Tuesday, 23 May 2017

Feeling like....

It just hit me, after posting that last post, the ending of it it kind of sunk in.

Now in my head is J Cole's performance on the Letterman show, he got me so chocked up with he's message and more so finding out, (from another interview) how emotional he was.

I'm starting to feel like commercial hip hop could really save the world. I mean there's a lot of stupidity in the culture. And by stupidity, I mean the drugs, strippers, jewellery, making it rain and such things.

We need more Lupe Fiasco, Macklemore, Joey Bada$$ to just call a few from the top of my head.

You might've noticed that it's all western artists.
Well, our artists are still enjoying the fun side of the industry. I think responsibility and awareness will sink in as the western artists rapp more about them...because that's where we are as a culture right now.

Mlazi Milano has a couple of socially responsible tracks, but throughout the album, its all party music.
But anyway, I was just touching base on that.

I wonder how many people would think I'm insane for thinking that commercial hip hop could save the world.
But it's very tricky, record labels and their stats and computer geeks, might hinder the creative works of the artist. But these are hurdles artists under labels must endure to put out thought provoking music that's cat good.

Logic's Suicide hotline Song got me breaking down.

This 'Everyone' by Logic is such a powerful album. As Mango shared on his AfricAryan, this album tells stories about everyone, and in each song you find a part of yourself and kinda makes you feel some kind of way.
My song was 1-800-273-8255 featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid. Already know Alessia's music and her voice kind of resonates with me on some truthful level, so just the ingredients for this track are insane.

Ok some pretext as to why this song breaks me down, I had just done reading King Leopold's Ghost and started The Mirror at Midnight so I was emotionally unstable and a bit volatile.
All along in the background, playing softly was Logic's album.
At my weakest point, or rather when I noticed it, this song came on, and it took me and rocked to sleep like a crying babe.

I'm so inspired by a few hip hop artists right now. Their message isn't that tired played out BS, getting high, fvcking b!tches, stackin up racks, and all the rest.
These artists' message is more uplifting and promoting happiness. Granted by happiness, they aren't talking about that clichéd message we all know that money brings happiness. But that's a very rudimentary statement. I might just approach in another post.

I feel like if hip hop took this turn, it could save the world. Real isht.

Thursday, 18 May 2017

Mango tackles Logics AfricAryan.

By Mango


If you've ever felt the feeling of neglect, being sidelined, not accepted or treated unfairly solely because of your skin colour or race then Logic's "AfricAryan" will once again evoke those emotions. As he raps from the perspective of various biracial individuals including a white mother who gives birth to a mixed baby and as such has been disowned by her parents.
This is the last track off his third studio album, "Everybody". This 12 minute long, behemoth of a track features a somber and uplifting Outro by fellow rapper J. Cole & has heart piercing vocals from singer Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
Logic pours his heart out on the 6ix produced joint about how growing up biracial affected him & how he's not ashamed of his granddad "Malik", even though his black  siblings would act as if he's adopted.
He speaks on how he wants to go back to the time his black father impregnated his "cracker" mother and stop it, because of the amount of rejection he got throughout his life.
I feel like the song is the most important on the album, because not only do we get to hear other people's stories but we got a piece of Logic's life. Since the album is about everybody, we didn't expect him to get personal, he gave us a piece of him on the track.
Overall, a masterful track to an equally masterful album.

THE KASI FRIENDLY GHOST. I wasn't a fan

So I got through Cassper's album, Thuto. And while I am a strong Aka fan, I feel like every aka fan is sleeping on the kasi friendly ghost. Period.

I mean I don't feel like there are any classics in this album, or songs with Phumakim weight, Doc shebeleza, Mama I Made It, but I've only listened to it once and I came in on sleep mode on Cassper.

I'm sure you've picked up on a glaring fact, I only know radio circulating Cassper tracks and features. But I figured that qualified me to write this post. Granted I'll have to have a proper sit down with the Tsholofelo album today.

I loved Cassper's verse on that Khuli track and he didn't let the Khuli wave drag him under. He was surfing that shit. And that feature is a major door open to Aka friendly rappers, that the friendly ghost was previously shunned thanks to the "beef"?. Hopefully more collaborations will come through.

Anyway, this album. I don't feel like I can review it. I'm not qualified and the only word that comes to me about this album is nostalgic freshness. Although it may be Nostalgic, a banger is necessary for an album, and Nyuku couldn't be a great fit.
It is however like I said...I need to sit down with Nyovest's body of work, including the multiple radio appearances, performances and awards, local and abroad.
But I will say this, Cassper the Kasi Ghost should drop my music like Nyuku.
Good Gawd!
Ikay'inyuku?!

Thursday, 6 November 2014

Homecoming - The Conspiracy

So a few months ago I lied to a friend. Told her I’d work on my blog again, this for real. I had no intentions of doing that, with my foot on the vast world of entertainment’s door, a blog was in my mind a spark next a bonfire. But then again I thought of something Vince Vaughn said in that movie the Internship. His character said “sometimes the long shots pay off the biggest”.
So here I am you Hip Hop heads.
Only a few people actually asked me why I stopped posting. Truth is my blog got marked and I passed.
What I've been up to since my last post is not really relevant to anything Hip Hop, well apart from one thing really. When I was in Cape Town I became very paranoid. I became something like of a conspiracy theorist…you know Illuminati and such nonsense.


