Luv Ur Hood Sessions

The 3rd instalment of Luv Ur Hood hip hop sessions went down on da 3rd of October 2009. Held @ Ga- Kabila’s car wash ko Shatale Zone 2, the 3rd instalment went by without the cops disturbing the peace. What can a Kaffir say but 2 break down da proceedings of da day.

Retired rappers, journalists n ur average boy n girl in the Ghetto came through to listen to Emcees spit. The show was ‘possed 2 start @ 14h00 but due to the masses using African tym we had to get on stage at 15h00. Mr Do got on Stage n gave the masses a welcome with his track ‘Batho Ba Shota’, which gave everybody a laugh. The masses where by now settled n I figure they felt @ home.

Matrix Virus got on stage next n did his freebies. The kid has alot of potential but he seems to be more of a booth emcee rather than a performer. The whole set up da Sessions is dat 1 perfomer graces the MIC n gives 1 track @ a tym, n anada Emcee gets on the MIC n so on. H-Lepulana got on the MIC next n told a story of how the sessions began. Mr Do graced the staged one more tym to perform his hit ‘Re Thoma Go Ekwa.’

As the day progressed we had more performances by these artists n Kfbee also came through with his Boyz n gave us freebies. Later on the day we had a battle by dance crews The mighty killaz n a Crew 4rm Majembeni put on a show to everybody's applause.

To most of the peolpe’s disapproval, at about 18h00 the session had to cum 2 an end. The3rd session was another step forward in getting the people of Bushbuckridge to appreciate this art of Hip Hop.

ko - at
dag - day

Hip – Hop vs. Kwaito - Hello Decdember!!!!

It has been said dat Hip Hop is dead, well dats was a statement consciously uttered by Nas and got critisized for it. In Mzansi the suspicion was that Kwaito is evaporating into thin air in the rise of Hip Hop and the ever so popular dance music which we call House. Kwaito, the music dat has been the evolution of Mzansi black pop culture since the then bubble gum. It rose from the townships, Mandela got freed, then it spread like a virus into the urban 2 the surrounding neighbours, before we knew it, everyone was jamming to the sounds of New School, Mashamplani, Aba Shante, Alaska, Trompies, B.O.P, Athur Mafokate, Boom Shaka, Ma-Wallies, Chiskop, Thebe, TKzee, Mdu, Skeem and Makhendlas. @ the same time of that Kwaito euphoria, there was a small portion of Mzansi reballattis listing 2 the mixture of revolution underground and gangster Hip Hop coming from overseas and I was part of that minority. The likes of Public Enemy, NWA and WuTang Clang; they were making more sense 2 us than a pair of All-Star sneakers, sporty nd a pair of khaki Dickies. The culture of kwaito came to its climax in the late 90s, early ‘00 when Mandoza did the cross over version there was a swamp of kwaito artist, it was called the new era of kwaito, the likes of Zola, Mzambiya, Mshoza, Mapaputsi, Bricks, Brown Dash etc. The vibe of Manyisa and Twalatza deteriorated @ the time when minority of Hip Hop listeners decided 2 build an industry out of wat they luv. Kwaito was dying, the artist where no longer cracking it though, they wanted 2 build their careers on drug using reputation, while only DJ’s where selling gold, platinum and so fourth.

Kabelo aka Buga Luv aka the Preacher denied the fact that kwaito was on the verge of survival, just like Nas, he tried to resurrect it with his consistent 'dubula, dubula' hits, which I applaud but the new genre of Mzansi Hip hop was making it hard for artist 2 sell their units in thousand. As part of this Hip Hop evolution, I got 2 take off my hat at the resilience and the hard work of my fellow Mzasi cats. I mean, Hip hop came out and it was criticised like Manto-Msimang’s Aids speech abt beetroot and African potatoes, but these cats meant biznis, they defied the power of gravity. Dankie son! Now why Hip Hop vs. Kwaito? Simple, summer is here, ‘Hello December’, Tkzee declared in confirmation that summer was a period of hits 2 b made and millions 2 b made. In 2009, Hip hop cats hav now joined the band wagon in releasing their hit single during summer; this is a trend in Mzansi which was dominated by the likes of Mzekezeke, Arthur, Mdu & TKzee in their prime but im proud to say that the revolution has just begun. Teargas, Mr Selwyn, Porverb, Jozi, L’Tido, Prokid, 5th floor, Skwata Kamp, JR etc. they’ve all released hit joints which r getting enormous airplay on national radios and the videos circulating our screens . This does not only mean dat Hip Hop its writing its history but they r changing the target market. This is a strategy dat even great kwaito moguls didn’t anticipate; rap is somehow stealing their customers. All these cums in with the much anticipated Hype Hip Hop awards around the corner The competition has just become tighter than our politics, when the police r changing clause and laws we r changing lanes from two way route 2 a freeway.

