Introducing Kly
Kly, an acronym for Keep Love Young, is a South African Midrand-based artist who infuses trap, r&b, afro and electronic influences into what he terms urban soul. The talented artist is a triple threat as a singer, songwriter and producer who recently got the chance to sharpen his skills at Anashe Media Group's writing and production boot-camp.
The Klymax EP explores several themes as Kly “wanted this project to be a representation of a 22 year old navigating love, pain and the joys that come with life”. The impressive production credits include Brian Soko, Dj Maphorisa and Ray Kola with a majority of the project helmed by Wichi 1080. We've written about Wichi's impressive partnership before and in his latest musical team up; he lays down a lush landscape strewn with intricate basslines and unfettered TrapnB beats, upon which Kly can grace us with his vocals.
The track 5AM In The East features Wichi's frequent collaborator Priddy Ugly as well as fellow rapper Frank Casino. The title and aural aesthetic of the track are a strong signal of Kly's musical influences in the dark, overarching bassline and the simple hook. Soul Touch and Start Over more especially are indulgently romantic and perfect for anyone in their winter feelings. Wake and Bake is probably my favourite joint though, it's the best representation of a well sang, stripped down beat that still gets the speakers knocking. The EP is mellow throughout with standout tracks like Direction keeping the energy up midway through.
Direction is a superbly constructed cut and brings out the best in both producer and vocalist, with the infectious hook perfectly complimenting the catchy beat. Towards the closing, the Dj Buckz-featuring Ain't Done Yet shows a lot more bravado and the ambition in Kly shines through. It's the closest song you'll get to a straight up rap banger with sprinklings of vernac. Impressively, despite the switch up in mood and tone, the pace is well maintained: another sign of a well constructed listening experience.
Navy Seal – Ammara Brown
by Phil Chard
Naming a Hip Hop song after a beautiful and notable women who have nothing to do with the actual song is a long standing tradition in rap. From Outkast's Rosa Parks to Hurricane Chris' Halle Berry to the more recent Queen Twerk from V-way. Zimbabwean rapper Navy Seal has now released his own submission to the historical trend with the song Ammara Brown dedicated to the beautiful Mukoko singer. Produced by Rough Music the song pays homage to a mysterious beautiful lady with thick thighs and beautiful eyes who may be from Pakistan? Could be Ammara I guess?
I am glad to hear the adjustments that Navy has made to his sound on this song. The addition of the mbira coupled with the 808s is a very nice touch.
King Lutendo- Electric Jungles Review
by Mayuyuka
I don't know how to describe this. I play the track back and push my earphones in to catch the line I missed. As I watch the train majestically glide by, I'm simultaneously enticed and disoriented. This project feels precisely like a train ride actually, it's got stealth and motions steadily... then jumps at you in sudden clunks of unexpected musical trickery! This only serves to keep you in suspense through the silence between each track though: not knowing exactly what the next cut offers. It's much of the same feeling between each of King Lutendo's projects. Sifting through his music reveals the artists knack for exploration, in the eclectic sounds found on Melancholy, Genesis Of Seeking and his Soda EP. For now, we're jamming to Electric Jungles.
It's a ten track offering by the Venda rapper who spreads his time between Venda, Cape Town and Joburg. It's a weirdly engrossing journey with no clear destination; but that's a huge part of the appeal. I love the fact that this offering has me engaging with it intensely! I hate the fact that I don't think I get it though. It's like bumping into an old friend you've never met: it's progressive yet has all the qualities I'm nostalgic for.
“The versatility here is reflective of a multi-faceted artist who is unafraid of experimentation.”
From the traditional instrumentation infused on Room For Angels, to the garage Hip Hop of Line One... this EP wraps the best of him into one.It's easy to get into Electric Jungles for it's audacity to stand out. It flies in the face of any trends you might have been exposed to yet. In fact, the title is exactly what the sound represents: an immersive experience with equal parts “how did I get here?” and “I'm glad I got lost in this”. It fits that the artist asks you to “leave anything beneath you... in the lair of his new jungle”. It's definitely left of field, boasting the palpable strains of electronic music working in tandem with the punch of raw Hip Hop.
