A few weeks ago we watched the video for Rocaflow by our friends Ill Skillz. The quality of the cinematography, art direction and editing blew us away so we tracked down the people responsible, Greenhouse Productions. After an initial meeting we decided that we had to work with them on the video for Driemanskap’s first single, Camagu.
Camagu is about the importance of respecting your traditions, your culture and your elders, even if you are a young, urban hip hop head. Driemanskap wanted to shoot in a rural setting and the Director, Garth, happened to know a perfect location on a farm in Khayelitsha.
The shoot started at sunrise and went on until midnight. Despite the long hours, everyone gave 100% and judging by the footage we have seen so far, this video is going to set incredibly high standards for us and the rest of the SA hip hop industry to follow.
A massive thank you to everyone at Greenhouse Productions (Garth, Niklas, Christian, Karl, Tami, Bert and Adrian). Also, huge thanks to Sivu and Kanyi for styling, the dancers, the extras (Dre, Bizzah, Siya, Kanyi, Lulama) and everyone else who came through to support - we really couldn’t do this without you!
Check out some behind the scenes photos of the shoot courtesy of Anne-Sophie Leens…
Garth directing (click for larger image).
The shed scene (click for larger image).
El Nino at sunrise (click for larger image).
Driemanskap bringing energy like only they can (click for larger image).
Redondo in the bushes (click for larger image).
Siya and Sivu work on Dla (click for larger image).
Redondo in the frame (click for larger image).
Dancers at sunset (click for larger image).
The final shot of the day (click for larger image).
The Unit just got back from a week-long tour of Réunion Island where we did a series of workshops followed by a show that included a collaborative performance with some local artists at an event called Arts Urbains.
Pioneer Unit traveled with African Dope Sound System (DJ Dope, Neon Don, Teba, Crosby, JJ, Jessie Dan and Alex) and Play-Doe (DJ Sibot and Spoek). The Unit was represented by Ben Sharpa, DJ Raiko, spo0ky and myself.
We were approached by the event organisers, Bato Fou, about six months ago, when I met up with one of their directors, Stéphane Barbieri, in Cape Town. At the time I must admit that I had never heard of Réunion. For those of you that have also never heard of it, Réunion is an island located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about 200 kilometres South West of Mauritius, the nearest island. One of the most striking features of the island is the live volcano that last erupted only six months ago.
After a couple of days of sightseeing and getting to know the local beer, Dodo, we were introduced to the workshop participants. The group consisted of musicians from a variety of musical styles ranging from dancehall to hip hop to traditional Créole performers.
Raiko got busy teaching some basic DJing techniques while everyone split into groups to work out collaborations. We were particularly impressed by Alex, a local rapper who talks about social injustice and Mangalor, a six-piece traditional Créole percussion and vocal group.
The main show, Arts Urbains was on our last night, the day before the French national holiday, Fête de la Musique. The stage was set up right on the beach and the weather was perfect despite being the middle of their winter. Bato Fou provided one of the nicest sound systems we’ve played on in a long time. One of the highlights of the night was Ben Sharpa and Raiko performing a traditional Créole remix of 5ive Fingers featuring Mangalor and Alex.
The crowd showed love to all the performers and we all had a great time. We took the after party to a local bar and continued performing until very late. After an hour’s sleep we had to bounce to the airport to catch our early flight.
We were treated like royalty by Bato Fou - big thanks to Stéphane, Nicolas and Prisca! We’re going to release the 5ive Fingers remix as soon as we can - and we’re definitely going back to Réunion!
We had too much fun. Check out some photos:
Rasta touch down pon island (click for larger image).
Our accommodation - life is tough (click for larger image).
Raiko keeps the fridge well stocked (click for larger image).
Volcano warning sign (click for larger image).
Lava flow (click for larger image).
Neon Don in a volcanic crater (click for larger image).
Introductions at the workshop (click for larger image).
Workshop performances (click for larger image).
Traditional Créole cuisine - smoked sausage in tomato sauce (click for larger image).
Chronic Clan on the coast (click for larger image).
Jam session with ‘Le Man’ (click for larger image).
Birthday feast (click for larger image).
Ben Sharpa / Raiko / Mangalor rehearsal (click for larger image).
Spoek with the event poster (click for larger image).
The venue for Arts Urbains (click for larger image).
The Kaptain salutes the crowd (click for larger image).
View from the stage (click for larger image).
Collaboration with Mangalor and Alex (click for larger image).
JessieDan alongside Ben Sharpa (click for larger image).
The afterparty (click for larger image).
And we’re out. Thank you Réunion (click for larger image).
Check out Driemanskap in the current June / July 5th Birthday Special of Hype Magazine - on shelves now!
“El Nino sees spaza as a vehicle, making their music accessible to the people who inspire them as well as a means to preserve their language. “I come from a cultural background and honouring my traditions and customs comes first and foremost”“.
Support local hip hop and get yourself a copy of Hype Magazine today!
Visuals courtesy of Hype magazine, Intelligence Publishing.
