Tag: hip hop

Nigerian recording artist Glenn Mena isn’t bound to one genre

Listening to Glenn Mena’s releases, it becomes clear that he doesn’t want to tie himself to a specific sound. This kaleidoscope of musical influences is in part thanks to his childhood which he spent in Warri State, Nigeria, where he was exposed to music from a number of different sources. “I pick up music from different places that I go to. People that I go to school with, folks in church.” His home too was filled with music, with his father a very capable singer, and his mother a fond follower of music.

Although the recording artist, pianist and afropolitan model began his musical education on the piano at around 14, and composed songs for the church choir, it was only when studying at University towards the end of 2009 that a friend approached him and told him about the possibility of recording on campus.This was an opportunity that led to his first release ‘Shawty’. “We went to the producer’s house. He had this little studio he had put together. And I recorded my first song. It sounded good. We put it out in school and people liked it.”

Officially Glenn Mena’s career really took off in 2012 with the release of ‘Movement’ while signed to Phoenix Records. “They put the song out and it made a lot of impact, so that’s when I started to take it professionally.” Since then Glenn has released a number of singles and in 2017 released his debut EP ‘Mask&Music’ on the label of the same name, which he co-founded. “The label is owned by me and my partner. We started it together because I got tired of reading contracts from other labels offering to sign with clauses that I’m not comfortable with.”From his first ever single ‘Shawty’, to 2012’s hit ‘Movement‘, the 7-track EP showcases his versatility as a musician. “It’s basically a compilation of the songs I have done. People were asking how they can get my songs all boxed up in one place so they can listen to all of it. So I thought I’d compile my old songs and the ones I have done recently and put them together as an EP.”

Most recently Glenn has dropped the single ‘Take over’. “[It’s] basically dedicated to a typical African lady. How beautiful she is, just appreciating who she is and declaring that she has taken over my life or the life of the guy who is in love with her.” He has also released a video for his trap-inspired track ‘Swerve’ featuring Problem.When it comes to defining his sound Glenn says that it is a reflection of where he is at in his own personal journey. “I feel like my life’s a journey. I’m evolving every day. The music kinda changes with whatever situation and circumstance I am in at that process of evolvement or self-discovery.”

Having added an Afro-twist to r&b, soul, hip-hop, pop and trap amongst other genre’s, Glenn is currently looking at creating music outside of what would be expected of him. “I’ve been trying to get a folk and country sound and put Afro music in there. Hopefully I pull it off and put it out.”Regarding future releases, Glenn is unsure at this stage if he’ll put out another EP or an album next, but he does know there will be cross-border collaborations. “I’m looking at featuring South African artists, I have a few on my list, I’m trying to work on that.”

With his music, Glenn aims to leave a legacy behind, an idea of who he was. “It’s basically my life and my journey so far and how I can release and put it out in music. I just hope it has a lot of me written all over it.”

2 March 2018
Nadia Nakai is working towards being the best rapper on the continent

Described as Family Tree‘s first lady, Nadia Nakai‘s guiding vision is to be the best rapper on the continent. All the decisions she makes with regards to her music and business ventures channel the energy that fuels the fruition of that vision. “That’s what I use as my benchmark. That is why I started working with Ice Prince [on the track Saka Wena] very early in my career, which might have been a bit premature. But that is the vision I have always had; being the number one African artist.”

Over time Nadia has realised that achieving this dream will not come to life as fast as she had hoped. “I think I needed to trust my journey, and understand that being the best comes with time. A lot of practice and growing, not only growing in music but growing as an individual in life generally…I have made the right decisions in my career to say that I am on that path. I am ready to embrace it once it is bestowed upon me.”

Nadia continues to make waves by sharing content that keeps fans on their toes. This includes her latest video for her hit track Naaa Meaan. Having received a lot of love since releasing the single last year, the video feeds fans a badass dose of Nadia. A bright yellow 4 door Audi with pink smoke coming out of the windows, Bacardi in a pool and Nadia in every kind of hair colour you can imagine, this video adds weight to her title as the first lady of Family Tree.

Expressing her femininity and sexuality is an important part of how Nadia wants people to understand her as an artist. “I think that people think that it is a strategy that my record label put on me or I am just trying to get attention, but it is really not. I have grown up to be the woman that I am. I am very comfortable with the stuff that I wear, and I am very comfortable with my body, and I don’t get derailed by people’s opinions of it because I am very sure of myself and who I am.”