I’m afraid it didn't get any better, I started listening to Rick Ross’ work. It didn't help with anything. After Ross, I dipped into a bit of 


Jay Z,













Pusha T,









50 cent,
 
















Eminem, 

Snoop Dogg… err I mean Lion, I mean… fuck it you know who I’m talking about. 

I then found myself on some TDE, especially Ab Soul, Kdot and Schoolboy Q (Jay Rock sucks, he probably begged to be on the crew, or maybe he was the guy with the connections…I should look into that, or maybe if you know holler at me. But any way I digress). Really though, listen to Ab Souls' 'Just Have Fun' from his 'These Days...' album. 

After listening to these artists, drugs seemed to the common denominator. Had I been in my right mind, the CD would be mad bars, that’s what you think when you think of what these artists have in common…well except for Eminem. He didn't deal drugs, he just consumed them like a muhfuckah. At this point my mind was buzzing.
I conjured up wild theories, Googling fragments of relevant information to justify my wild claims. I googled things like ‘When was weed declared an illegal substance?’, ‘Origin of Crack’, ‘What Is Crack’…. Then I found myself watching a video about Pablo Escobar and the Colombian Necktie…gnarly shit I tell you.
So the conspiracy you ask?
The FBI and a secret part of the CIA was sustained my drug cartel money. (I know far fetched shit right?!)
I had it in my mind that the FBI, and the secret part of the CIA, were in cahoots with certain cartels that paid them (FBI & the secret part of the CIA) operation fee. Basically giving the cartels right to sell drugs in locations where these rappers grew up. Locations crippled by poverty and gang warfare.
The rappers that came up from those conditions, tell their stories through their music and the “authority” maintains that it’s not literal.
Anyway I ended claim
Hip Hop is a platform to advertise drugs. Think about it, they sell you a way of life…a very comfortable way of life. Telling the audience of their deep pockets and money is everything and how drugs was a way for them to get ‘paper’. Basically pushing THE Audience to selling drugs…It’s easy money. And if you get caught, you’ll just lose a bit of your freedom…arg…no no no, I’m not touching that again.
What got me back though was listening to South African Hip Hop. You know, the older cats, Optical Illusion, H2O, Skwata Camp, etc. and I was like…NAH I’m just being paranoid.

But what if I’m not!!!!!

Wednesday, 28 November 2012

Top Singles

2012 is in it's death bed, I mean it's quite an ill year since the 1st of January. This year brought about crazy singles from South African artists.

To close off the year, here is my version of *Big Singles dropped this year by our artists... in no particular order _ please people, its not a contest.

Veezo - All I Do

Talk about a pleasant surprise!

Cashtime Fam Ft. Teargas - Stundee



Khuli Chana Ft. Notshi - Tswaadaar

Monstrous beat!! Explosive Notshi

Zakwe Ft. Danger and Zuluboy - Bathi Ngiyachoma



Teargas - Ok right (which really isnt that big in S.A yet but is a club banger for sure)



HHP - Bosso



DotCom - Get Mine remix Ft. Cashtime Fam



AKA - Jealousy



Kwesta Ft. Kidd X - Boom Shakalaka


Dro Hefner The Jew (a.k.a Hydro) - Lamborghini



Intergalactic crew - Hipe Ft. HC, Cream, Rattex, Ben Sharpa, Dj Codax, Danola, N'Veigh, Blaklez. Jaak and Linz Faluka -  Hiperspace



Driemanskap - Izulu Lelam



Khuli Chana Ft. Morafe - jiva Sfebulous



And here is my pick for Mzantsi's hottest albums of the year:
4. AB Crazy - Homecoming


3. Teargas - Num8er Num8er - I really didn't like this album as a whole but there are some killer singles I really enjoyed.


2. Khuli Chana - Lost in Time

1. Although it's not exactly an album, it takes pole postion. His album, DaKAR ( Da King of Afrikan Rap)
Kwesta - Rally 4DaKAR

Monday, 12 November 2012

Gangnam Style.

Released July 15th this year, South Korean pop star, PSY's Gangnam Style took the world by storm. Even the world of dancing went all out at the arrival of this strange, new and suprisingly addictive dance style.
 PSY's nonconformist attitude brought him alot of hits throughout his long career,
His debut single _ Bird in 2001


Then followed up with Champion in 2002. The video for this track proved PSY as a true entertainer, using game-like features in it.

The 34 year-old is not showing any signs of lettin up with the hits. Even the wakky crew, the Poreotics have done a cover of this crazy dance style. His presence on stage is like nothing I've seen _ and I've only seen him in videos.

Appearing in The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Today, Saturday Night Live and a master performance on the MTV Music Video Awards, Gangnam Style has taken over.

"Oppan Gangnam Style
Gangnam Style
Op op op op oppan Gangnam Style
Gangnam Style
Op op op op oppan Gangnam Style "