AHHB Viber Public Chat: How Artists Can Manage Their Brands & PR with Kelebogile Mabunda
by Phil Chard
The African Hip Hop Blog was chosen as one of Viber’s launch partners when they launched their new Viber Public Chat feature a few months back. Since it began we have experienced tremendous growth and engagement on the platform. We use our Viber public chat as a forum to allow for discussion and debate cantered around the African music industry and the culture. We encourage anyone interested in getting the latest news and opinions from influential voices across the continent to follow along. If you would like to be part of the debates and contribute, please get hold of me on twitter @PhilChard.
This past week we invited Kelebogile Mabunda , a Public Relations expert and media maven to share her insights on how artists can better managed their brands and image. The discussion can be viewed in the image gallery live. To follow the discussion live and contribute please follow our Viber Chat here.
Kelebogile on Twitter: @KelzMabunda Email Kelebogile: kelebogile@klmpublicity.com
Jnr Brown – Amen Remix (Featuring. Cal Vin)
by Phil Chard
The “beef” between Cal_Vin & Jnr Brown seems to be officially over. Though it seemed to have kicked off with a great deal of gusto, the rivalry between the two Zimbabwean rappers dwindled into the ether as cooler heads prevailed and both of them focused on releasing music and leaving the debates and battles to take place in the court of public opinion.
Last week, at the Harare International Festival of Food & Music the two rappers officially announced to the fans in attendance that the beef was over when they appeared on stage together.
Jnr Brown
Now the announcement is made officially to the rest of us with the release of the Amen Remix that features both artists. Interestingly, Cal_Vin is given the first verse that he delivers with his typical energy and ever improving flow, coupled with his own refix of the song’s chorus in Ndebele. In another act that can be interpreted as an olive branch Cal_Vin’s side profile with a bowed head and hands clasped in prayer is featured on the song’s artwork.
The song itself is an impressive remix that features two new verses and reworked productions with subtle changes to the base line and drums. The biggest and most notable change is the addition of some incredibly gnarly electric guitar riffs courtesy of Sylent Nqo.
If Zimbabwean Hip Hop is to enjoy the boon it desperately needs in the near future it needs more of what this remix embodies.
Event | Tshwane Music Festival
by Phil Chard
Uhuru Music Entertainment will be holding the inaugural Tshwane Music Conference & Festival which will be taking place from the 23rd to the 25th of May
Aspiring musicians will have an opportunity to showcase their talents alongside established artists at the Tshwane Music Conference. Multi-award winning musicians Uhuru will host the 3-day conference, scheduled to kick start from the 23rd to the 25th of May at the Pretoria Showgrounds. Various prizes will be awarded to the top identified talent at the conference including sound equipment, a 3 year recording deal and a mentoring programme.
“Our aim for this conference is solely to educate the artist. This includes musicians, producers or DJs and even talent managers about the entertainment industry. We believe that an informed individual will make better personal and business decisions. We anticipate an even bigger turnout than last year with the support of the various partners we have this year”, stated Mr Robert Sekowe.
The conference will close off with THE TSHWANE MUSIC FESTIVAL on Saturday 28th at the Pretoria Showgrounds. Offering a wide scope of different genres from the best acts in the South African music industry, there is no doubt that the musically mad youth market is guaranteed an experience that will exceed their expectations.
ARTISTS: Cassper Nyovest, Mafikizolo, Riky Rick, The Muffinz, Penny Penny, Boom Shaka, Black Motion, KO, Busiswa, Emtee, Kid X, Okmalumkoolkat, Khuli Chana, Dr Malinga, L-Tido, JR, Kwesta, Uhuru, Nasty C, Bucie, daLES, Kaylow, Blaklez, Howard, Bolo J Smile, DBN Nyts and African Roots
MC’S: Thobos, Nimza, Mashabela and Moozlie
DJ’S: Tira, Major League, Shimza, Oskido, Snypes, Ms Cosmo, Sphe & Naves, Speedsta, Prince Kaybee, DJ Sbu, Lulo Café, Mahoota vs Vetkuk, Junior Taurus, Lady Zama, Activists 1976, DJ Fortee, DJ Sumbody, DK Karri, Hu Nose, DJ Pumlani and various local Tshwane DJ’s
Cooler Boxes will be allowed at a cost of R100 (ONLY CANS).