Outside of her music, there has been a tendency for people to focus on her relationship and her appearance. Although this comes with the territory, I asked her how she feels about this. “You know what I have always said about the music industry? I have always said that it has to be more than the music,” Nadia responds. This outlook has made her view attention outside of her music positively. She interprets this as people having an interest in multiple aspects of who she is and what she does. “They [fans] are interested in what I have to say. They are interested in what I am wearing, who I am speaking to, who am I spending my time with…I have planted a seed in your heart and you think about me, not just when I am on the radio, not just when you see me on TV.” She expressed that this is what she wants as an artist, for people to embrace her “whole being as an artist… You want them to focus on a lot more than just the music.”

Practicing her philosophy of being more than just the music, Nadia started her own company called Bragga Holdings, and she shared that she thinks of herself as a brand. Bragga Holdings takes care of the merchandise which is available at the Family Tree store at Work Shop New Town in Johannesburg. Nadia’s team is expanding and she is determined to build a legacy for herself, and so the parameters for Bragga Holdings may widen pretty soon.

Armed with her degree in Marketing, Communications and Media Studies, as well as with the help from her team, Nadia operates with a calculated strategy. This directs her energy towards opportunities that will contribute to the longevity of her career. Her collaborations and partnerships with brands are also guided by her vision for longevity, and so she steps into these with the intention of potentially building long-term relationships.

With her musical journey having taken multiple turns, from her initial interest in electro, to trap and dancehall, she reminds me that hip hop will always have her heart. “I am the first lady”.

Credits:

Photography & Styling: Jamal Nxedlana
Assistants: Themba Konela & Shannon Daniels

Look 1: Nadia wears blazer by Pringle, sports bra by Puma

Look 2: All clothing stylists own, shoes by Puma

Look 3: Nadia wears blouse by Topshop, Leggings by H&M

23 February 2018
Cordovan Ghostal takes things one track at a time

One of the eternal struggles of being an online music connoisseur is when you find a dope artists who you know has a trove of sick tracks on their computer, but has only put out the bare minimum of music online to get you hooked and wanting more. I’m almost certain Cordovan Ghostal (Kabelo Sediba) is one of those artists.

I’ve done some digging but have only managed to dig up a handful of releases from this mysterious South African producer. His Bandcamp has one song on it from 2016 and his Soundcloud has a demo, 2 remixes and a collab with British MC Daniel Triple OG. That’s it. The cat has been putting out music for 2 years and that’s all I can find. Which is a shame, because the enigmatic 22 year old producer who bounces between Jozi and CT, has a knack for making the kind of synth laced hip-hop beats that reminds me of early Tyler, The Creator. That’s probably because like Tyler, Cordovan Ghostal is inspired by N.E.R.D/The Neptunes, as well as jazz, 90s R&B and apparently early Jungle, although I don’t hear much of the later in his limited selections online.

His earliest work that I can find online is that singular Bandcamp release I mentioned earlier, a repetitive and moody post rock track called ‘Wall‘. The imagery for ‘Wall’ has an OFWGKTA vibe to it although the song feels like something Ian Mackaye might have made if he got into codeine instead of straight edge. His latest work on Soundcloud is vastly different though. None of the guitar or morose wailing of his first release. Instead it’s all high-hats, synths and groove, perfect for nodding your head and smoking a blunt too.

In his press release, Cordovan says that he wants to score films and make soundtracks to video games, which, from the few things I’ve heard from him, seems like a good move. The cat can really set a mood, you know? He also says he’s taking things one track at a time, I’m just hoping for more tracks and less time.

20 February 2018
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!

24 November 2017
Face-to-face with deKiller’Clown

Hailing from Johannesburg, rapper, producer and all-round artist deKiller’Clown’s music draws inspiration from the sounds around him and the situations he finds himself in. With an older sister who studied sound engineering and introduced him to a lot of music including hip hop he started making music from a young age. “I started making music at 8 or 9 years old just because I looked up to my sister that much. I just got into music from the inspiration that I drew from my sister,” deKiller’Clown remembers, “At the time she was listening to a lot of The Roots, Erykah Badu, J Dilla, a lot of that old school hip hop. I was introduced to hip hop and fell in love with J Dilla.”

Although he tried his hand at production around the age of 11, it wasn’t until a few years later that he took producing seriously. “Later on in life around 17/18 I met up with some friends who then inspired me to get into producing and that’s when my producing started.”