Apart from maintaining a steady output of music, King Lutendo oozes originality in spades. A combination of trippy beats, progressive melodies and an unpredictable flow separate him from the rest of the pack. Oh, and I'm a sucker for imaginative basslines; you get that too here... particularly on the Rabbit Hole Interlude! The stand-out joint has got to be Gasps though; so dope... the hook, the off-beatness of it, the vibe! The versatility here is reflective of a multi-faceted artist who is unafraid of experimentation. That's precisely why this EP resists description, and I don't know if that's for everyone. It's a perfect soundtrack, perhaps, for the wayfaring stranger who's “been lost for a while now” as expressed In The Forest Part 2.
lutendoTowards the close still bewildered and barely escaping my trance-like state, his lyrics on the more heartfelt Winter 010 ring in my ear “hope you find somebody, deep down I wish you don't... I really hope you forget me, deep down I wish you won't”. Well, musically it's a memorable effort from an artist so comfortable in their uniqueness. Although I don't know if I'll find myself back here particularly, I'll definitely be looking out from now on... so wish granted! In the meantime explore the Electric Jungles for yourself and find out what King Lutendo had to say when we caught up with him.
“I like for the overall sound to be as expressive as possible, almost like the music version of Basquiat.”
AHHB: Who's King Lutendo and what does he represent?
King Lutendo: I'm a 23 year old custodian for the arts. I'm a rapper, producer, illustrator and designer. I was born into a musical family so I was taught from a young age to stand for expression and creativity... that has always influenced my approach to life and music
How's the music industry for Venda artists, especially in Hip Hop?
KL: When I had initially started around 2005/6 there was pretty much no platform for us rappers from Venda, but as soon as I started getting national radio play it not only helped create a mark for Venda hip hop but also inspired a lot of younger artists too.
How would you describe your sound?
KL: Well I approach the way I make music the exact same way I paint, I like for the overall sound (and not just the lyrics) to be as expressive as possible, almost like the music version of Basquiat. If I had to put it into a word I would describe the sound as cinematic. I like to imagine I'm creating art film soundtracks when I make music, with the story already told in the lyrics.
Your ear for beats is petty unique, what do you look for specifically?
KL: I produce all of my own beats from scratch, that may explain why the sound on a lyrical basis and on a instrumental basis are almost synchronized. There are two things that are my personal favorites when making music: synth keyboards as well as drums. I also like having beats that switch in between if I feel like the song can carry more than one story under the same theme.
You put out a lot, I mean.... a lot of music. Is it easy for you to be so expressive?
KL: I spent so much time in my younger days at cyphers, freestyling and battling. I worked so hard at that skill that writing lyrics and songs has become just a slightly more structured form of freestyling. I literally discover a new sound every other day, so that way I'm able to put out a lot of music. I find that the less afraid you are to run out of ideas... the more you can do.kl
In one of your lines you say you're “time traveling in a DeLorean”. Do you think you might be ahead of your time in relation to the sounds in the Hip Hop scene at the moment?
KL: I definitely think so... I'd rather contribute to the movement of the culture as a whole, than the culture of the current trend. I'm making music that people will still be able to jam to even after the trap wave has passed. So when I get into the studio I make sure I have no mental reference to any songs out there; so whatever ideas I come up with are completely new. Also I feel like most artists and producers are playing by a guideline that is too safe... it makes for good music but nothing memorable! I like to make music that might not even fit this year or the next, maybe the year after that.
Do you think people vibe with your unique sound?
KL: Yes they do, at first when I started I was always worried about whether people would vibe to the sound based on how different it is to everything else, but I learnt later in my life that all art has fans. As long as you make the art... people will want to see it. Also people have always respected how versatile my style is as every project sounds like a completely different version of me.
Local musicians are often described as sounding 'international'. Do you get that often... like your style might fit better overseas?
KL: Yeah I get that a lot, I mean when people make descriptions of things they've never heard or seen they reach for the closest reference to compare it to, even if it's not similar. I think based on the fact that the genre itself is western that makes people automatically make the link. Even though this has been said about me, I know for certain the sound is different to any sound even out there. Just based on the fact that people out there are more accommodating to new sounds; it may fit better there... but I feel like such a lane can be created even locally.
Lastly, is making or listening to music more important to you. What do you listen to?
KL: I'd say listening is more important, I learnt a lot of the technical side of music production just by listening to how international artists arrange their instruments. I'm a big fan of synth-based alternative rock bands like Miami Horror and MGMT. As far as rap, I listen to a lot of Aesop Rock, Kanye West, Childish Gambino and Big Boi from Outkast. Basically the guys who are never scared to push the envelope!
