this time.’ This is the All Black Edition, so this is different. The live element of it had to play more and the DJs had to pump up a bit more.” Durban’s own choice track selectas, Raw Kidd, Sosha. SoKool and Thandaman Jones, certainly did get all Joe Budden and pumped it up, but iZiqhaza provided the true highlight of the night where a woman in the audience joined them on stage and danced, was handed the mic, and belted out the song playing like a pro. The unexpected surprise had the crowd cheering and the rest of the set saw everyone letting go and getting down.

    “I’m a city lesbian, I don’t know what that means but I am a city lesbian,” Andy jokingly says towards the end of our conversation. “I was raised in a semi-suburb, so I try to understand a lot of cultures and backgrounds.” It’s because of this understanding, of herself and others, that she can create such a nuanced space. A space where Dragon Ball Z visuals play behind a gospel band, whilst boys get down with boys and girls get down with girls, and boys get down with girls, and 2 girls get down with 1 boy, or 3… You get the drift, it’s totally up to you to do what you want to do, and that’s what makes Same Sex Saturdays so fucking cool.

  • No Clowning Around with Thor Rixon’s Latest Music Video

    The first press release I got about Thor Rixon was about his album “Tea Time Favourites”. In it, I  was introduced to a dreadlocked white dude who made world music. Not exactly my cup of tea.  That I clicked play and not delete was either because I wanted to slate it or I really trusted whoever sent the mail. I’m grateful that I did, because I was introduced to the charming and eclectic sounds of a sentimental sweetheart who I’ve come to really appreciate as an artist. Tea Time Favourites is still one of my favourite albums – ever. There’s a sincerity and earnestness to Thor’s work, with layers of sardonic humour and irony that resonates with me. I know it’s not for everyone, Thor know’s it’s not for everyone. I mean, look at ‘fuk bread’, that song and video divided people. A seemingly lighthearted look at diet drew love, hate and confusion from whoever came across it.

    With Thor’s latest music video for ‘The Clown’, you might be fooled by the title into thinking that those layers of humour would be present once again, but, spoiler alert, they’re not. Like, at all. Or maybe they are and I’m missing them, idk. That’s all I’m going to mention about the video because Thor wants “the audience/viewer to have their own view of the piece and for them to take from it what they feel is necessary for them – if that makes sense? It just feels necessary for the piece to work.” Yup, we did an interview for a music video and we barely discussed the video at all. Instead, we waxed philosophically about the Cape Town music scene, racism and art, man.

    Here’s the thing, Thor Rixon is a unique cat, so I started off our Facebook chat by asking if he considers himself to be a bit of a weirdo. “Yes, I do, but doesn’t everyone feel like that?” He replies. To a degree, yeah, I’m sure everyone feels like an outlier, but not everyone tattoos their head for a music video, like Thor did with ‘fuk bread’. It seems that Thor truly doesn’t give a fuck about fitting in. “Maybe it’s that I don’t really put that much energy into making sure people don’t find out that I’m really strange or weird?” He offers as an explanation. ”Maybe everyone is strange and weird but they spend more time covering it up and making sure no one finds out? I don’t know. Just a thought.”

    Thor seems hyper aware of the world around him and his place in it, and through his various creative endeavours, plays with the relationship between the audience and the artist. I ask if he enjoys playing with people’s perceptions  “Yeah, I do enjoy surprising and entertaining people, but I don’t actively try and be strange or ‘out there’.” He continues “To be honest, I don’t really want people to focus on me but more the work, or the message that I am presenting. I see the reaction as an extension of the work or the message and that I enjoy because then the audience becomes a part of the greater work/message.”

    I asked him to explain what he means, “So, for instance, there was a message in ‘fuk bread’ that people commented on. The audience’s opinions and comments on that work shows you the thoughts and feelings of a society ranging from meat consumption to what it is to be queer etc.” He continues to explain “Usually there are 2 main viewpoints: pro and against, and the size of that divide is usually the most interesting part of the work. Well, it is for me at least.” I found it strange that a song as whimsical as ‘fuk bread’ can elicit so much love and ire, but at the end of the day that’s what Thor wants. “I hope that all the work I create is provocative to be honest. it would be a waste if it weren’t, I think.”