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BATTLE OF THE MONTH

The former police boss JS takes on the National Prosecuting Authority, u decide who ripped the mic

Jackie Selibe
aka The Commisioner

Dey say u innocent till proven guilty/
But in this instance/
It seems I’m guilty till proven innocent/
Personal Vendettas/
To get ur lives a little beta/
Seeing the need to get the C.I.A n F.B.I to infiltrate S.A/
U hav to get the Scorpions to stay/
I guess dats how power plays/
But every nite I pray/
Thus url can’t defeat a true G/
Let he who has no sin cast the first stone/
Pikolo n Ngcuka shud I mention the benefits url received 4rm Kebble/
The news will probably make the country trebble/
Mining rights is what ur after/
But url gosta use the N.P.A/
To create my Doomsday/
But I ain’t easily slayed/
Like a dragon/
I’ll be spittin fire throughout the court proceedings/

N. P.A
aka the Scorpio vernom

We authorised 2 prosecute anybody nationally/
Thus it’s ur turn Jackie Selibe/
U bizy livin lavish/
Tryin 2 get the Scorpions to hush/
Makin friends in high places/
Havin no regard of what their trade is/
Expensive gifts/
Ur handz in the devil’s waters u dipped/
Defeating the endz of Justice/
Lady Justice has been fucked a whole lot of tyms/
N now it comes to an end/
Rulz u can no longer bend/
Watz the deals with Aglliotti/
He kinda reminds us of Gotti/
We ain’t buyin ur story/
We out 4 the glory/
Of finding u guilty/
U was a cop dat was filthy

Proverb – Write of Passage

I’m gonna say it here, right here on Hip-Hop platform, Mzasi Hip-Hop is the most original, truthful, good-to-the-bone lyrics and creative genre compared to that of the world. Proverb, the kid from Kimberly is back, he’s a father and husband now, proudly South African 16 joints put beautifully together in album called Write Of Passage. The nigga’s not letting go of the mic, the focus, the determination, the zeal is very evident from the quality of production behind every single joint. Proverb is de master of professionalism, he’s hustling like a true hustler, that’s de message u get frm the intro track where he’s pimping himself like a drug dealer to potential buyers. The Write of passage has bn toned down from de Mc level we knw proverb from but still gud, I knw dat lot of bo-mrapper will be a bit disappointed cuz a nigga’s on another tip. But 4 a third album Pro is doing better than gud, consistent and relevant to us like he did on the manuscripts.

U got tracks like Write of passage, Kimberly diamond and I knw, dat stay in yr head like tick on blood, they’ve got hooks dat define a track and u can sing along them which is gonna b hard 2 4get. A surprise 2 dis joint is the Afrikaans track its dat K'Ster original Pro delivered, it sound like kid frm Cape flats with a decent accent and better flow. Besides the Afrikaans track, the nigga has made sure we knw dat he’s a responsible family man by throwing ‘bread winners’ ft HHP which is dedicated to her daughter and reminding us of ur responsibilities as fathers. As I listened I was let down by the fact dat Pro on his special deliverance, he mentions his wife, kid and his family duties on almost every verse while there r two 2 three tracks dedicated 2 the wife. I dig Lets take it back ft Tamarsha and Hip Hop, although they sound cliché, they were done beautifully and wisely. Proverb has given dis 1 time and dedication, it might take time for headz 2 get used to it but b’live me it is made as classic. The collaborations though, Maggz and Morale on Truth or dare and Mode9 on ProMode r hitting the spot but lack the weight, which makes me think dat sometimes collaboration r made 4 marketing strategies rather than artistry. ‘c im a raw diamond/ dat means I was born 2 shine/ there’s a diamond inside nd I’ve sworn by it/ nd I’ll keep digging2 the core 2 find it/ there’s no such thing as bling bling dat’s al hype 2 him/ the Kimberly diamond shines frm inside of him.” How do we ignore a man with such wisdom, it’s a sacrilege not 2 support Mzansi cats while we download Soildier Boy on your mobile.

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The paradigm shift - women in hip-hop (Who do we blame)

The bitch

The conscious one

The Hip Hop honeys

The social ills

June 16 - We are celebrating rebellion

The Hip-Hop nation will know that on June 16 a son was given to us, in a form of a rap legend, a rap genius was born from the political activist Afeni Shakur and Mzansi nation will also know dat on the same day of 1976 history was made. It is a blessing to commemorate this day not only as a young South African but as Hip-Hop fanatic. The music we listen to bring as much revolution as the young freedom fighters that took their rage to the street. They fought a different cause relevant to their political struggles but with the same intentions of liberation as of the youth of today. Well, we might not be as mobilized as the young people of ’76 but the truth is, we need the same things, we need our freedom, this was evident during our April voting period as young people voted in majority. We came together to defend our liberty, we voted because we wanted our pains and struggles to be heard. After we nearly had our intentions twisted with xenophobia, crime and drug abuse, we fought back positively like the Hector Petersons rebelled against the Bantu education system we brought our own rebellion to the voting station.

Our mobility comes in the form of Hip-hop, the music and culture that is relevant yesterday, 2day and days 2 cum and significant to the celebration of June 16. Many of us might not know exactly what went down with the youth of ’76 but we know dat niggas played a part in orchestrating our freedom, thus we use our words to rap the struggle through. Like I said, the rap legend Pac was given to us on the same day, and his music became the revolutionary of Hip-Hop culture, in terms of street conciseness and political relevance. Tupac is the epitome of rebellion, the nigga rebelled against the system through music. His music portrayed the anger, the ambitions, the struggles and jubilation of young people trying to brake free. That’s Matswako, for us, thats Mzansi Hip-Hop, we are on the niche of things. Hip- hop is a rebellious music, and Mzansi has taken that form or that art into their heart to address issues that Malema and his political troops are failing to handle. While other people are sceptical abt the future of Mzansi and our priorities, the president of AZAYO Veli Mbeli agrees with me that Hip-Hop is the only emerging movement that can emulate the youth of ’76 and mobilize young South African into a winning struggle against HIV/Aids, segregation, racism, unemployment, poverty, crime and economical ignorance. Harambe!

