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.

Support Mzansi Hip Hop

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