    Last year, Thor lived in Berlin for a few months and has found adjusting to life back in Cape Town difficult. I asked him about the experience and what it’s like to be back home. “Berlin is amazing. Cape Town is pretty fucked.”  The conversation turns to something that more and more South Africans are discussing at the moment, racism and structural inequality. “I say this because CT has a lot of serious issues mainly to do with how the city was built and structured to create divide. Yes, it’s beautiful and full of nature and shit but socially it’s so wrong. The racism is strong.” I ask Thor if he thinks it’s fixable, “To be honest, I don’t know. I think that it is possible but I don’t know how.” I narrow the question down a bit, because it’s often easy to wax woke about racism in South Africa. I ask him what he’s doing to enact change in his own life and what other “woke” white dudes can actually do when faced with the reality of racism in our country.  “I choose to have messages in my work that hopefully makes the viewer think and question the way they live their lives. What I have also started to do is try and educate my peers and the people I interact with who are racist to become aware of their their prejudice towards others just as I have become aware of it in me. This is not to say that I understand racism completely. I feel I still have a lot to learn and look forward to learning more to hopefully fully eradicate the racism I see in myself and in others.”

    You can watch the video for ‘The Clown’ below then look out for it’s release on Get Physical  Music (Berlin) on Friday 7 July with remixes by Few Nolder and Lord Of The Isles.

  • Stiff Pap Serve up a Tasty Debut EP

    Influence matters, not so much the marketing strategy, more the effect the art we like has on the art we make. It’s pretty cool to be living in a time period where crop after crop of South African musicians are drawing inspiration from those who came before them, continually reinventing the sound of the time, and pushing new waves forward. Sure, some sketchy cats are using sample packs to dominate the radio, and we have more than a few versions of our own Drake, but afro-centric and afro-futuristic sounds have made their way from bedrooms, back-rooms, garages and studios to clubs, pubs, shebeens, festivals, and radio stations around the world. Not only are young South African musicians inspired by Kanye, they draw influence from Spoek Mathambo, Boyz N Bucks or Petite Noir too. With solid foundations being laid by the forerunners, and ease of access to information about making and releasing music, the stage is set for a new wave inspired by the current guard.

    Stiff Pap plan on being a big part of that new wave. They call themselves a “future electronic kwaito” duo, which, if you’ve heard them, sounds about right.  “I was raised around a lot of Zakwe, Abdus and the Durban kasi rap scene.” AyemaProbllem, the rapper of the duo, tells me about his influences, also mentioning the likes of Kanye West, Schoolboy Q, Okmalumkoolkat and TKZee. On the production side of things, Jakinda takes a huge influence from Christian Tiger School, LV, Dj Lag, Rudeboyz and Kanye West (specifically Yeezus). Together, they sound like a 2017 version of Dirty Paraffin washed with gqom.  

    Jakinda, who has also been making waves as a producer on his ace, with both of his solo EP releases, Afrika 3000 and I Can’t Sleep, getting love from the critics, explains about how the duo got together, “We met last year in the dining hall at the UCT residence we were both staying at. Ayema had heard a beat of mine on Soundcloud and recognised my face on the profile, so he approached me in the dining hall and asked if he could rap on it. That beat eventually became the first Stiff Pap song, Dlala. Once we made Dlala we knew that we had great potential as a duo and we became Stiff Pap.” From there, the 2 started working on their debut EP, Based on a Qho Story. “We started working on the project back around August 2016. Each time I made a really interesting beat that I thought would go on my own solo EP, I played it for Ayema and we ended up using the beats for Stiff Pap. I think that was a good decision, because each of those beats were always missing something or they were just too weird alone, but with Ayema’s raps, everything came together.”

    I notice they’re wearing Sol-Sol in their press shots so I ask if repping local brands is intentional. “We feel like our sound represents South Africa,” explains Jakinda “so we wanted a local brand that matches our style and their clothing is amazing. We also wore Two Bop shirts and Converse shoes. To us that was the prefect combination, with some help from our friend Dada Khanyisa who styled the shoot.” Style and image are important to Stiff Pap. “It’s so important!” exclaims Jakinda, “We both care a lot about the way we look and dress, it’s an important part of who we are as Stiff Pap, there’s an aesthetic which we are trying to express through our art.” Ayema followed up with “The best quote I’ve ever heard has to be “You have to dress good, in order to feel good, in order to do good.” It’s so important for us, as upcoming artists, to have our own look. So this is probably the most important thing for us outside of the music.”

    When it comes to the music though, Stiff Pap, want “to give people an outer body experience, make them feel a rush of ecstasy.” According to Ayema. “At the same time, we wanted to raise the SA Hip Hop scene, try to push more of an authentic sound.” Stiff Pap are confident that that’s exactly what they’ll do, so much so that when asked what they want people to take away from Based on a Qho Story, Jakinda, all cool and calm, replies with “This is what South African Hip Hop will sound like in the next 5 years.”

    Give it a listen below and see if you agree.

     

    Credits:

    Photographer: Micha Serraf
    Stylist: Dada Khanyisa
    Models: Jakinda & AyemaProbllem (Stiff Pap)
    Videographer (Behind The Scenes): Larah Fisher
    Creative Assistants: Christian Mpazayabo and Vuyo Vannucci Ndifor​