While he doesn’t favour any particular emcees or producers, “I pretty much have favourite songs throughout different artists”, deKiller’Clown is inspired by what he is listening to in the moment as well as artists such as Nekro, Jedi Mind Tricks, Kanye West, Travis Scott. “Kid Cudi was a huuuge influence,” he emphasizes.

A member and producer for Indigoat Clan,the crew was started by his high school friend ET and him as a way to create music for themselves and their friends. ”We made music for a long time before we put a name on it. At first it was just making music just for our friends to chill with. Listening to music, listening to ourselves. I think we were making for 2 or 3 years before we came up with the name.”

His debut solo mixtape ‘I Changed The Name’ is a reference to the ongoing struggle he’s faced in naming the project over the almost 2 years he’s spent working on it. “I couldn’t really pinpoint what I was trying to do with the tape until I realised it’s me basically exploring all the different elements that I can explore with myself musically. Because I was inspired by so many genres like grime, trap or boom bap it was so evident in my music and it’s something I only noticed when I put together the EP that I’ve actually got a shitload of different sounds on this,” says deKiller’Clown

Releasing the project towards the end of September the lead single ‘Vodka’ is currently getting the video treatment. With an eye for cinematography deKiller’Clown is hoping this will be the first of many to accompany the release. “I wanna do as many videos as I can for the tape because I have different ideas for how I want to display the songs visually,” deKiller’Clown muses.

Drawing inspirations from across the hip hop spectrum and beyond deKiller’Clown hopes his music inspires others to not feel restricted in their self-expression. “Hopefully I can inspire other people to make music too. I just wanted people to not really feel like as a rapper you need to stick to rap, you need to stick to boom bap or you need to stick to trap. I just felt like music is an art that needs to be explored.”

17 August 2017
Soweto Sounds: Cross-border Collaborations

A chance meeting between Ruth Daniel of In Place of War (IPOW) and Malose Malahlela of Keleketla! saw the creation of a project that would result in legacy lasting beyond a week cross-border collaboration. Working with creativity and music in places of conflict or communities with conflict, IPOW organises music collaborations between famous international artists and local musicians as well as education programmes that help develop skills and share ideas around creative entrepreneurship. These two aspects, musical collaboration and training, aim to help people in those communities take their creative or music talent and make it into something more sustainable.

The creative entrepreneurial programme developed by IPOW is based on work they have done in 40 countries looking at examples of innovation and best practice. Having come to Johannesburg in November 2016 for the first round of training IPOW will be returning in September to continue their work, this time with the aim of embedding the training in Soweto. “The idea is not that we would always come out and train people in the programme but that we would train trainers in the programme,” explains Ruth Daniel.

Home to this training will be Trackside Creative, a studio in Soweto which also played host to the musical collaborations of Soweto Sounds. The goal is that those trained in the programme will be able to take it out to the wider community around Trackside Creative. In support of this IPOW has also secured music studio equipment from various sources in the UK including a mixing desk from London’s iconic jazz venue Ronnie Scotts to further enrich the creative possibilities as Trackside Creative.

Along with creative entrepreneurial training, September will also see IPOW bring across more musicians – including DJ Yoda and hip hop artists from Brazil – for more collaborations, sound engineers to train the use of the studio equipment and activists from the UK and #BlackLivesMatter activists from California for activism workshops.

The musical collaboration which took place at Trackside Creative at the beginning of the year saw the worlds of electronic music and jazz, and artists from the UK and South Africa meeting to create new, experimental works of music. The experimental Johannesburg based label Mushroom Hour Half Hour organised the South African musicians which included Thabang Tabane on percussion, Sibusile Xaba on guitar, Tubaist Mpho Moloi on vocals and flute, Tally Ngove on the bass, Nono Nkoane on vocals and Dion Monti as sound engineer. Joining them from the UK were electronic music pioneers Coldcut. The 5 day collaboration resulted in the production of 7 new works of music which will be released on Coldcut’s infamous underground electronic label Ninja Tune. The week of collaboration culminated with a performance of the works at King Kong in Johannesburg.

Beyond the week of musical collaboration and the release of the music, there are musings about touring the collaboration. For now though the South African musicians that took part will be heading to the UK in August and September for a number of performances at summer festivals. Of the musicians, vocalist Nono Nkoane will also be taking part in a special collaboration in the UK alongside 9 women vocalist and producers from Zimbabwe, Ghana, Venezuela, Brazil and across the world. The project entitled GRRRL sees these women coming together to tell their collective stories of life, conflict, inequality and change through music. Fusing together sounds of dark techno, ghetto bass, hip hop, dancehall, reggae, soul and electronica this will be dance music packed with purpose and a message to tell.