To Rebelatti aka tshwarelo eseng Mogakane

Uvuko Poetry Sessions

Hip Hop functions r not a common thing in the VUT, but talk bout poetry sessions n u got urself UVUKO poetry movement, started sometym back…..Hmmmmm….now I gosta go interview da Niggas n find out when dey started, back 2 da issue at hand. As I was saying Poetry is the Bread n Butter 4 most of da peeps at VUT. N once or twice a few cats cum through 2 spit a written or a freebie.

This past Saturday was 1 of those days, n I was surprised 2 cum across The Last Fam, they got on stage n did a set of bout 4 trax. Landmaq, u a true landmark in size n in Skillz keep doing wat ur doing. Im still searching 4 their album, but I enjoyed wat I heard on Saturday. The day was filled with with ladies reciting angry poems n Gs doing their part to retaliate. One Nigga (Gremlin) got on stage n did some Comic Illustraion, which was dope being the first tym witnessing it. Unfortunately I had 2 step out for some air when Methodical got onstage to rip the MIC. One caught a glimpse of the nigga Mathematics, dude next tym try not 2 smell like a brew a lot of peeps r waitin 4 ur explosion n Liquor aint gonna make u explode.

I trully have 2 say it was fun havin a blunt on the steps of an institution, break the rules sumtyms hey!

Big up 2 UVOKO, we need more of this!

Smile, smile, smile...

I listened to 2pac ten years ago when he talked to niggas abt putting on a little smile, it sounded a bit like Dr Phil of the ghetto. “ there’s gonna be some staff u ganna c, dat will make it hard for u to smile in the future, but do whatever it takes, through all the rain nd the pain, got keep your sense of humor, got be able to smile through all the bullshit.”

Well, u gota agree, the bullshit is gone, the xenophobia is gone, the pandemonium surrounding the arms deal, the NPA and the infamous Judge Hlope is under the carpet and is time to Smile. Smile bcuz the nigga we all voted for has mounted the podium, the cabinet is set 34 members; it luks like Skwatta Kemp in there, but u gotta luv it. This season Hip-Hop has manifested itself, something 2 smile abt; Yfm has brought back the magic in Mzansi rap scene by bringing back the late Hip-Hop show through the beautiful Bonang and Channel O has another season of Emcee Africa starting on May 2009. Smile. The beauty of Hip-Hop, Teargas just took home the best Rap album from the SAMA’s. Hype Mag is still keeping the momentum, Mizi and the team is doing their job, perfectly. I’m glad that Outrageous has taken the Hip-Hop show ‘headrush’ into their hands. I guess we have a lot 2 smile about. Forget the recession; forget about the swine flu, The Platform blogsite is here to support Mzansi Hip-Hop. Smile.

BATTLE OF THE MONTH

A BATTLE IN HIP HOP TERMS, IS WHEREBY 2 MCS RAP AGAINST EACH OTHER. MCS DISS N THROW SLANDER AGAINST THEIR OPPONENT. THUS WE PUT ANC AND COPE. U DECIDE WHO RIPPED THE MIC

ANC

aka - Da Anchors

We’ve been in this game for years/it made us animals/messin with our bread/

we eat u up like cannibals/ 4rm 1912/we’ve been moving with stealth/

now we stacking papers in a major way/’n u say we shud give way/

Niggaz pray we don’t revive the M.K/U filled with a whole lot of play/

this is grown man shit/do we look like we wearin diapers/people sign with us /

cause we the real deal/ u just an indie label/we sip hennessy/ u sip black label/

we the prophecy/ u the scum, like the Pharisees/ how can u uproot sumthin dats been growing 4 a 100 years/

u been with us , how can u pull this shit/ A disgrace to all Africans/

u gona make us pull Tokyo out of retirement/ snipe u out/n give Zille a warning shot/

This verse is written with Hani’s blood/ we hit hard, like streetfighting Niggas/

u don’t wana cum against us/leave u confused in the final hour/

while victory becomes ours/ Bloody Kaffirs u just mode us sour/

COPE

aka - Dope Hope

We smelled trouble 4rm a mile away /

like a spantaneous combustion we wer bound to happen/

now u feel threatened, cause we bound to steal ur heaven/ we was a band of brothers in 89/

In 2009/ u don’t wana share the shine/ u had enough of ur wine/

u’ve told enough of ur lies/ Now step back/ or get clapped G’s/

shower head for President/ is like God saying he no longer Omnipotent/

we brings a whole lot Terror/ in the form of Lekota/ Shaik aint part of our Vocab/

when we throw those spears/ what is it the ANC fears/ a strong opposition/

Niggas play u’r position/ We’ll politically dribble ‘n get the masses to listen/

We patient Niggas/ U been growing for a 100 years/ but nothing grews 4eva/

Zille had u scared already/ we delivered the final blow, like niggas OD’d on snow/

cum 22nd we ready for the showdown/ we bout to jack these clowns/

the future starts now/

Step Up Homie! SBK 1nce more

My being there was a matter of chance, woke up n thought I should grab a Cancer Stick around the Street n Rasta Foto just happened 2 b along the same Area. Talked a bit, bout this n dat…. Blah… blah blah… blah… blah…..blah….blah….n “oh ja u could crash a ride with me” Rasta Foto finally said. Roundabout 6 in the evening R.F came through with 4 other Guys, Russian Bear Vodka, a couple of Smokes n Mpefa! The night was Set, who could hav asked for more, all I wanted was 2 b at the show.

