Where hunger dwells you’ll find a thirst that’s difficult to quench.This is a amazing collective from Port Elizabeth that should be hitting it big time,that’s my prediction.I’ve been thinking a lot about arts and education and where it fits in this society of mine! So 2014 has been exciting thus far,there’s obviously challenges.Talent like this often gets overlooked by incompetent officials that does not understand the value in creating a arts economy.So working within the confines of such a space is haaaaaaaard.Ideas and endeavors often remain at the doorstep.So i been thinking,been plotting and praying.What South African society is facing at large is dependency on state parastatals.Which firstly is very dangerous,especially for a country that’s so fresh out of apartheid.I see it often,artist sleeping on the doorstep of political parties trying to score a tender.So what do you do when there’s no investment from the private sector,when society at large does not place a monetary value on our arts? For a sector to grow there needs to be a investment,there needs to be currency flowing between artist.So i’m sitting in a catch 22 situation but that does not mean we should stop making our arts,that does not mean we we have to change our message to be accepted by the powers that be.This video is just a sample of the talent that’s to be found in the Eastern Cape at large.I particularly love that there’s been a sort of awakening with the community,a self realization that we cant wait for anybody to do shit.Collaboration is key,this happens to be a instalment of the collaboration that we working on.I’m looking forward to some traveling endeavours in September,where i will be building with Berklee College of Music and a few other institutions.Keep your ears and eyes open for us.We coming…
The Rumor
Have we been bought out? Does corporations own the soul of hip hop music? Let me rephrase “does corporations own the soul of music” ? I’m in a pensive state,half meditative state! My journey with sound and expressions rolls back many many moons ago.I’ve been thinking,i should say i’ve been thinking a lot about you.Remember when Common said “I use to love her” Today i was asked by a 9 year old if i can’t switch to a channel where she could watch Drake,Rick Ross and you know everything that follows next.I love that music consist of so many different components,so understanding the whole process could be a mammoth task as some of us just want that perfect beat,with the perfect hook.Im going to take the focus away from entertainment cos i believe that’s what we fed primarily.This video i posted is of a French hip hop group my friend Hame is part of.Popular underground group La Rumeur was the voice for the disenfranchised youth in the slums of France.Hame aka Mohammed Bourokba had a close to ten year legal battle with President Nicolas Sarkozy.The world is a place that’s filled with social issues and the voices who are raising these issues are not often celebrated commercially.I’m from South Africa and we got huge disparities but these issues are not raised,we living this rainbow utopia that’s more like a dystopia.Use your samples,use your voices to rise from the dump that we perishing in.
The great conquest.
These electronic streets got us often walking a path that’s overflowing with information.The last few days i’ve had my head wrapped,i’m trying to decipher your morse code.I’m trying to put you down and look up more,but it seems eye contact are a thing of the past.I’ve been thinking a lot,about conquest and a past that’s often blurry like the depth of field.Good morning its 7:04 pm and i need to get my fix of that caffeine,my choice is pretty indecisive but i think i will settle for that perfect cup of Arabian coffee.Okay,so back to conquest,cos i’m allowing this cup of coffee to break my concentration and it’s of utter importance that we speak about conquest and your ancestors role in colonizing our minds.
I recently met this Queen from Babylon she assured me the path to Mesopotamia would not be filled with any rocks or boulders that could possibly crush my 6 feet 3 frame.You see i’ve allowed the Trojan horse in one too many,and after the umpteenth time you stop caring about the effects of allowing this horse on your land.That needs to change right! Your Majesty,my spirit needs to Rome (Roam) so would you set me free,that i could conquer and finally burn the remains of this Trojan horse? Release me from this schemes,i stand with integrity,directionless but a beating heart that’s my compass. What i’m fighting for is worth more than silver and gold,i’ve used all the routes,buckled my horse a million times and searched for fertile grounds where i could sow my seeds and finally build a house.When i close my eyes i’m often taken back to untouched plains where man and camels roamed,a place where Daniel slayed the lion and Samson refused to cut his locs.Marched through the desert one step at a time,chop them down,chop them down…
Wake up!
Wake up!
Was it all a dream before i use to read Word Up Magazine?
Rushay said... 