Through Soweto Sounds, IPOW and Keleketla! have created a project that has a legacy which extends beyond training workshops and collaborations and has grown into something larger with a life of its own. Aiming to help empower the musicians at Trackside Creative and its surrounding community, the project is helping to change the possibilities for creatives in Soweto, Johannesburg and South Africa at large.

Credits:

Photographer: Dwayne Innocent Kapula

Videographer: Jonathan Kyriakou

Musicians:

Coldcut – Electronics- UK

Thabang Tabane – Percussions
Sibusile Xaba – Guitar
Tubatsi Mpho Moloi – Vocals & Flute
Gally Ngove – Bass
Nono Nkoane – Vocals
Dion Monti – Sound Engineer

Co-curator: Mushroom Hour

Organisersed by Keleketla! Library & In Place Of War

‘This article forms part of content created for the British Council Connect ZA 2017 Programme. To find out more about the programme click here.’

7 August 2017
Lady Leshurr is Coming for the Throne

You know how Kanye has said that he knew when he wrote the line “light-skinned friend look like Michael Jackson” on “Slow Jamz” that he was going to be a big star? When I heard “I’ve got a dark skin friend that looks like Rachel Dolezal, And I’ve got a light skin friend that looks like Rachel Dolezal,” on Queen’s Speech 4, I knew the same would be true of Lady Leshurr.

The 28-year-old British rapper has risen/is rising (depending on if you’ve heard of her, I guess) through her punchy series of 6 freestyles titled The Queen’s Speech, each of which is accompanied by a single shot music video. The speeches are full of put-downs, pop-culture references, hygiene tips, British slang and visual wordplay that deftly straddles the line of fresh and cheesy. If you’ve been out on the jol and you’ve heard hooks like “That’s nasty, change your panties” or the succinct “Brush your teeth” in a thick Birmingham accent, that was Lady Leshurr. There’s a playful meanness to Lady Leshurr’s raps that would qualify her for the dais of any roast or as a guest on the now defunct Nevermind The Buzzcocks.

The rapper has been putting out mixtapes and EPs as Lady Leshurr officially since 2009 but apparently dropped her first tape when she was just 14. After 14 years of working on her craft, Lady Leshurr is finally working on her first album with a truly impressive team of producers. We’re talking about the likes of Deputy (Bitch Better Have My Money), Bangladesh (A Milli, Video Phone) and Timbaland (everything in the 2000s), so if you hadn’t heard of the queen before today, it’s only a matter of time before you hear her everywhere. When exactly? I’m not sure. Her social media says she has a new single called “Juice” coming out “soon”, as well an EP called “Mode”, also coming out “soon”. So, it shouldn’t be too long after that she drops her debut full length. Until then though, you have 9 mixtapes and 4 EPs to get you up-to-date with the queen of the British rap scene. Trust me, this is one of those times you’re going to want to do your homework.

12 April 2017
Internet kids with the lyrical fire – Rap duo Champagne69

Champagne69 is a rap duo comprised of two very versatile artists namely, “Willestillios” Nkuna and “Siyangena69” Mdlele. The two multi-talented artists have found yet another way to express themselves and their artistic vision through enthralling and energetic music. Champagne69 only began making and releasing music in 2016, but have been able to gain more traction than others in the thirst-driven environment that upcoming artists find within the Internet music realm. Their first Single ‘Booty Sweat‘ managed to reach a high of 32k streams on Soundcloud. They then made it very clear that they are here to stay when they released their hit single ‘Wrong One‘ featuring producer and songwriter PatrickxxLee. This really put them on the map, with an accompanying video beautifully shot by Alternative Visuals.

Champagne69 has promised a good year going forward in terms of their music, as well as other artistic projects. They are set to drop more singles featuring more people. They have also dropped hints about an EP, following the intoxicating single ‘Champain (For The Pain)’ and being featured by PatrickxxLee on his track ‘Punk Shit’.

The South African music industry is slowly being forced to pay more attention to the “Internet Kids”, and is beginning to join the wave, because once it crashes it’s definitely going to be something as powerful as a natural disaster. This is definitely the time for new and independent artists to bring the heat that will keep people on their toes by releasing more music, more visual content and finding different ways to engage with their audiences. Champagne69 have set the tone and are definitely one of many to look out for in the near future.