Sebokeng (SBK) Zone 14 yet again put it down 4 hip hop. Community Hall was the Joint where Cats came to flex their vocal chords or Just smoke a Joint. We hit the place at about 7:30pm n people were warming up outside, the whole shindig had not Started. So we also just found a spot to hang while anticipating the performances. Blunt here n there, the Bear 4rm Russia moved around us as the Cancer Sticks were takin our lives slowly. The tickets 4 entrance was R10, n I heard Niggas complainin. Complainin bout R10 when it was a Show packed with Performances, I bet those same Niggas would be able to pop out R30 to c Goddard Playing ko Networks. Niggas get real, if we want this Hip hop to grow we best not b tryin to get free passes. Come on Niggas!

Big Up to Methodical for being the only female Emcee to rock the stage, she was one of the first to lace the MIC. She gave us a set of three Songs, b4 the performance she told me it would be her first performance. She has a lot to work on though, but big up still.
Mothipa was there again to Hijack the industry with his laid back flow, Mo catalyst also gave a few of his Bangers of particular the track whereby he says “ I don’t wana Teach, I just wana Rap, I don’t wana preach, I just wana Rap” now that’s a banger waiting to get airplay!


A crew called Sake Of Skill (A.K.A, The Original Backpackers, Fantastic 4, The last of the Rhyming Heroes) hit the stage n 1 could here the level of maturity in their performance the crew hails 4rm the east rand, n they gave a performance worth noting! I’m a fan already but wont b no Stan! Unfortunately there was 2 mics on the stage for the performers, n da cats had to share one way or the other (Bare bana ba Motho ba ngwathelana hlogo ya tjie!). The sound was also not on point, Step Up gosta improve in that department!

Other crews that performed were The Intelex n Frat Pack. I caught a glimpse of R – senic n Last Day Fam on our way out, they were due to perfom later on.

It don’t end without a Cypher, cats did their best freebies on the outside but like they say that’s were u get ur street cred at! Long live the Cipher! The trip back saw one more guy joinin us in the ride, so it became an overload but all was merry! The bear had knocked out G, n he gave us a bit of freebies in the car. Big Up to Step Up for organizing the whole thing, it was a good show overall.

ko - at
Bare bana ba Motho ba ngwathelana hlogo ya tjie! – Children of the same person share a locust’s head.

Khutso

Cashless Society - Afrcan Raw Materials Vol.1

a tribute to Snazz D

It was when I was fiddling through my CD collexion that I came across the CD, ‘African Raw Material Vol.1’ by Cashless Society that my younger brother bought back in 2003, I decided to write a piece on it. What a classic. On top of that, I felt it’s appropriate to do a tribute to one of the members, Snazz Tha Dictator, for representing Mzansi on the Channel O’s Sprite Emcee Africa and taking the title. Well done son! Taking on Africa’s best battle emcees can’t be easy unless you put an amour of dictatorship within u, like Snazz did. The nigga has been hustlin from battles to ciphers to guest appearances on Hip-Hop albums, tasted the overseas waters and to hooking up with the crew Cashless, but all the hustlin has paid up. He’s a nigga on demand now and arguably the illest MC in Africa, talk bout perseverance, hard work and raw talent. Snazz said it himself in an interview with Lee Katsumba after he won the Sprite Africa Emcee, that he considered himself a g8t MC b’cuz he’s bridging the gap between the past nd the future. And I say ‘Dankie son’ Cape Town stand up!

Back to my little incident, ‘African Raw Materials Vol.1’ a combination of eight genius lyricists put together on one plate, I’m taking of X amount, Criminal, Draztik, Fat Free, Black Intellect, Gemini, Tizeye and of course Snazz D. Do you feel me? Africa’s weapon of mass destruction, released under Unreleased records back in 2003, produced by Gemini and the consistent Draztik. The album was and still is one of the best produced by Mzansi. Remember ‘Hottentots hop Bantu 1,2’ with the famous punch line ‘ sippin umqombothi/ through a walk-talki / with my wife electronica on a hologram’ and the much loved ‘Dolly Partin’, the album dangles on verge between underground and commercial but aimed at staunch Hip-Hop fanatix. All the tracks is like a joint venture of punch lines. Hardcore. Tracks like accident Heroes, life@ jumping jack, taxi wars, 8-3-1 featuring the young Maggz carry the 15 track album, but you’ve got ‘Bring it on’ featuring the legendary Mizchief which is forgettable. ‘Dolly Partin’ is a hidden track but it’s the cream to the cake, classic track, again Snazz you’ve done it son. The sad part is them niggas hav enbarked on diff individual projects and it doesn't luk like we gonna have another project like this. Sad isin't, but put this one in your collexion, its Hip-Hop package you gotta have.

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DEATH SEEKER

poetry contribution by Relebogile Kgalane

my life weighs a ton
by Satan’s standards done

and those who speak of hope
to me, they’ve all smoked dope

the aspirations of life
gave me nothing but strife

as I kneel down to pray
my penis leads me astray

all my ideas of fun
they would my parents stun

veins in arm itch for a blade
to slit my wrists in a quiet galde

what life’s lies seek to smother
Is that Death loves me like a brother

we are keepin it Real

Men and women of knowledge have cum out preaching the importance of being true to yourself, Hip-Hop cats rap frequently on their verses about keepin it real, declaring their statements with hand signs to show how serious they are. Remember Tupac’s west-side sign dat the Game is trying hard to resurrect, it had an impact on his music and it got rooted deeply into our minds. The nigga was keeping it real screaming ‘thug life’ every time he got a chance to the level where it caused him his life. You c niggas got the philosophy right, ‘in order to survive u has 2 be real’, dats what I saw from the BET documentary ‘Beef’, although the content is violent but it is well documented dat niggas need respect 2 give respect but 2 achieve dat u have 2 be real. You have to b real to yourself (as an MC or person), to your environment, real to your situation and global shit. It reminded me of the Greek philosophers, the Aristotle, Socrates and Plato, word is they use to gather around and reason amongst themselves, keeping it real with words nd knowledge… well sometimes violence.