Tweet Review | Milli – Don’t Ask Me What Happened EP
by Phil Chard
Nigerian rapper Milli just released his highly anticipated and, in a sense much delayed project Don't Ask Me What Happened. The 7 track EP is his first release under his own imprint Up Next Universe after his highly publicized and somewhat contentious split from Chocolate City Music. We managed to get an advanced copy of the project and gave it a review on twitter.
Note: Don't Ask Me What Happened is not a prelude to the Childish EP as incorrectly stated in the review. According to Milli's team the Childish EP may never drop at all.
Milli - DAMWH Review - Curated tweets by AfricanHHB
Album Review | KLY – KLYMAX EP
by Mayuyuka
The Klymax EP explores several themes as Kly “wanted this project to be a representation of a 22 year old navigating love, pain and the joys that come with life”
Kly, an acronym for Keep Love Young, is a South African Midrand-based artist who infuses trap, r&b, afro and electronic influences into what he terms urban soul. The talented artist is a triple threat as a singer, songwriter and producer who recently got the chance to sharpen his skills at Anashe Media Group's writing and production boot-camp.
The Klymax EP explores several themes as Kly “wanted this project to be a representation of a 22 year old navigating love, pain and the joys that come with life”. The impressive production credits include Brian Soko, Dj Maphorisa and Ray Kola with a majority of the project helmed by Wichi 1080. We've written about Wichi's impressive partnership before and in his latest musical team up; he lays down a lush landscape strewn with intricate basslines and unfettered TrapnB beats, upon which Kly can grace us with his vocals.
The track 5AM In The East features Wichi's frequent collaborator Priddy Ugly as well as fellow rapper Frank Casino. The title and aural aesthetic of the track are a strong signal of Kly's musical influences in the dark, overarching bassline and the simple hook. Soul Touch and Start Over more especially are indulgently romantic and perfect for anyone in their winter feelings. Wake and Bake is probably my favourite joint though, it's the best representation of a well sang, stripped down beat that still gets the speakers knocking. The EP is mellow throughout with standout tracks like Direction keeping the energy up midway through.
Direction is a superbly constructed cut and brings out the best in both producer and vocalist, with the infectious hook perfectly complimenting the catchy beat. Towards the closing, the Dj Buckz-featuring Ain't Done Yet shows a lot more bravado and the ambition in Kly shines through. It's the closest song you'll get to a straight up rap banger with sprinklings of vernac. Impressively, despite the switch up in mood and tone, the pace is well maintained: another sign of a well constructed listening experience.
Wichi 1080's uncluttered production can't be overstated and he deserves as much credit as Kly does for filling the TrapnB gap, strangely unfilled, in the local music scene. The dreaminess of the production is perfect for a laidback, bae'd up chill or the perfect accompaniment for the come down after a night out. There's enough to showcase Kly's vocal range and at 50 minutes long, it's a generous offering too.
Twitter Review | C-Real – Business Suits & Dress Shoes EP
by Phil Chard
Ghanaian wordsmith C-Real dropped a surprise 5 track EP to mark his birthday on July 16 . We decided to give it a brief review on our twitter account.
Business Suits EP - Curated tweets by AfricanHHB
Album Tweet Review | Part Time Cooks – 7:30
by Phil Chard
The Hip Hop duo of Saul Goode and Black Moss collectively known as Part Time Cooks recently released their third full length project titled 7:30, this time they partnered with New Zealand producer Soulchef to handle all of the music and the results were impressive. The album is still on brand with the Part Time Cooks message - young adult men who want to get drunk, party, and get hgh, who also have a streak of social consciousness and a love for women. But, on this effort the combination of incredible production from SoulChef, coupled with their evolving rap styles makes for a potent release.
Check out our detailed twtter review of the album below.
Part Time Cooks 7:30 - Curated tweets by AfricanHHB
Three South African Adaptations that (Re)Worked Well
by Mayuyuka
We all have that nagging feeling... when we know we've heard a song before whilst we hear a new adaptation of it. There's actually loads... and due to some pretty epic sampling we've got a list of three South African tracks that utilised samples brilliantly! Hopefully this will save you having to Shazam a thousand times before finally putting your finger on some these original tracks!
