Pioneer Unit

Press Release
For immediate release

Album Release Date: 15th October 2008

Download the Bread and Butter Press Kit (433k)

It’s time for the son of the ghetto to light up the nation!!

Rattex fulfills the promise so much South African hip hop has failed to deliver by serving up one of the tightest, most complete and relevant albums of its genre ever released on the continent. Rattex, or Rah to his friends and fans, brings his own unique variety of deadly lyrical poison to the South African hip hop game with his debut solo album, Bread and Butter.

Hailing from Khayelitsha on the Cape Flats, Rattex is a true son of the ghetto. He speaks from the heart with a universal appeal that can be felt and understood no matter which language you call your mother tongue. Bread and Butter documents the joy, the pain, the trials and tribulations of kasi life, taking the listener on a journey through the mind of a truly dedicated artist.

Like many classic hip hop albums before it, Bread and Butter effortlessly balances social commentary with pure entertainment. Alongside banging feel-good club tracks, Rattex also deals with more serious themes including the Government’s failure to deliver on its promises, xenophobia, life on the streets, being proud of where you’re from and the power music has to get you through life. Rattex also lays his soul bare with deeply personal tracks about the importance of his family and friends.

Musically, Bread and Butter is an eclectic mix of the freshest beats by some of the most in-demand producers in SA hip hop right now. Ranging from classic sample-based ‘boom bap’ hip hop, to a variety of cutting edge electronic club sounds, Rattex’s trademark flow ties everything together to create a powerfully coherent musical statement.

Rattex has kept guest features to a minimum, working with SA hip hop legend and label mate, Ben Sharpa, Lungelo (who recently signed to TS Records), Kritsi Ye’Spaza and Driemanskap. On production is Hipe, Nyambz, Dplanet and Planet Earth. Between them, they have helped shape the hip hop landscape in South Africa and beyond, having produced classic material for Pro Kid, Zubz, Teargas, Ben Sharpa, Imbube, Black Lez, Proverb, Wordsworth (USA), Tumi, Driemanskap, Nemza (Skwatta Kamp), Ready D, KONFAB, Jaak, Young Nations, Trusenz and many more.

Bread and Butter is the third major release from the hottest new independent hip hop label in South Africa, Pioneer Unit. The label has been making power moves since the 2007 release of the critically-acclaimed debut album, ‘Planetary Assault, which was described by Hype magazine as, “some of the strongest material ever to come out of SA”, and rated as one of the top 5 releases of 2007 (October/ November - Pg.16).

The first single, How We Roll, currently has over 30,000 views on Youtube (more than Skwatta Kamp’s hit Umoya, and only 9,000 views less than The Clap Song in half the time). Tracks from Planetary Assault were on heavy rotation on BBC Radio 1 in the UK. As a result Ben Sharpa performed at some of the biggest music festivals in the world, including Glastonbury (UK) and Dour (BEL). Tracks from Planetary Assault were also licensed to French label, Jarring Effects, a move that has helped spark major international interest in Pioneer Unit. This interest has seen Pioneer Unit license music to MTV for their hit show, Dirty Sanchez.

There is no doubt that Bread and Butter is one of the most important releases of 2008. The album is a blueprint for the future of South African hip hop, keeping Pioneer Unit’s promise to deliver ‘real African hip hop that is at home anywhere in the world’.

For Rattex, failure is not an option - music is his bread and butter and he’s hungry for success.

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Bread and Butter video

Rattex on Myspace

Rattex on Facebook

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Note to media: for more information, artist biogs, press photos, audio samples and other press opportunities, please contact Damian at Pioneer Unit.
E-mail: pioneerunit [at] gmail [dot] com
Call: +27 (83) 658 8921.

For distribution enquiries, please contact Soul Candi:
E-mail: leyton [at] soulcandidistribution [dot] co [dot] za.
Call: +27 (0)11 880 5662.

Download the Bread and Butter Press Kit (433k)