Now, as you’ve read on our Objective, we r also trying 2 keep it real, by documenting authentic Mzansi rap songs, the pride of Mzansi Hip-Hop lifestyle. That’s the mission. What dis means is, the world, the system, is real to us and if we become ignorant kind of niggas, we become victims. But, if we bring our shit out straight we become legends, think bout it, Jesus Christ made it cuz he had game, prophet Mohammed, the nigga was real, Mahatma Gandhi, Madiba, Pac, Steve Biko, Brenda Fassie, Proverb, HHP, Tumi and many more.

Me and u hav made it this far, lets become legends, lets vow 2 keeping it real as headz by: 1. Hip-Hop is here (in Mzansi) to stay, let’s support the movement. (Harembe) Buy one album a month, attend one Hip-Hop show in six month and download a couple SA tracks on our mobile phones and ipods. Buy that Snazz D cap you saw from Hype magazine. Its all bout support. Let us shout ‘Dankie son’ like we did with Pac notorious phrase.
2. Marketing agents, producers, company moguls, promoters, distributors play your part, as consumers we need our products accessible; put your work on the shelves, let that kid from Mampuru or Moletsi get his copy, let us access your material from the net. MTN is putting a massive campaign to promote MC's let's take advantage.
3. The voting season is upon us(April 22), lets make our mark and our voices be heard. Keep dat nigga in power, if u don’t feel him take him out of power. Politics need us, we r like butter 2 their dry bread.
4. MC’s, Bomrapper, battle cats, producers, DJ’s, B-boyz and scratch-masters let’s step up to the game, let’s make critiques battle 4 words and give fans what’s worthy for their money. We r building an empire, we don’t need to emulate or play catch up with whoever, our shit is real, lets keep it dat way.
5. ‘Let us be’ like Common said…be the communicator of the society, the voice of the young society,’ ithemba la makgomosha’ and make a difference. If Zola did it why can’t we?
6. Finally, let us be realistic to Hip-Hop as a culture.

One 2 album launch! SBK Stand up!

What are da perfect ingredients 4 a hip hop album launch? Hip Hop lovers! Lyrics lovers! Pandemonium lovers! Da setting was club la mancha in SBK zone 14 Saturday the 14th of March. One 2, two Cats from SBK grew tired of writin n performin for the fun of it, thus an album launch. G’s gota make money at the end of the day.
The whole shibam was supposed 2 start at 10am, but funny enough even the young black species is still suffering 4rm African tym. Is it sumthin inherent in us? The masses started showin their faces at about 1pm. The wheather was calm but signs of rain was prevalent. Hip hop lovers arrived steadily as the day progressed, clad in colorful apparel. Its good to c dat niggas b trying out shit, I came across a lot of t-shirts created by Street cats. Do ur shit niggas. The ice-cream generation has arrived.
The launch started of with Mo’Catalyst rippin the MIC. While engaging well with the crowd, he led us on a lesson about his Verses. The men of the hour took to the stage a short while after the Catalyst. They gave us a few tracks from their album. Their stuff sounded well rehearsed with Naked – Eye giving us a little intro bout the whole shibbam.
One 2 is made up of Naked – Eye and Dismental. They push their Hustle around the Vaal area, perfoming around VUT campus n the Kasies in the Triangle. Both former students at VUT they hav managed to release an album independently. They got the crowd to pump up with life.
R – Senic the MC who represents Tembisa was also in the building he graced us with some with a few tracks. He knows his way around the MIC cause he was the most audible cat throughout the day. Last Day Fam also hit the stage n gave a healing. The
4 man crew went through 4 tracks or so with some sublimeness. A cat named Mothipa got onto the stage n suggested we Hijack the Industry. The dude rhymes with a style that makes him well audable, n the crowd was basically roaring to his punchlines.
Other cats dat perfomed where Ba’Leloko, Big Ben and Zeeko. They all get their Hustle on around the Vaal area. During an intermission a Cipher was started, n cats flexed their vocal cords. As the night drew on a nigga had to pull out, One 2 still had to do a second set. The day was phat in a kasie way, no special effects n shit but electrifying. Big up to One 2 n all the Hip Hop lovers.

Skambane – Kota, Sphahlo.

Katsuko

The beauty of Hip - Hop

A friend of mine wrote on his blog that Hip-Hop music is equivalent to Jesus Christ screaming ‘Eloi Eloi’. I agree to a certain level with his opinion, yes, we are crying out loud to the world; not to be saved but a cry to be noticed. Niggas hav make it
big, the bling, the flashy lifestyle and pop lyrics is just saying, look @ me i made it. My take on this is, Hip-Hop is so beautiful, it is beautiful to listen to, to write about, beautiful to write n rhyme, interesting to talk abou’ and above all its glorious to be part of. I did ask some of the hustlin b-boyz slash skaters around my township abou what drives them to this project, especially under the hardships and condemnation of the genre ekasi, they said “free spirited”. Their explanation was that the twisting, turning nd head spinning heals their loneliness, the skateboarding cools their rage. Isn’t it charming? I remembered Lupe Fiasco saying, “Kick, push n coast/ so come n skate with me/ just a rebel lookin 4 a place be”. I’m thrilled to the bones with such feedback from the Hip-Hop community, it’s the same feeling I had when I first heard Skwatta Kemp’s ‘Umoya’ nd saw the video. Damn, them niggas, have done it, did it on that one, and when I heard rumors of their album sales, I applauded.