Tickets range from R100 to R650 and are available at Computicket. Limited tickets will be sold at the door.
Phyno – Fada Fada Featuring Olamide (Official Video)
by Phil Chard
Nigerian artist Phyno follows in the Afro Pop footsteps of his last single Connect on his new joint featuring Olamide titled Fada Fada . On Fada Fada however Phyno takes the religious route to give praise for all his blessings.
Miss Pru Dj – Ameni Feat eMTee, Saudi, Sjava, Fifi Cooper, A-Reece & B3nchMarQ
by Phil Chard
Ambitiouz Entertainment have bulldozed their way into the South African Hip Hop scene and climbed their way to the top in a way I haven't seen since Ghetto Ruff's and Native Rhythms dominance at the turn of the millennium. In 18 months the label has gone from relative obscurity to having their two marque acts - Fifi Cooper and eMTee dominating radio and award show nominations.
Not content with relying on the success of its two young front line acts the label has also signed a number of new acts such as Miss Pru DJ, Saudi, Sjava, B3nchMarQ and somehow also managing to scoop up A-Reece who was formally signed to PH's Raw X imprint.
The ever growing clique link up on Ameni, directed by Uncle Scrooch in a video inspired by supernatural powers and spirituality as the Ambitiouz crew fights off a group of evil spirits intent on capturing a spirit in a gold leotard ? That each member of the label is tasked with protecting.
Youngsta – Top Ten List (Official Music Video)
by Phil Chard
With the gory visuals on the video for Top 10 List, Youngsta is making a statement. He is killing all those who stand in his way ad he is done chasing mainstream recognition.
Donning a Jason hockey mask and brandishing an axe, Youngsta, Take Zito (Video dorector) and his manager Lee-Roy Davids craft a 4 minute (PG-13) slasher flick that sees the Cape Town laying waste to a series of victims who are later bagged in black plastic and hung from the beam of an unfinished building.
On a song that is essentially a massive middle finger to the mainstream that has ignored Youngsta’s talents, the video takes the message even further by producing a 4 minute visual offering that will probably never see the light of day on television outside of an “uncensored” programme or with the aid of copious blurring that will essentially mask the message. If anything I respect Youngsta even more for having testicular fortitude to produce such a piece of art and effectively limiting its appeal to only those that truly care about his work.
We spoke to Youngsta a few months back about Top Ten List.
We Sat Down With Ms Supa To Discuss Women In Hip Hop, TV & Her Music
by Phil Chard
Hailing from South Africa’s East Rand town of Benoni, Ms Supa says she started rapping in the 7th grade after listening to Foxy Brown on the radio and realising that women could rap too. That day she went home and wrote her first verse.
Now 20 years later, Ms Supa is a seasoned veteran of not only the South African Hip Hop but the entertainment scene at large. Her career is littered with several achievements; in 2007 she graced the cover of Hype Magazine, she has also starred in the South Africa drama series Yizo Yizo as well as hosting her own show on South Africa’s Highveld FM station. She is also the founding member of the Ladies OF The Mic collective. A group formed to help give women in Hip Hop a platform to share their talent and gain recognition in a male dominated industry.
I got hold of her to discuss the Sa Hip Hop Industry and her latest project HerStory In The Making
I think the challenge in any industry and community is for women to be seen as more than possessions
You have now been rapping for over decade now. What have the highlights of your career been so far?
My biggest highlight would have to be the Hype cover in 2005 when I was fairly new to the industry. Amongst others was being featured on HHP's Dumela Album and getting to introduce my singing to the market.
The issue of women in Hip Hop and their struggles to gain recognition is a recurring theme. Personally what challenges have you encountered to gain recognition?