The feeling of vagueness caused by knowing (but not being sure of) some sampled tracks is a taunting experience... sometimes without much resolution. Maybe this list will ease some of that curiosity though! First off is Sean Pages with the Blind Remix featuring DJ Dimplez, L-Tido, Towdeemac, Kid X and Kwesta. This song is a take on a house track released in the late 90's, even before the phrase turn up was mainstream. Check both it out, and the source of inspiration below:
SEAN PAGES FT DJ DIMPLEZ L-TIDO, TOWDEEMAC, KID X & KWESTA
SHENA- LET THE BEAT HIT 'EM
Next up we have Vetkuk & Mahoota featuring Dr Malinga... this song had a monster run. It was a mainstay on nights out, and for good reason; it's relatable (the hangover) and re-energises both the party you might be at, and a classic late 80s cut by Monwa and Sun. Check 'em both out below:
VETKUK VS MAHOOTA FT DR MALINGA- VIA ORLANDO
MONWA AND SUN- VIA ORLANDO
Lastly, Killer-A provides us with his twist on a kwaito classic by sampling the refrain on TKZee's Dlala Mapantsula. He makes it his own with a smooth joint that leaves you wanting more. See both the result of this and the original track below:
KILLER-A SIYAY'SHOVA
TKZee DLALA MAPANTSULA
That's our recap... let us know if you have any nostalgic tracks to share with us in the comments below.
Review | EyeAmI – Y, Songs About You
by Phil Chard
I decided to title my new project Y, Songs About You after going through some extensive soul searching. I was born in the early 90’s, so I identify best with “Generation Y”. For a while, I was in a space where I was trying to figure out why my first project did not do as well as I’d hoped and what direction I was going to take as an artist. My intention was to write stories from the perspectives of other people. I believed that if I sought to first understand others, I will learn how to make them understand me. So I started with the generation I best identify with - Generation Y, the 90’s kids. The more I wrote the verses for these songs, the more I understood about my myself - why I was making music and the legacy I would like to leave behind.
Zimbabwean born, Toronto based artist EyeAmI (formerly known as Lewis The Artist) has just release his new 5 track EP title Y, Song About You. The project is a brief glimpse into the EyeAmI’s growth as an artist and his currently mentality. When comparing it to his last release Far From Home I noticed how his sound, delivery, and even rapping voice have changed as Lewis becomes more ingratiated in the culture of his newly adopted home.
Upon first listen I struggled to find the anchor of this project and EyeAmI as the reborn artist that he is. But on second listen, once I began to notice the small touches and the fusion of “African” sounds and those of his new home, Toronto shine through. The drums on Uber and Africa. Far From Home, the Afrobeat like Saxophone on Wagadugu and the small inflections and adlibs peppered on the songs all point to this growth. Lewis also credits this melting pot of sounds to a new genre that he hopes to pioneer called AfroBounce.
I am not particularly fond the of flow and delivery adopted by Eye on the project’s first two tracks, I have always felt that he would be better served as a rapper adopting a slower and more deliberate cadence. On Wagadugu (not the capital of Burkina Faso, the word seems to be euphemism for sex) which was actually originally a song I had sent to EyeAmI two years ago for this blog’s project with Rymez. Since then Eye has reworked the song and added that distinct saxophone to the beat.
It is the LP’s third song – Uber ,that I truly feel EyeAmI hits a home run. I have never been the biggest fan of rappers with limited vocal ranges attempting to sing. Especially the type of singing spearheaded by a certain rapper who also hails from Toronto, but it is on song where Eye truly shines. From the catchy and repetitive hook filled with emotion as his voice cracks and breaks to emphasize his words, to the excellent production and the perfect backing vocals from Sydne Barnes.
Y, Songs about you COVERThe song Mary which has also been a long time in the making, (I received rough draft of this track about a year ago) tells an abstract tale that likens the experiences of a promiscuous woman to marijuana over a chopped and screwed beat meant to signify the state of being high which switches as Eye’s lyrics become more “conscious”.
The closing track Africa. Far From Home is another great piece of production that features a marriage bongo and electronic drums with chants and passionate lyrics from EyeAmI
"Whats a child without a family to go and love him, what's a soldier without an army to go and cover for him?”
With Y, Songs About You I feel that EyeAmI is still finding his musical identity. The time and effort that went into a 5 track offering is evidence of that. There is certainly a great deal of potential in him as an artist, provided he sticks to his strengths and addresses up his weaknesses ad song writer. Sonically I can see where he is going and the sound of Afrobounce looks and sounds promising,.
Review| Revivolution – Kotas N’ Caviar
by Phil Chard
Johannesburg's 6 man rap crew Revivolution dropped their debut mixtape Kotas N' Caviar last week. A Major and VezFullstop handle the production duty as FuSion, Tommy ills, Illy Amin, Tony Dangler, Impropoe and Inferno Williams trade the responsibilities of dropping these bars on the project, while Horus Tha God (fka Jonny Joburg) and Youngsta hop on as the mixtape's only guests. We reviewed the full project on twitter and these are our thoughts.