Recently, Jay-Z came out complimenting the Hip-Hop community quoting “Hip-Hop has done more than any leader, politicians or anyone to improve the race relation”. Jigga believes our generation is the least racist generation ever, and I have to agree with the Jigga man 100%. I know, Mandoza has done it, but the Hip-Hop kidz have been doing it from the time of Ishmael and Prophet of da city the barrier has been tested nd now I believe it’s about 2 brake. As the world turns we are preserving our identity as a community through Hip-Hop. Like I said, we lavish in this beauty, during this cloudy global economic crisis, we rap it off. It’s the words we listen to that make us different, think of JR’s ‘kgata le nna son/ kgata le nna’ kidz are climbing step by step to the corporate world thinking about the song. How beautiful is that? I watched with gasping jaw to the classy video of koldproduk’s ‘hush’ , then Muggz and his Jozi crew came with a killer of video, accompanied by killer song… I took a deep breath…I love to love Hip-Hop. We gota get big though, lets get involve in conscience community matters, we should be the voice to the United Nation, the Red cross, we should be intermediating the discussion in Zim... lets make it beautiful.

Hip-Hop Pantsula- Acceptance speech(re-witten)

There is no doubt that HHP is one of the hardest working mc in Mzantsi, beside the fact that the cat has brought Mtswako to its feet, the dude knows how 2 handle his biz. He has created the hype, after some of us thought he was underrated nd he made himself into a hip hop brand. He puts it straight with words like “it takes war / go fihla mo ke leng” and he plans to go big like Russell Simmons. I say, Big up, nigga! The album, Acceptance Speech is but HHP style in its most Motswakisto flavor, the samplin, eccentric flows, the head bobbing beats, light crispy lyrics…the album is acceptable. The first track ‘ toro’ featuring a vocalist Diamond is beautiful and fresh, he talks bout his route from rags 2 riches nd givin advise to the unenthusiastic. Another track on the same tip is ‘get up’ the drum version, quite ambitious but they nailed it, is equivalent to Tupac’s ‘baby don’t cry’, the message nd the delivery is brilliant. Somehow the album falls short, Tumi from the band, the volume came through on a track ‘Darfur’ which was aimed @ headz but I was disappointed. I came to a conclusion that the joint was rushed or HHP didn’t have enough weed to bring out his level best creativity. The remix of the hit ‘music n lights’ was unnecessary attempt but a gud collection for club DJ also with ‘Killowatt’, a shout out to Fats n Suffocate form E-TV’s rhythm city. I like the idea of Hip-Hop and live bands, its an effort most mc’s can’t pull but HHP flows better on a live instrumental, I guess Tumi had an effect on him, however three instrumental songs on a Hip-Hop album it’s a sacrilege. Jabba is a brand, he is tswaking his music like he has done for years, neva mind the criticism. The nigga gows in everything music, House beats, kwaito and some dance hall.
Support Mzantsi Hip-Hop

Lehlogonolo

BATTLE OF THE MONTH

A BATTLE IN HIP HOP TERMS, IS WHEREBY 2 MCS RAP AGAINST EACH OTHER. MCS DISS N THROW SLANDER AGAINST THEIR OPPONENT. THUS WE PUT BARACK OBAMA AND GEORGE W. BUSH. U DECIDE WHO RIPPED THE MIKE.

BARACK OBAMA
A.K.A – B.O the New Dawn

My forefathers had a dream/
now this white bread I eat/
My street brothers pack heat/
i stand on the podium n deliver a speech/
George W Bush/ i plan to incinerate/
U had ur chance/but took a vacation 2 Afghanistan/
Not foreseeing the black avalanche/
i planned n left nuthin 2 chance/
Henceforth/ im more famous than Tim Roth/
Worst Prez of the U.S.A/
i hear the kids chanting as the play/
daddy neva taught u how 2 play/ this game/
White boy u’s easy game/ its hard to defeat the spirit of slaves/ took me out the Jungle, but son I cant b tamed/
The whole world respects me/
the whole universe despises u/
I’m a hustler/ u’s a buster/
The nigga from Iraq made it clear/
I supplement it with lyrical flair/
U aint shit but wealthy white trash/
Me n my peoples r cumin 4 dat cash/
U easy to shake like ur alcoholic daughter/
U easy to break like Mr. Glass
Quit the suits, go work in an oilrig/
Quit rappin on blogsites, u aint no Vanilla Ice/
Im bout to paint the house black/
White America just got jacked/ now pay heed the world is turning black/


GEORGE W. BUSH
A.K.A – G Weezy

Nigga please/ i kills with ease/
U thinking u a G/ but dat aint true/
I called u a nigger/
n there aint shit u can do bout it/
because im bigger/
in every context/ thus u cannot contest/
this right here/
It’s like a street vandal versus a drug dealer/
Nigga u aint scratched the surface yet/
this aint the Klux Klux Klan/
u dealin with a major sect/
U gave the people false hope/
like Terror Lekota telling people they will C.O.P.E/
Now I gosta give the streets more coke/
nigga I run this globe/
The Guantanamo Bay issue/ burned out easily, like fire on tissue/
We gosta a plan to build a new Amistad/
1st stop is Afghanistan/
U lucky u had a white mom/
now u think u own the whole white life/
Nigga u got delusions of grandeur/
my gospel spreads faster than Cancer/
I breath the breath of King Arthur and Lancelot/
Oh shit the pot is hot/
Oh shit the block is hot/
I just increased the temperature/
We is truly major/
will not put all the blame on u/
But in earnest, a black man in the white house/
Truest definition of a sellout/