10 April 2017
Gung-ho Stoicism: The Aesthetics of music, art, fashion, tennis and war with Shamon Cassette

Shamon Cassette , formerly known as Cerebral Vortex has been one of my favourite rappers ever since I discovered the internet and realized that the only interesting rappers were the ones who dint mind having HTML awe struck pen pals from third world continents. He’s a beacon of knowledge for all types of cool shit because he’s done it all. From driving Tanks during the Iraq War as a US marine to making songs with the likes of Spoek Mathambo, Youngsta and Thirstin Howl, he’s done it all.

Whats the whole idea behind Black Agassi?

Black Agassi is homage to one of the gods of style and the whole idea came about as my interest in playing tennis became a pretty serious thing alongside my passion for wearing wigs and toting designer tennis racket covers through the streets of Manhattan. I’ve always been a huge fan of all the Nike court challenge pieces and the lava splatters. I wanted to create a platform to tell his story that I’ve always been so intrigued by growing up. To me Agassi was totally punk in the 90’s so that’s where the cover art reference is drawn from.

What influenced the sound of this project? I haven’t heard a “straight” Hip-Hop record from you in a while, what brought about the change from the faster club tunes you do so well?

The faster club tunes these days I’m about are hip-house and acid house records that I make with Bon Voyage. The traditional sounds of Hip-Hop were always my true core. Then I fell in love with the Kwaito sound which then sparked my desire to adjust my focus toward hip-house but Black Agassi was something I was doing in between for therapy and fitness .When we birthed Vertual Vertigo we were collecting and hunting for vintage, analog gear and playing around with old vocal techniques to achieve the sounds and styles of our favourite shit from the boom bap era.

That said who is Japandrew? (Producer of Black Agassi)

Japandrew is my brother from another mother. We met as my former crew, Vertual Vertigo relocated to America and made our home base Chicago. He had just gotten out of prison and our DJ at the time stayed back in Europe. He was a perfect fit for us and it started off as him hanging out with us a lot and then always having a fresh beat tape for the car didn’t hurt. It didn’t take long at all before he became a permanent member of the team. After Vertual Vertigo went on hiatus, we continued to work together up to now

So when did your obsession with tennis come about?

Honestly, no lie…So when I was studying fashion at F.I.T. I needed an elective to get my degree and all the classes were like yoga, spinning, chess and then I seen kung fu on the list. My kung fu instructor was one of those 80’s furry Jerry Garcia looking gung-ho dudes and wouldn’t pass you unless you got all the forms and styles and routines properly. He was a hater and failed me because I thought certain moves worked better in different forms. At least he gave me an “I” for incomplete on the course. The following semester I still needed the credits so I took the intro to tennis instead and I loved that shit and advanced through tennis. Then I started getting invites by the alumni to play doubles at the Manhattan tennis club and from there it just really took off for me.

Not too many people know that you were a U.S Marine and even spent some time in Iraq, a subject you touch on in “point served” what led you into the Army and has it influenced your music in anyway?

Suicidal thoughts led me to joining the military. I was going through shit just like any 19 year old would do and after some wild suicide fails earlier on in life and I thought it would be waaay cooler to die for something than to just die for nothing… and guns and tanks and travelling kind of interested me a lot at the time and I needed to do something. It’s definitely influenced my music in many ways because my experiences there have become bits to the pieces that collectively make Shamon Cassette.

You’re also a stylist by profession. What’s your earliest memory of “fashion” and what keeps you in the fashion game?

My earliest memories of fashion were from my mother. She was a very beautiful stylish lady. She used to be a part of a car club that all drove souped up Datsuns and it was like a style and attitude vibe so I was seeing early on how the two played hand in hand (style/attitude).

What keeps me in the game is research. I spend a great amount of my time doing research on just about any and everything. I always tend to find inspiration for fashion in the oddest forms. Most of the time it’s not even something fashion related that I become inspired and try to translate into fashion.

You’ve been doing music for ages and you have a bag of really good releases underneath your belt, I personally feel you’re underrated? Do you feel underrated? Or is this a shitty question?

Thanks for saying that and no, it’s not a shitty question at all. I actually get asked that question quite a bit. I don’t ever feel underrated. If anything I’d say “undiscovered”. Just seeing how some of the greater artists in history that held the longest reigns in longevity were also dubbed underrated before they popped off. I feel like the ratings come from the fans that actually understand you and relate to you and appreciate you for being the voice of the like minded people that don’t have a voice or a platform. So those numbers mean nothing to me, it’s the quality of the fan base and their ratings are the ones that matter to me.