I think the challenge in any industry and community is for women to be seen as more than possessions. Every girl who has ever blown up had to belong to a particular crew or male artist. This was my biggest struggle as I had no "team" or "squad" and rolled alone. I think this might have been seen as a threat. "Who does she think she is?" kind of question.
You helped spearhead the Ladies Of The Mic movement. Can you explain what it is and what it has achieved since its inception?
This platform was made to give females an audience within Hip Hop. So often I'd know of 2 female rappers at any given time and hear people complain that there were no Female rappers. This frustrated me as I knew how much talent there was. This allowed for people to have access to talented Females in the Hip Hop community. Miss Isis who was a part of the movement is doing quite well as a featured artist on a hit single called ONLY. BlakRok who's an MC occasionally travels to perform her music in various cities in Europe.
You are a rapper that has worked on radio and TV. Which career do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy TV. The lights, camera, action side of things. Where you need to perform with all of you.
It’s been a year since you released HerStory In The Making. What was the plan for that project and how was it received?
The plan was to re-introduce myself to those who were not active in Hip Hop years ago and the youngins who think Nicki Minaj is the 1st female rapper. Through recording, a lot happened. God blessed me with 2 babies literally in 2 years. So my focus was diverted and I ended up giving the project out for free online. It was well received and had great reviews from Hip Hop bloggers. [sic]
What is your view of the current state of Hip Hop in South Africa and how do you want your music to be received ?
I am happy with the state of Hip Hop in SA. Finally one has playing ground and there is money to be made. Before we mainly did it for the love. But as much as it's an art form, a lot of work gets pushed in it. Eventually great work must be rewarded. Personally I want people to fall in love with the music. Bars are good and well, but real songs last a lifetime.
Myke Pimp – Get Mine ft TRK
by mudimusimon
Myke Pimp last featured on the blog with his video for Harare Hairarwe featuring Mariachi, now he is back with another solid single, Get Mine that features fellow Zimbabwean TRK. The song has more of a laid back vibe than his previous street oriented track, but still offers that trap vibe. The video is very minimal, featuring only Myke Pimp and a studio style backdrop and cool lighting to match the visual with the vibe of the audio.
Check the video out below and comment!
Black Vulcanite – Ahab Vs Tarantula
by Phil Chard
New music from Black Vulcanite titled Ahab Vs Tarantula The mellow, jazzy song with reggae inflections is produced by German producer Twit One and features the vocals of the duo known as Stardust on the hook. The song sees the Mark rapping about his awkward formative years while Ali sings about his love for music while switching in and out of a reggae delivery in faux patois.
Essentially this song is very much like an episode of Seinfeld. An entertaining and well-crafted effort that you will enjoy but you will struggle to pinpoint its true motivation or subject matter. Even the song’s title is absurdly derived.
According to the group
“The SONG is called Ahab (As in Moby-Dick) VS Tarantula, a spider-whale song. You know us for our weird naming convention. The beautifully eerie artwork was crafted by our friend Romeo Sankila of Kwesu Art. “
Jabba Man fka HHP Interview on DJ Sabby’s Best Drive
by Phil Chard
Jabba Man fka HHP was recently on DJ Sabby’s YFM show for an incredibly lively interview. During the discussion HHP discussed his Back To The City performance which fell just a few after he left rehab to ween himself off depression medication. He also speaks of his new found love for boxing, his name from HP to Jabba Man, his plans to move to the USA and the benefit he will be holding at Bassline to benefit Zoey who is currently suffering from cerebral palsy.
Boolz – Ekasi (Official Video) + Album Stream
by Phil Chard
Cape Town rapper Boolz just dropped the Leneave Hansen directed video for Ekasi and as the title suggests he takes us on an audio visual tour of the hood, Langa to be exact. The song appear on Boolz latest project Love Tha Hate which can be streamed below.
YCEE – Su Mi (Official Video)
by Phil Chard
Nigerian rapper YCEE and his unique delivery and sound made an almost immediate impact on the West African music scene when he broke onto the scene last year. Riding off the success of joints like Jagaban and Condo – YCEE was crowned the Rookie Of The Year at the 2015 Headies Awards.