'de road is not to the swift'

Martin Luther King Jr. had a ‘dream’ and the dream became a reality after forty-one years prior to his assassination, Nelson Mandela had a vision and a plan; the mission came to live after twenty seven years of incarceration, we (the Hip-Hop generation) have started a movement, we have created another genre of music and the objective is to touch the sky. Mzantsi Hip-Hop has been brewed and fermented, cats have been initiated, the music has grown and survived through the barbed-wires of criticism. Cats have created styles and named them; we have Maf town cats preaching Mtswako, Western Cape cats are proudly Spaza, Soweto kidz coming up with rhymes using kasi-lingo and some of Bo-Morapper spiting vernac as in Afrikaans and Xhangani. Our music is rich like our history, diverse like our culture, who can really deny us of our freedom? The freedom of dreaming like Proverb said “I’ve had a dream of Mzantsi mc’s selling millions.” That’s our freedom, the liberty of rhyming nd freestyling. Let’s keep alive the fire of the traditional ciphers, the free-styling, taging, the break dancing, the battles, hip-hop fashion styles, the language, the electrifying shows, the culture, the art. Remember that we are here, the Madiba magic has just touched us, our journey has started.
Support Mzantsi Hip-Hop

Lehlogonolo

Zubs - Cochlea-One Last Letta

I’m gonna say it again, like I did to my peeps, Zubs has the potential of makin’ classics. I have listened to the two of his three offering; "Listeners digest" and lately "Cochlea-One Last Letta", which we are bout to review. The cat knows how to deliver a rhyme in its most authenticity, with courage and skill and a little audacity. One Last Letta comes close to what I refer to about classics. Sixteen of undiluted Hip-Hop tracks; with a touch of professional production, rich in lyrical content…I guess I’m making my point here. The 1st song which carries the same name as the album title epitomizes and sums-up the whole idea behind the album, maybe Zubs’s vision too. There’s no doubt that I like this joint and want you(my fellow Hip-Hop headz) to like it too but there are few tracks you might wish to erase from the album to make it classical. I figured out that sometimes we get tempted to spoil a good something by tapping into the cliché, tracks 'like Private Show' nd 'I got this' are the example of diversion but I chose to forgive him. Well, if a nigga makes timeless mouthful songs like "Love blind, Traditional her, Batanai, Different, life and lost" we should raise our long rabbit’s ears and pay attention. I wanna applaud Zubs, Dzino and other contributors like RJ Benjamin and Peebles together with Outrageous team on a job well done.

Mzantsi Hip-Hop

Lehlogonolo

TRUE LYRICAL GENIUS

It surely is music from his good eye, the solo album from the Poet/MC
Tumi from the band The Volume. Tumi has been in the game long enough to b hailed as a legendary Genius. This 12 tracks album has displayed the skillz that this brother possesses to the outermost level. This album may as well have been titled Music from the good South. True genius is what this brother displays on this album. Word is that this brother is makin a lot of waves in the distant countries, it's funny, really funny. Of course we will still have the same scenario in years to come. It is said that a prophet is hated most in his own land.
The title track “music from my good eye” starts up the Tumi rollercoaster on a high note. It’s a laid back jazzy track that gives Tumi the perfect podium for his delivery, because this cat hails from live performances.
Tumi hooks up with K.G of Morafe on the track “Bophelo bame” that may as well b the freshest track on the album. These dudes managed to fuse impeccable English rhymes with a Setswana hook. Now if everybody would just learn from this track our music will cross borders faster than the Zims hit ours. He hooks up with the inconspicuous Ngwenya on the track “The now rich.” The last time 1 heard from this brother was on the Expressions Mixtape. Tumi says, “Black, gifted, young perverted and high, the now rich wanna purchase the sky,” as he laments about the ills that come with being rich and getting lost in ur riches.
“Maria” a ballad to our sisters on the street corners, in the kitchens in the churches puts an edge to the album with its catchy hook. “I came home” sees Tumi work with BLK Sunshine. On the track he deals with the issues that affect Africans as a whole, black on black hatred, injustice, segregation.
Other tracks to look 4 are “What they want” and the track “Blink twice” featuring Zaki Ibrahim. The appearance of Arno Castern may have been a marketing strategy to white Mzantsi but the track is somewhat disappointing. He features another white boy “R.J Benjamin” on the track “This is not love’ but that 2 failed to be at the standard of his other tracks. He should think twice b4 workin with another white boy.
This is an album that has a lot of punch, and it is hard to find an album that carries its own weight, but Tumi has managed just that. The brother with weight transferred his weight to his music. Now that’s how u make music.