So how did the Thirstin Howl The 3rd collaboration come about? Apart from the both of you having beards and being from Brooklyn? Were you also shop lifting Ralph Lauren Clothes for shits and giggles?

My history with the Lo-Life’s and Brooklyn shit go way back. One of my brothers is actually a Lo-Life Buddy Leezle. Vertual Vertigo collectively were massive Thirstin Howl fans so as we were midway through making Black Agassi we came up with the hair brain idea of “what If we had Thirstin on a track?”. So we got his number from a mutual friend and buzzed him and sent it to Thirstin and 3 days later we opened up an email that said “yeahyeahyeah”. Dreams come true. You never know what could have happened if you never asked.

But what’s your favourite collaboration you’ve done so far?

My favourite collaboration so far has had to have been the remake of Fela Kuti’s “zombiez” for the last Red Hot+ Fela compilation with my favourite visionary in the world Spoek Mathambo. It was crazy because Seun Kuti actually invited us on to remake the song.

You’re basically an honorary South African as far as everyone here is concerned. What drew you to this country?

That’s an absolute honour. I actually do feel like an honorary South African. Hold up…. allow me to give the biggest shouts to all my South African homies and Jozi, Soweto, Cape Town Durban and everywhere in between. I’ve felt a connection to South Africa ever since the first time I watched Coming to America. I was so intrigued by Eddie Murphy’s character being a prince from Africa made me fantasize about his life. Then one day, you and Spoek started buzzing early on the internet chat rooms and MySpace and shit. You guys were straight serving me up South Africa flavour since way back then via the internet. After the Sub-Pop thing kicked off for Spoek and we got sent out to shoot the “let them talk” video in Durban and that was actually my first trip to South Africa and that’s when my obsession with South Africa started.

How important are personal aesthetics when it comes to creating art/music?

Personal aesthetics are actually the most important part of art and music. If the personal aesthetic isn’t powerful the piece lacks character.

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16 February 2017
ByLwansta creates rhythmic waves and lyrical poise

The Karolinska Institute in Sweden has recently published a study that indicates musical talent may have a lot to do with genetics. Researchers compared pairs of identical twins, and found that no matter how much one twin had practiced up until that point in their life, the other twin, who had practiced much less, would still have an equal level of musical talent. ByLwansta, on the other hand, did not inherit music genetically; he has had to work at it. The Kokstad-born MC, who is the younger brother of singer/songwriter Kimosabe, has been writing rhymes since he was a kid. “My brother had a little studio and a lot of young artists would come through and have sessions and I would just be in the corner listening and writing to their songs. Eventually I got the courage and asked my bother to write a song for me and my brother said no. So I just had to start writing for myself.”

ByLwansta’s efforts last year culminated in the release of the well-received EP titled You’re Absolutely Right. The narrative project is based on the struggle and thoughts of an artist on the cusp of stardom. ByLwansta illuminates the struggles of the come-up in this cinematic offering. He does not glorify it’s difficulties but instead pulls it into focus for the listener. “I am not unsigned,” says ByLwansta, “I am an independent artist and people need to understand that and what comes with it. The project was in the works for around six months and I was planning it. Mostly I wanted it to be clear and articulate where I am as an artist but also just where I am emotionally as a human being.”.

ByLwansta explained that You’re Absolutely Right also comes from being an artist working in the often contradictory world of Durban hip hop. In the city the scene is segregated. Street cats still battle at the bus terminals and host packed shows in the townships, whilst exclusive MCs perform at venues and night markets in the city. There is no in between. “When I came to Durban I was very much aware of the Durban hip-hop scene. But I knew I did not want to expose myself to it immediately because some people might be territorial,” he says. “I feel like in the Durban hip hop scene, there are a lot of egos that always seem to clash. It’s cool when it’s just music but sometimes it’s just weird.”.

It could be argued that ByLwansta is guilty of over-rapping in certain tracks. However, these rough edges are smoothed over by his cadence. As he would tell you, it’s all about learning. In a world where hip-hop is being built entirely on flows, ByLwansta’s diction is a breath of fresh air. Surprising us with rhymes in unexpected places, his treatment of lyrics is what sets him apart from his peers. “My music is emo and it makes the writing process really different, it’s not like I can sit and channel an emotion. I’d love to make happy songs but for me music is not the first thing I wanna do when I’m happy,” he says.

You’re Absolutely Right occupies two worlds. Lyrically it is clearly the product of an MC who is part of a generation that grew up on the internet, but sonically it is not disconnected from late ’90s boom bap and early 2000s emo rap.