On his new joint Su Mi YCEE reminds us that ‘he goes way harder than hard” and "body bags all that he leaves in the booth"
DJ Big N – Erima Feat. Dr. Sid & Wizkid ( Official music video )
by Phil Chard
Mavin Records’ DJ Big N linked up with label mate Dr. Sid and WizKid on the new club centred Erima.
This song is will undoubtedly be getting a lot of spins this winter. The video for the P Winxton produced track was directed by Paul Gambit.
Ma-E – Lie 2 Me Featuring AKA (Official Music Video)
by Phil Chard
Ma-E just dropped the video for his fifth single off his debut solo album Township Counsellor. The song Lie To Me features AKA trading bars with the Soweto born rapper as AKA lends his auto-tuned voice to the chorus.
The song which features a slower tempo trap sound was produced by the Zimbabwean duo of Brian Soko & Mr. Kamera.
Directed by Ma-E himself and Uprooted Media the video makes for interesting viewing with clever use of sets, props and lighting.
Burna Boy Featuring Cynthia Morgan – Acting Bad
by Phil Chard
A week after the unofficial version of the song “leaked” online , Burna Boy has released his new dancehall inspired joint Acting Bad. The song features talented, yet mathematically challenged new artist Cynthia Morgan who is signed to Jude Okeye’s Northside Music.
NewRapOrder – Turning Down Feat. Lucid Lee, Shakes Aquinas & IV
by Phil Chard
New music from Johannesburg based label Aquinas Music. The song is a full in house effort featuring production from GoldenBeats and verses from Lucid Lee, Shakes and IV.
M.anifest – W’ani Aba Featuring. Bisa Kdei (Official Music)
by Phil Chard
Few African artist continue to find new and inventive to push not only their music but their visual offerings forward quite like M.anifest.
In his new video for Wani Aba featuring Bisa Kidei, M.anifest and director Garth Von Glen (Flourish And Multiply) link up with Afr futuristic artist Serge Attukwei Clottey to tell an incredible visual story.
In the video M.anifest plays an Afrofuturistic creator who uses glasses (designed by Serge) to help ordinary people see themselves in alternate reality.
Once again M.anifest has delivered an incredibly powerful piece of imagery.
Jesse Jagz – Nigerian Gangster (Official Video)
by Phil Chard
Chocolate City’s Jesse Jagz flexes his lyrical prowess on his new release Nigerian Gangster. Featuring the perfect horn samples Jesse adopts a lyrical delivery akin to the American detective movies of the 40s and 50s to tell a tale of a series of Nigerian Gangstars – fictional and otherwise.
After David Cameron’s recent remarks about Nigeria, Jesse’s use of except of an interview of Minister Farakhan on 60 Minutes, defending corruption accusations made by Mike Wallace.
LayLizzy – Hello Featuring AKA
by Phil Chard
Mozambican rapper Lay Lizzy first made waves onto our radar late last year with the release of his song The Crew. Lay Lizzy and his team at Geobek managed to parlay that hit into a collaboration with AKA on his high energy joint Hello.
Mozambican Hip Hop has always been somewhat of an unknown entity to the rest of the continent with only a handful of recognised names that have been able to attain regional and continental notoriety. It would seem that Lay Lizzy’s strategy to focus on getting that regional attention via South Africa is paying off. Lay Lizzy also got a chance to perform the song at AKA's Super Mega Show last week.
Rymez Presents: Dirry Cash – Y’zia
by Phil Chard
Zimbabwean producer Rymez has been working with fellow Zimbabweans Dirry Cash for a few years to develop their sound. The relationship is at least 3 years old, my first introduction to Dirry Cash was SP23’s Davinci’s Memoir (also produced by Rymez in 2013). The collective and producer have linked up on the up-tempo Y'Zia
Listen to the fast paced club joint that is very reminiscent of the sound MMT pioneered and share your thoughts in the comments