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.

Support Mzansi Hip-Hop

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.