Slege – Exercise Skill (Offical Video)
by Phil Chard
South African rapper Slege (fka Slege Lee)just dropped a video for his hard hitting lyrical offering Exercise Skill. The song features a Thedawn produced beat with a looped sample, boom baps and DJ scratches as Slege delivers a 3 minute verbal combination on his competition. The Brad Tapinos directed video features Slege in boxing gym (if that wasn't clear from all my puns) reciting his verses as he shadow boxes with these bars.
MI Talks About His Upcoming Projects & Finding Value In Being A Nigerian
by Phil Chard
Chocolate City Music CEO MI recently appeared on Nigerian talk show Rubbin Minds where he discussed a number of issues with the show’s host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu. During the 20 minute chat MI spoke about how he runs the label, the artists under it and Choc City’s plans to transition into a business akin to what Universal and Sony have built overseas.
When asked about the state of his career however MI shared some interesting thoughts regarding upcoming projects and his view on going international
Ebuka : Are you happy with where your career is now? You have in the industry for 10,11 years now.
MI: I think the fact that I'm happy as a person and trying to find balance as a human being first, it takes a little steam out of a career because you need to take breaks, to spend time with your family, to be personally fulfilled. You need to secure what you're gonna do next. So me being a CEO and working at chocolate city and planning the next thing after I've been an artist. Personally I'm completely happy, of course you are never meant to be satisfied. You always want to have hunger to do more. For instance 2Face [2Baba] and I are doing a series of projects this year and I'm like a kid in a candy shop looking forward to what's gonna come out if it. Jessie, Ice Prince and I have spoken about doing an album together. I got like 2,3 albums that I'm working on. I'm excited to make music, I'm excited to perform, I'm excited to keep going. But you also want to be happy as a person and say hey let's turn off the lights now, I need some time for myself now.
Ebuka. do you feel you should've done more international work by now?
MI : You know I'm very weird about the international thing I'm not interested at all. I'm interest in building in Africa. I'm interested in building in Nigeria. The biggest thing that we can do internationally is set up our business and our industry right here. America is very funny… when I first came out I was one of the guys that was seen as “you should go international, you should do this “. I just lost interest with that and I said wanna I come back home and work on what's happening back home. It doesn't seem glamorous but that's really our way to the top. For you to be successful in America you need to be American. There culture is so closed and complete. Nobody is gonna listen to you talk about Lasgidi in America. They want you to talk about about 57 Street and New York. I don't want to do that. I want to find value in being Nigerian. I want to find value in my language, in my neighbourhoods, in my people.
Wise words from about finding value within before we look for external approval. I cannot wait to hear what else MI and 2Baba have been cooking up. You can their song Babylon here
D’Prince – Worldwide (Official Music Video)
by Phil Chard
The Prince of Mavin Records (see what I did there) just dropped his comeback , Don Jazzy produced single titled Worldwide. The video features scenes from Singapore, Hong Kong, Brazil, The UK and a number of other exotic locations that my passport isn't qualified to identify as D’Prince reminds us that with him “you'll go Worldwide”. Prince reminds of us his skills and versatility as he rides over this uptempo Soca influenced beat effortlessly.
Franko – Faut Pas Taper Sur Madame
by Phil Chard
Since coming across his work a few months Cameroonian rapper Franko has consistently impressed me with his releases. The rapper has found the right mix of lyrically impressive bars that have forced me to up my Duolingo app usage and melodic deliveries that will still get your head nodding even if if you parlez what he rappez . His new single Faut Pas Taper Sur Madame is more of the latter and melds several musical styles together beautifully such as Soukous, Hip Hop and Pop.
To here Fronko revert to spittin these bars in a real watch this radio freestyle that he dropped last week.