ByLwansta is decisively hip-hop in that he embraces the DIY aesthetics of the genre’s roots. He designs his own artwork, directs his videos and is involved in every step of his music-making process including how the work rolls out. This is partly out of necessity because as an independent artist he doesn’t have many options. It’s also because he is a perfectionist trying to articulate his vision on his own terms. “I like to do a lot of things myself,” he says. “It’s not a case of me having pride and wanting to do it all but it’s more like, nobody can do my vision the way I want it to be done. So let me just do it cause I also want to avoid working on other people’s time

19 January 2017
Maya the Poet becomes Sho Madjozi!: Tsonga rap and the preservation of home

Maya has always been a writer. She has always been interested in different kinds of writing. However, because she is young and is a woman of colour, she felt that she was boxed into the persona of a spoken word poet. For a long time she felt the pressure to just be Maya the Poet. But at the same time, she was writing raps.

Caught up in this box she felt she had been pushed into, Maya never imagined that she could become a rapper but she did want something to come of the rap she was able to write. So she had the idea that she would become a ghostwriter. With that decision she contacted one of her favourites in the industry, Okmalumkoolkat. After sending through some of her verses, they decided to work together. Maya was excited to work with him on his upcoming album, Mlazi Milano. “So I showed up at studio and he was like ‘Are you ready to hop on the song?’ and I was like ‘No’. And he said ‘Wait aren’t you a rapper?’ And I said ‘No’. So he goes ‘Are you a singer?’ and I said ‘No’. So he says ‘Why are you here?’ and I said ‘To write’ you know. And he says ‘For who?!’”. Amused by her own boldness in offering to write for Okmalumkoolkat, she clearly realized that the ghostwriting thing was not going to happen. So she took to the mic and became the voice for her own verses. She confessed to me that rapping was something she had always wanted to do, and so being featured on three of Okmalumkoolkat’s tracks added fuel to a fire that had been burning inside her for a while. She will be featured on the album by her rapper stage name Sho Madjozi!. Even more special for her, is the fact that she raps in her home language, Tsonga. “I think it [Tsonga] sounds really dope on rap! And it has never been explored in the way that I am doing now,” Maya explained when describing the rhythmic qualities that Tsonga holds. Coming from the small rural of Shirley in Limpopo, she explains how people are confused by her audacity to rap in Tsonga. However, she is determined to take her language and culture with her, and “swag it out”. She is also encouraged by the idea that people from her home will be excited to hear their own words in mainstream music.

In sticking with taking home with her, at the album preview for Mlazi Milano, Sho Madjozi performed in her xibelani, the traditional skirt worn for the dance also referred to as xibelani. For her the skirt stands as a symbol of her identity but is also a sign that her culture is not frozen in time. Through telling me the evolution of the xibelani skirt, she articulates how this is an indication of the evolution of her culture. This ties into her philosophy of integrating “Africanness” into our everyday lives. “I don’t like this notion that we come to Joburg and we become these other people…When you miss some aspect of yourself or you miss your food, you have to go out to the village or township and find it… Traditional attire must not be relegated to public holidays,” Maya expressed. She highlighted that she wants to grow her culture and wants to interrogate what it means to be an African today.

She has also recently become the Africa rep for New York-film company Flourish and Multiply which involves organizing people for the company to work with, as well as being an assistant director in some of their projects on the continent. Maya has also become the youngest person to be awarded the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study Writing Fellowship. Re-thinking what a fellowship should be used for, she pitched to write a film which will be based in Limpopo around her village. Adding to her mixed bag of projects, she will soon be launching a line of bags under the label Machagani (@machaganibags). What ties all of her work together is reminding people of colour that our languages and cultures “are dope”.

Be sure to have a listen to the tracks she is featured on in Okmalumkoolkat’s upcoming album Mlazi Milano. Sho Madjozi herself is trying to create a sound that is a combination of Tsonga and trap. She also let us in on the fact that she will be working on an EP title “My life is a movie” to be released sometime next year. Check out @shomadjozi on Instagram and @mayawegerif on Twitter to keep up to date with her work.

15 December 2016
The brains behind the Boogy: An interview with stylist Lethabo “Boogy” Maboi

My first question for Lethabo, the brains behind the ‘Styled by Boogy’ brand, would effect in an unexpected response. Her answer was one of displeasure to being the focus of this week’s feature for Bubblegum Club mag. “I am not a model even though a lot of other stylists are their own models”. She is not about making herself the brand but rather giving life to ‘Boogy Maboi’. “I’ve got a history of being on T.V, radio and styling; all of which have been very much behind the scenes.”