Hegemony by the one Ben Sharpa features on the May 2009 edition of the Rhythm Incursion podcast. It’s packed with niceness by the likes of Roots Manuva, Busdriver, King Midas Sound, Om Unit and many many more. Check it out
Last week your boy Ratteezy recorded an episode of SABC 2’s youth edutainment show, Keeping It Real. The issue being discussed was urban poetry and hip hop. Rah and Blaq Pearl dropped some verses and shared their experiences of being performance artists in Cape Town.
The show is due to be aired later this year. Keep it locked to PioneerUnit.com for more info.
In the mean time, check out some behind the scenes photos…
Baby got back (click for larger image).
Rah waiting backstage (click for larger image).
The host introducing Rattex (click for larger image).
Rah keeping it real (click for larger image).
Rah on screen (click for larger image).
Rah serenading Blaq Pearl (click for larger image).
Sorry we’ve been quiet for a while, but you know that just means we’re working hard, right?
After his massively successful tour of France last month, Ben Sharpa came down to Cape Town this week for some meetings. He also got in the studio for some major international collaborations.
These collabs have been a long time coming so we’re really excited. With our very own super-producer, Hipe, on production you already know the tracks are banging!
The first collaboration is with Puerto Rican Hip Hop artist, Siete Nueve. On working with Sharpa he said, “It’s real good to connect PR to the Motherland. I’m a protector of our Afro-Caribbean culture and it’s very important to create a bridge to hip-hop as it is universal.”
The second collaborator is probably more well know on the African continent, Nigeria’s most deadly emcee, Mode9.
I have to say, Back to the City was AMAZING! I can’t big up Domz, Osmic and the whole crew enough for the work they put into making the event the massive success it was. It really made me feel proud to be part of the SA hip hop movement!
We arrived straight from the airport and joined a panel discussion about the state of South African hip hop. The panel included Mizi from Hype Magazine, and Slikour and Sugasmaxx from Ventilation Productions. Everything from local music quotas, the quality of production, being self-motivated, unity in SA hip hop, making it overseas and wearing South African designer clothes was discussed. Hopefully everyone went away feeling more positive about SA hip hop.
When the show started there were too many dope performances to mention, but my personal highlights were HHP, F-Eezy, Young Nations and El Nino performing ama Vuvuzela (El Nino’s verse brought the house down) and of course, Driemanskap.
Drie were performing new material from their soon to be released album, Igqabhukil’ Inyongo for the first time in J-Section. Judging by the crowd’s reaction, the boys are going to take the country by storm. All I can say is that I was grinning like a fool for the whole performance and the boys made me proud!
I’m already looking forward to Back to the City 2010!
On Wednesday we did an interview on Dutch national radio station FunX. The African Hip Hop Show is hosted by J4, GMB and DJ 360, so big ups to them for putting us on.
It’s amazing that national radio in Holland has an entire show dedicated to African Hip Hop, and we don’t in South Africa. Go figure.
We’ll be posting a link to the mp3 of the interview as soon as it goes live. In the mean time check out some photos…
Getting ready for the interview (click for larger image).
Dplanet on da mic (click for larger image).
DJ 360 (click for larger image).
J4 and DJ 360 on air (click for larger image).
Mustafa Maluka on air (click for larger image).
The show’s co-host GMB (click for larger image).
Mustafa Maluka, Dplanet and GMB (click for larger image).
South African hip hop is about to change forever. An epic, earth-rending collision of two cultures coming together, Driemanskap embody the best socially conscious, cutting edge lyricsm of Cape Town, and the passion and deeply felt African pride of the Spaza movement. The result is a hip hop supernova, the shockwave of which will be felt across Mzanzi and beyond…
If you’re in Paris this Friday, check out Ben Sharpa at Glaz’Art for the F@#k You I’m Furious party. Our partner in crime, Milanese, is also going to be dropping science so you know it’s gonna get ugly. Check it out!
Last weekend in Cape Town, cellular service provider, MTN, officially launched their mobile digital music download platform MTN Xploaded. The launch was a 3 day event that started with a press preview at the Radisson hotel on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday there were live performances at the Waterfront Amphitheater. Needless to say, Rah, Kritsi and Vux rocked the spot on all three days.
Tracks from Rattex’s debut album Bread and Butter are currently available for download either online or directly from your cellphone via MTN Xploaded. Check it out!
Rah and Kritsi rock the press (click for larger image).
The Scooter Dance (click for larger image).
Get down (click for larger image).
Rockin’ the Waterfront (click for larger image).
Hold up (click for larger image).
Rah and Kritsi (click for larger image).
Throw your hands in the air (click for larger image).
Crowd getting down (click for larger image).
Kritsi and Rah having fun (click for larger image).
If you happen to be in Lyon, France, this evening, check out Ben Sharpa live at Le Sonic.
Ben has been rocking crowds in France and Switzerland this month as part of his first tour organised by our sister label Jarring Effects. You can check out his remaining dates on our gigs page.
Check out your boy Rattex in the latest edition of Obrigado magazine, which is available free of charge at any Vida e Caffe coffee shop.
Rah brought his unique brand of kasi swag to the ‘zoo’ theme of the feature where he appears as a,,, rat!
“One listen to D’s Molotov cocktail of boom-bap beats and grimy digitalia and you’ll hear just why Rattex was inspired to write some of the most poisonously real tales to come out of the Cape since Prophets of da City.”
- Miles Keylock.