#SubmissionSunday | Maglera Doe Boy – Tetris Brickz (Official Music Video)
by Phil Chard
South African Maglera Doe Boy has dropped the video for a song titled TetrisBrickz. The song is an ode to South Africa Kwaito artist Brickz. The video for the song is could certainly be alot better , but the artist displays an fair amount of skill and talent on this Subs produced song that I found refreshing
Paying homage to the South African Kwaito artist " Brickz" aka " Mabrigado" ,TetrisBrickz brings to life my rendition of his line from the classic he calls " Sweety my baby " where he goes : " Sesihlangana emarenkeni" to his love interest in the Dj Cleo produced classic
#SubmissionSunday | Hoax – BABA (Prod Subs)
by Phil Chard
South African rapper Hoax of Arcvde Music has released the second offering off the Mosh EP titled Baba. The song is a kwaito influenced trap-like hybrid that borrows from Thebe's Groover's Prayer.
#SubmissionSunday | Chealex Mpanza – Uzilwe
by Phil Chard
Chealex Mpanza is a South African rapper who just submitted his new single Uzilwe. THe song titled translates to "have you heard" and Chealex uses this as a platform to speak o his current grind and goals.
#SubmissionSundays | Nuhtkayz – Freespirit
by Phil Chard
Submission from a totally new artist on our radars , but one we look forward to hearing form in the future. Nuhtkayz is a Johannesburg based rapper with a truly unique and impressive sound that is on full display on her new song Freespirit , produced by the Kanif. Let us know what you think
#SubmissionSunday | T Bradster – Some More feat. Tamara Skye
by Phil Chard
South African T Bradster links up with songstress Tamara Skye on his R&B- Hip Hop joint titled Some More. The song which displays some of T Bradster skills as a silver tongued lyrical crooner is set to appear in his upcoming mixtape 14ninety1.
#SubmissionSunday | Fiddle Pop – Sammy Sosa Featuring Father Naz
by Phil Chard
Considering that success in music is predicated on a certain level of creativity and originality South African rappers seem to be going to the same well a lot as of late. That well being dedicating song titles to women in Media. Not one to be left out Fiddle Pop links up with Father Naz on their ode to the beautiful and talent Sammy Sosa aka Samantha Lehoko
#SubmissionSunday | Service Delivery – Bando
by Phil Chard
Service Delivery is a Joburg based group of three musicians, ZESTY-TOX who raps and producers, BIG EGO who raps and sings, and COM-RAD who also raps. The trio just released the uptempo track Bando
#SubmissionSunday | Kweiks -Doto
by Phil Chard
Kweiks teased the release of his latest single Doto with the release of his #DotoDeyCome freestyle last week and has just dropped the song itself. The song is a hard knocking track produced by Spiky with hard knocking trap drums and horns.
#SubmissionSunday | E.P.I.C – MANONG
by Phil Chard
Botswana's E.P.I.C has just released the first single off his upcoming yet to be named debut album. Manong is a song heavily influenced by Kwaito and House that has E.P.I.C reminding us to be weary of critch riders. This song bangs !
#SubmissionSunday | Young Black – Lemons & Herbs
by Phil Chard
Botswana's Young Black addresses a couple of issues in the Botswana Hip Hop scene on Lemon & Herbs. The video is a single shot offering that forces you to focus o his lyrics as the camera stays locked in on his face.
Happy Birthday Zubz! Here’s Why We Dig These 5 Songs On Your Soundcloud
by Tseliso Monaheng
Zubz turns 40 today. The Zam-born, Zim-based, SA-residing Golden Mic Holder* is one of the greatest emcees of our time. Have a look at the cuts below, straight off of his Soundcloud.
Handiende
Much as Zubz had been around wrecking shit, this was his breakout song, the one which received high rotation on national and trans-national radio -- Maseru ate this song up! -- and established Zubz as a voice worthy of attention. Shout-out to Mukuru Tuku for making the original.
My distress
One for Tar-Tar. Or Madiba. Or Father of the Rainbow Nation. Look, beyond the fraying facade of an internationally-revered figured, appropriated by global power structures and used to further their cynical quest of recourse without reparation, there exists layers to uTata Rolihlahla Mandela. "My distress", as a contemporary take on socio-political issues of the larger-than-life figure's past, attests to Zubz's capacity to investigate the before. The mundane. The man, not the myth, that is Nelson Mandela.