And yet even behind the scenes her business has become a successful business. Her work for Nike’s woman’s week campaign was her biggest contract this year. She has also done work for their ID campaign and has also done the styling for a billboard for Puma. Her much recent work with Woolworths would even see her working as one of their style influencers.

I got to speak with Lethabo to discuss her work as a stylist as well as find out how she got the tantalizing name ‘Boogy Maboi’.

Motlatsi Khosi (MK): Please could you tell Bubblegum Club readers about how you got into the styling business and became ‘Boogy’?

Lethabo (L): I Got the name from high school. I was very much into Hip-hop at the time. I got the name from Ms Lauryn Hill AKA “L Boogy”.

From the age of 8 I’ve been in the public eye, having started out on M-net’s KTV. My experience from the get go has been my training within the media. I have worked in the space[media] and it is here that my artistic expression has been able to flourish. It’s where I also got comfortable with being looked at and it’s here that my love for fashion came about.

I was expected to go to university, to go to work, get married and have 3.5 children. It just wasn’t for me. Instead I reverted back to experimenting instead of being sure of myself. Things would be happening around me and I was taking it all in.

At that time hip-hop was becoming big with the first Back to the City music festival having started then. As its culture grew so I would immerse myself. My knowledge would grow and with it my sense of personal responsibility towards the local Hip-Hop scene. My style would also develop. The industry was growing and I saw a gap where I could become apart of it. Back then people were talking visual risks and were starting to push the envelope in their style. I wanted to be apart of some kind of liberation. I wanted to be a part of a fashion liberation.

MK: You seem to have a particular method of understanding the trends and hip-hop fashion. You seem to go beyond the extraction of information. Your method seems to be one of immersion.

It’s not enough to just come in and style. I wanted to push a South African agenda in my work. I have worked on online radio having started at Rhythm 100 and then Planet Radio TV. Before I wanted to be a Hip-hop stylist but I was thinking small then. Style must grow and mine grew into a form of African consciousness. From Hip hop stylist I moved to an African stylist. By playing music from across the continent I would be introduced to new artist who would then become my clients. My success happened because I dug deeper in terms of my knowledge of African music. My first five years I was home schooled through music and now I’m 8 years in the business.

MK: Please could you explain to the readers your philosophy style? What is your fashion aesthetic? What is it that draws your clientele towards you?

L: Many clients say they come to me because they want African but without ‘the cheese’. For example, without Kente cloth. I do Street style without being obviously so. My previous work for SAB had the tag line of ‘be liberado”. l wanted to do something UK, grunge and was thinking tartans and Mohawks. How do you take inspiration from such and make it ‘legit’? Grunge with an African flare. I was thinking black sweater with an Ndebele necklace. Never be obvious.

MK: How do you reconcile the style needs of the client versus those of your own when styling for others. Are there moments when the ‘customer is never right’?

L: My focus is not on myself or the pushing of my particular style. This keeps me away from being egotistical as a stylist. The danger of having a signature style is that the client ends up being a signature of your brand. I take brief’s from my clients really well. I want to make my clients a better version of themselves. Respect the client’s aesthetic and find ways to take their aesthetic to new heights. It’s my form of “going green” by using what is already there and developing from there. My focus is on my client and how they want to influence others.

MK: The youth are pushing local trends but they also the ones pushing the student movements. Does style have a political role to play in current South Africa or are they mutually exclusive ideas?

L: You can definitely talk political. Style and fashion are art. The body is a canvas. We have a lot of different agendas. An example of this can be found in the poverty porn trend. It takes high fashion brands and puts them on poor bodies. Not all fashion can be politically correct and this has much to do with how far fashion will go to remain relevant. One designer was even talking about the best trends for refugees.

Cultural appropriation is also another issue in which styles are borrowed from indigenous dress and yet women of colour are generally not featured on their runways. I always try to be very respectful. You always have to be very aware of what your doing. Many of my client’s images I will not post because I realize the damaging effects that could follow. Always be mindful and be very careful when playing with people’s culture. We cannot just create without understanding where the look comes from. Always ask questions. When ever you step outside of your ‘know how’ always consult those who know more.

You can follow Lethabo’s work on instagram on styledbyboogie. You can also follow her on Facebook under Styled by boogie.

16 November 2016