Kotas & Caviar - Curated tweets by AfricanHHB
Review : Rosah-Joy – Pressed EP
by Phil Chard
The best thing about being a music blogger is the rare occasion when someone introduces you to an artist so impressive you are angry with yourself for not discovering them sooner. That is the feeling I experienced when I was sent the new EP by Rosah-Joy titled Pressed.
Rosay-Joy is an artist that fuses Hip Hop, R&B, Soul and Spoken Word into her music to produce an incredible product. Born in the Southern Province of Zambia and raised in Queenstown, South Africa who then went onto attain a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Art Institute of Washington. This eclectic mixture of cultures all play a help in shaping the artistic identity of her music. Her delivery has the distinctive cadence of a Zambian (I can’t explain it but when you talk to a Zambian you will understand), that fuses the isiXhosa she learned in South Africa and the Western influence that paints her style and accent.
I did a brief Tweetview (Review on Twitter, see what I did there?) of Rosah’s latest offering. In summary it is a massively impressive project that takes the listener on a brief and emotional ride from the vantage of a woman as she speaks about the emotional experience of dealing with a failing relationship.
Rosah - Pressed Tweetview - Curated tweets by AfricanHHB
The AHHB Podcast Featuring Blayze & The Ladies Night Review
by Phil Chard
In this week’s episode of the African Hip Hop Blog podcast I sit down with South African rapper Blayze, for a live review of his new offering The Ladies Night EP. We discuss what went into the making of the project, the emotional rollercoasters that inspired it, industry politics, and Caitlyn Jenner.
In the news rundown we also discuss Da L.E.S, Nasty C and our search for new members of the AHHB Team.
Album Review: EL – E.L.O.M (Everybody Loves Original Music)
I’m a big EL fan. A new one (been hooked since 2014’s The B.A.R mixtape), but nevertheless a fan. I bought his latest album E.L.O.M (Everybody Loves Original Music), released towards the end of 2015, without even previewing it, his The B.A.R and The B.A.R II mixtapes were enough to convince me what a solid emcee he was.
“Kwame Nkrumah”, the opening track of E.L.O.M, convinced me the album was taking off where his mixtapes left. The song, which is not a song about the ex-Ghanaian president, sees El spit some heartfelt rhymes about his country and himself. It sets the tone, giving you a reminder of who the man is, where he comes from and where he’s going. He raps:
“A young black proud African nigga/ forget your collabo, man, I’m tryna be rapping with Jigga/ Please. I never said that I’m better than another man/ I tell’em I’m the best artistic product from The Motherland.”
At this moment I’m all smiles – I’m convinced E.L.O.M will be packed with bars and mid-tempo minimalistic production just like his last two tapes.
But El has a different plan. The second track, the lovey dovey pop-inspired “So Amazing”, sees El singing in autotune more than he raps. I dismiss it as one of those “radio songs” made by El the businessman, it’s also not a bad track anyway. But then the third track – “Watch The Way You Dey Waka” takes the same path. The fourth one, too.
At this moment I’m convinced this album is not made for me. It’s replete with flirtations with pop through excessive autotune singing and multi-layered high tempo beats. I’m asking myself, “Where are the raps?” “Don’t Let Me Burn” takes the same route but wait, it actually bangs! There’s no rapping on it, but it’s more dancehall than pop. I’m impressed by the simplicity in the lyrics. It’s simple yet moving. Like really, who makes a song about lying and it still sounds this dope? That bass guitar sound and that clean sound like something off a Bob Marley song and so is the poetic content. “My mama told me one lies is two lies and three lies is more lies/ If you lie, then you die then it’s bye-bye, oh boy, bye-bye,” he sings on the hook. My iTunes has made this song a favourite because after every listen, I press repeat. More than once.
I like the catchy “Mi Na Bo Po”, it makes me happy, even though I don’t understand much of the lyrics. The rest of the album, is just hit-and-miss for me. “Bolemor”, with another of my heroes Nigerian dancehall singer Patoranking, is another track I like, even though there’s little-to-no rapping. Even the song with Sarkodie and Dex Kwasi just doesn’t hit the spot – at least for a rap fan who expects bars back to back.
In short, E.L.O.M disappointed me a great deal. I want to believe that I don’t understand it – that it wasn’t made for me, than I want to believe it’s a bad album. Try it, you might get it. Sadly, after multiple listens, I just don’t.