Appreciated all the well wishes. You've helped colour not just my birthday but a huge part of my first 40 years. Here's to the next 40!
— Zubz (@zubzlastletta) July 24, 2016
A Different Life
Look, this song. The beat. Pebbles. The story. Gaaahd, why so good Zubz?!
Heavy 8
None of the emcees featured on this song knew it was going to end up as a posse cut. If you were into rap music circa '04, you KNOW that this was the real deal mayne!
"Liberatum"
A lot rested on execution, with this song. With M.anifest on deck, Madina's very own own strengthened the appeal of this pan-African wet dream-turned-sapiosexual orgy. The song provides hours of stimulation, and can go on for a few rounds without irritating the listener.
Trivia: M.anifest is the only emcee we know of to have done a song with the unfuckwithable trio of Tumi, Zubz and Proverb. Ill, right?! We know...
Refer to "The Legend of the Golden Mic" for context
#SubmissionSunday | REP – GET MINE
by Phil Chard
Daniel Mboweni aka REP who also happens to be formerly known as Replica has been making Hip Hop since his early teens. In his short career he has worked with Dj Clock, Slege lee, Zano, and Musa . The song Get Mine (pronounced "get moyne") is a thumping trap beat from Verified Beatz that REP destroys with aplomb.
#SubmissionSunday | The Dot – Call Me
by Phil Chard
The Dot is a Zimbabwean rapper who linked up with fellow ZImbabwean and label mate MC Tytoh on Call Me. The Bulawayo acts ride over an uptempo BMB beat and deliver some impressive bars. The song was so close to be being smash until the awfully lazy chorus and bridge kicked in . So close. So so close.
#SubmissionSunday | Lucid – Lights Went Off
by Phil Chard
Lucid is a 24 year old Kenyan rapper now based in Canada who submitted his dark and introspective single Lights Went Off. Oddly enough this music reminds me a lot of the stuff Buks is currently making.
#SubmissionSunday | PrimeTheGifted Featuring Raymnd – Pressure (Official Video)
by Phil Chard
South Africa's PrimeTheGidted and Raymnd deliver some impressive and hard flows on the grimy Pressure
Tiko Tshepo Motabatsindi (born October 30, 1992), better known by his stage name PrimeTheGifted, is a South African independent hip hop recording artist from Chiawelo, Soweto, Johannesburg. He is known for his dynamic lyricism and captivating story telling. His freestyles and singles have enjoyed radio airplay and favourable reception from the targeted demographic over the years. He is not only a independent recording artist but also a semi-skilled visual-effects artist, works full-time at multichoice, to further add on his repertoire, is a video/film graduate at a notable media college.
On the 30th of October 2013, he released his Debut mixtape The Construct, which on it’s first week of released saw 2000 downloads and received love from his fans, and critics showed their love and appreciate for this artists unique style and approach to storytelling. Since then PrimeThe Gifted later released a 5 track EP titled “For Promotional Use Only” In 2015 Which featured Prime’s signature flow and hard hitting bars along with 4 Music videos which he released every thursday as a thank you to his fans, This gained him some hype and allowed him to perform at the now famous Club “Cantare” in Monte casino which showcases a lot of well-known South African hip hop artists. In 2016, Prime later released a music video for his Rnb Inspired hip hop banger “You know” featuring Raymnd and former Vuzu Presenter Denise Zimba which then aired on channel O’s hit music show “Turn Up”. Prime is now preparing to release his 3rd Project in the 3rd quarter of the year.
#SubmissionSunday | Karabo – Poor Conversations & Journal Entries
by Phil Chard
South African rapper Karabo just dropped a 5 track EP titled Poor Conversations & Journal Entries, a project that plays out like a diarised snapshot into the young creatives life. The project features a number of spacey instrumentals and soft pads as Karabo raps over them with his husky voice.