Cat – guy Mzantsi – South Africa

Khutso

DJ LEMONKA'S LANDMARK

Mixtapes keep on flowing out from the hip hop industry and yet again another one hits our airwaves. DJ Lemonka presents a mixtape of a different level. A Setswana and sesotho concoction to make one bend over worse than African brews.
This mixtape has got motswako royalty written all ova it. Tuks, HHP, Khuli, Towdee and the new kid named Zeus who is rocking the airwaves with his banger ‘Gijima ntwana.’ Motswako – the mixture.
One picked up 4 different languages in this album and I have to say these MC’s make it seem as if Setswana, Afrikaans, Zulu, Sesotho and English is one language. Maybe opening the archives of languages will show that Setswana is a distant cousin to the Queen’s taal. Topic for another day perhaps.
Mo’Molemi has come through with a track that takes jabs at the police force. On the track ‘10111’ this often controversial rapper addresses the work that is being done by the cops. Police brutality, yep, it happens in South Africa ask a friend of yours from out of the country. It’s good to hear that the Ba4za affiliate Hakeem can kick in the Setswana language on the track ‘Thwantsha mnwana.’ Towdee tells people that one has to keep on stirring the brew that u intend on serving, on the track ‘Fudua.’ One has to say the kid Zeus has something magical on his tongue. His delivery is just sick and I put my money on this kid. Zeus and K.E.B throw heavy rhymes while telling G’s that they not to be messed with on the track ‘Nthumele o nyele.’ Other tracks to look out for are the tracks ‘Jabba nthuse’ and ‘Mogote.’ Who this kid K.T? Boy got skills he should be well nurtured.
Overall the album has a perfect landing force, for Lemonka to find his feet on in the industry. A few disappointments here and there, as in the track ‘Game over.’ One had expected better from Tuks. As for the outro I need a translator for that shit, but what a beat.

Khutso

THE OBJECTIVE

The objective! The objective! What objective? I’ve listened to this here [hip hop] since kickin my way out my mama’s womb. N thanx to havin listened to a number of different MCs; I have lost myself in hip hop to the point of havin lost the objective. I hope to neva have to face the dilemma of writin an objective. In school we neva taught to have on objective. Objective these balls! But since we’ve embarked on a journey that’s hazardous, dangerous and exciting we thought it proper to write an objective. Anyway everybody has got one and perhaps they look at the objective before handing out them awards.
The Platform 2 aint nuthin but homage to Hip Hop. Homage to all the MCs who had nuthin but a mind and an inbred will to survive. Young Black men must have just been smoking a blunt n talking to beats in their hearts and that excelled into rap. Street kids must have been frustrated by their situation and started taggin stuff all around. The DJ must made them all chill n savor the moment. The b – boy had to flex his skills for all to be entertained. Like a whip from a paint brush a culture was created. A street culture was created. With so many streets on this earth this culture found it easy to travel from here to there. And it hit our shores – the heavens know when – to be embraced by a limited number of free thinking youth n the flame refused to burn out. Despite a lot of pressure from the people in power, freedom of speech continued to be expressed through rap music. Rap music has transcended through all cultures, solely because through demise of cultures new cultures arise. The industrial age was an era in which cultures became extinct n people where required to adapt to a form a civilized culture. Hip Hop was formed in these times, a culture that touches all colours and creeds. Lest we forget that this is an ever changing world – niggas can’t be listening to no Beethoven and Mozart forever.
Hip Hop in Mzantsi has been steadily growing since the times of Prophets of the City. New MC’s are cumin through, painting the world in their eyes through the mics. We surely can’t catch up with the American MCs but who said we have to catch up. A lot of the stuff that comes out from our MCs has good quality rap content to it. We is lovin the music, thus the blogsite. So to all you aspiring MCs on the street coners, computer labs, work, internet shops; if ur shit is good we is willin to listen.
The Platform 2 is but a platform. A podium on which all can rap the Afrikaans track about De la Ray, as long as it’s in rap format we will listen. A platform on which u can voice out ur hate to the BEE’d up niggas, if it’s in rap format we will listen. A stage to put the middle finger up towards the past or future, rap format – we listen. If u wana kill urself through rap format, we listen. We intend on reviewing any rap album from South Africa that we can get our hands on. We want to display the different fashions that r immerging in this ever changing Hip Hop. Need I say we need to see a rise in the forbidden arts of graffiti. Talk Hip Hop we will talk on the platform.

Sadly Hip Hop has been cited to be the work of the devil. It has been said to promote violence. It is also said everybody is entitled to their opinions, but the problem with opinions is that like assholes everybody’s got one. True dat, we lost a number of young people as an indirect or direct effect of our culture. Let he who has no sin cast the first stone. This is for the informed street culture lovin young people, who have smelled the evil scents of the past and have glimpsed the gloomy future.
From the words of a wise man “to all my niggas on the darkest corner, roll a perfect blunt n let me spark it for ya.” All we is doing is maintaining the spark, we don’t want it burn out – who wants to go the 70’s to start the spark all ova again. Just think about it.

Mzantsi – South Africa

Katsuko

THE HIP-HOP GENERATION

from the corners of Detroit to the dusty roads of KZN
we beatbox our way with rhythm into the lifestyle,
the lifestyle of revolutionary change, conscious art
we were born and bred like new species of culture into existance
the society acknowledged us, they welcomed the hustlers
we contributed to modern history with rhymes and beats,
leaned back hiphop style against the world of poverty
like religion, we started a belief, an institution
we chronicled our tales on CD and tapes like African Hieroglyphics
history will know about us, the gods wiil envy us!
we are the generation that brought music to its feet
we revolutionalized words, made ordinary men into heroes
told the truth in verses like the gospel is us.
we are the generation that made presidents, pastors and popes pay attention
we planted the awareness seed in fertile soil
the society despised our style but applauded our poetry
we painted the philosophy of life on manuscripts
like Solomon did in the book of Proverbs
we are the generation that signed the street manifesto
the disciples of Aristotle, Socrates, Tupac Shukur and Prophet of da city
we came, we've seen and we are conquering
it is about Hip-hop, its all about Hip-hop